Turn off "automatically update" date field after merged?

[cbeck29483]

I've created a letter mail merge template that I use often. I've inserted
the date so everytime I run the merge it will have the correct date. I save
the completed merge but if I open the letter at a later time it still inserts
the current date and time so I've lost the date the letter was originally
created. Is there a way I can turn off the automatic update after the letter
is merge?

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Use a createdate field in your template and create a new document based on
your template to do the actual merge. In the document in question, press
Alt-F9 to display field codes. Then change the field to a CREATEDATE field,
press F9 and then Alt-F9. See if that helps.

See http://addbalance.com/word/datefields1.htm for information on the
different kinds of datefields and how to format them.

 

[cbeck29483]

Charles, thank you for the quick reply although I'm not sure this is the
answer. If I use createdate, that will add the date the template was saved
and not the current date. Is this correct?

Thanks.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

It is not correct. You create a new merge document based on the template
just as you would any other document. It will have the date it is created.
You then merge from that document.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[cbeck29483]

Charles, Once again thank you for your response. Just so I understand, you
are suggesting I do a "save as" from the template to create a new merge
template everytime and then complete the merge?

 

[Mike]

If you go to Insert, Field, then select Create Date (rather than Date) this
will create a date that will display the date the letter was created (eg,
merged). I use this for my letter templates as well as merged documents. I
believe this field is new with Word 2002, but it might be in Word 2000 as
well.

Mike

 

[Charles Kenyon]

No, the correct way to use a template is to go through File > New and pick
the template to create a new document (or double-click on the template's
icon from within Windows). This generates a new document.

Do not use SaveAs to try to change a template to a document. In most
versions of Word this won't work and in those where it does work, IMO, it
should not. For more on the different kinds of templates, tabs on the file
new dialog, and locations of templates folders see
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

CreateDate predates the current Word document format, I believe going back
to at least Word 3.0.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.