Using merge fields with Excel worksheet as data source

[Michelle York]

Is it mandatory that the merge field names (I want to be able to merge data
into a Word document) be in the first row of the Excel spreadsheet?

I have an excel sheet that contains student testing data. I've added a
couple of rows at the top--one to give the spreadsheet a title and another
to group sections of columns by month. Unfortunately, this means that the
row that I'd like to use as the names of merge fields is no longer the top
row. I've even selected the columns and tried to "Insert>Name>Define" so
that it would "name" the column what I want to use as the merge field. I
was hoping that there would be a way to have it use this--instead of what
appears in row 1 cells--but it doesn't seem to be possible.

Is there any way around this? If I delete my top two rows so that my third
row becomes the top, then I lose the column "group" headings. And, if I
understand it correctly, I also have to change the 3rd row cells so that
there are no spaces between the words--this means retyping 60+ cells on 21
worksheets.

Any ideas or suggestions? Or do I HAVE to delete the two top rows and
retype the cells in the next row.

I'm not always able to stay caught up with the news server, so if anyone has
suggestions, please e-mail me at teacher24_70 at yahoo dot com.


Michelle York
Literacy Coach (1-5)
Highland Park Central Elementary School
Topeka, Kansas

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Michelle,

I have good news for you. See below.

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
MVP FAQ
<http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs>

Is it mandatory that the merge field names (I want to be able to merge data
into a Word document) be in the first row of the Excel spreadsheet?

No, it is not mandatory. When you are in the Data Merge Manager and
select Get Data then Open Data Source. Choose the desired Excel file.
Then there is a dialog box. In the "Cell Range" input section you can
type the range of cells that you want to use such as A3:F200.

I have an excel sheet that contains student testing data. I've added a
couple of rows at the top--one to give the spreadsheet a title and another
to group sections of columns by month. Unfortunately, this means that the
row that I'd like to use as the names of merge fields is no longer the top
row. I've even selected the columns and tried to "Insert>Name>Define" so
that it would "name" the column what I want to use as the merge field. I
was hoping that there would be a way to have it use this--instead of what
appears in row 1 cells--but it doesn't seem to be possible.

You can't use named ranges in the dialog box. You have to enter the cell
range using cell references (example above is A3:F200 for the range of
cells that starts with A3 and ends with F200)

Is there any way around this? If I delete my top two rows so that my third
row becomes the top, then I lose the column "group" headings. And, if I
understand it correctly, I also have to change the 3rd row cells so that
there are no spaces between the words--this means retyping 60+ cells on 21
worksheets.

Spaces are OK between words. It's not necessary to delete any rows. You
do have to know the cell range to type in before you get to the dialog box.

Any ideas or suggestions? Or do I HAVE to delete the two top rows and
retype the cells in the next row.

No deleting or re-typing is needed.

I'm not always able to stay caught up with the news server, so if anyone has
suggestions, please e-mail me at teacher24_70 at yahoo dot com.

All replies I make are to newsgroups only.