Using an Excel file for the data for a merge

[Sean]

I have set-up several Word 2002 documents for mail merges (labels and
envelopes) using an Excel 2002 file as the data source. This stopped working
properly recently (since installing XP SP2?).

In the past, I just opened the document and performed the merge. Now I have
to go through several steps every time I open the documents. (Sorry for the
long post, but I wanted to give you as much info as I could.)

First, I get a dialogue box telling me that opening the document with will
run a SQL command (which appears to be the filter on the recipients) and that
data will be inserted in the document.

Second, I have to “find the data source†– meaning the same Excel file that
I have always used.

Third, the document has lost any filters when I open it up. I have to
recreate the filter.

Another set of problems is with the filters. Sometimes after creating a
filter for a column in the Excel file (such as selecting contacts with an
entry of E, F, or M in a column), I am unable to change that criteria and
access the other contacts. The data seems to be gone from Word’s scope.
Oddly, this does not happens every time.

I have tried creating new merge documents, but the same problems occur.

Although not “mission criticalâ€, it is repetitive and driving me nuts!

Thank you for any help.

 

[Bunnyman]

I made the registry changes that were referenced in an earlier post -- which
caused the "SQL" message to disappear -- but Word treats each Excel column as
a "TABLE" instead of a field -- with no option to modify this.

\jm

 

[Sean]

I think I found the changes you are talking about (a reference to a Knowledge
Base article?).

I thought that I had looked everywhere, but never saw that. I'll see if
that solves all or part of the problem.

Thanks,

Sean