Using the Mailmerge Catalog feature in Word

[hottrainer]

I used to be able to create a list of things using the Catalog feature (when I used a Windows PC). All I did was use, say, Excel as the data list and create a new word document as the data form using the Catalog type. Then, when merged, all records would appear on their own list one after another. I know I used to put the fields into a table and then each record would appear in rows in the table underneath. After merging now, all I get is one record in a table row, then a blank line and then another record in a table and so on down the page. What am I doing wrong??

Many thanks.

 

[CyberTaz]

I'm afraid I can't reproduce the problem - although I've mostly been
guessing since you don't specify which version of Word & OS X.

In addition to that information describe how many fields & how you have them
arranged in the main (form) document. Also provide detail about the table in
that doc - are all field on the same row? Do any wrap to a second line
because of field content length?, etc. The resulting merge doc gets its
structure from the main, so the main is what needs to be scrutinized.

BTW - as a "workaround", you don't need to start with a table in the main
doc. Instead you can just generate the list, then select it in the resulting
merge doc & go to Table> Convert> Text to Table.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[hottrainer]

Sorry, I am using Word 2004 on an Intel based MacBook.

I have set up the form Main doc with one table row made up of the 5 columns of information in the XL spreadsheet. The information does vary in length in different records - they are simply names and addresses and saluations etc - but I don't see it wrapping once merged.

Each "row" ends up in its own table with a blank row between each table. I have 26 records and therefore end up with 26 tables made up of one record each, split by the blank line....

Yes, I did think of adding the table after the merge as a workaround, but I know I was able to produce this before somehow and wanted to be able to do that first time around....any more thoughts?

Many thanks.

 

[hottrainer]

I think I may have found the answer!

I was just playing around with the form doc again - trying things and then merging to a new doc - but this time, when I returned to the main doc, there appeared to be a second row of the table, without a bottom line and showing some spurious text in one of the columns....."mark's text"....but I didn't put that there and it doesn't appear in my XL data?????

Anyway, I deleted that and now when I merge, the records all duly appear in the same table! Weird, or what? Is this a bug in Word????

Thanks anyway for trying to help....

 

[CyberTaz]

If I were you I'd find out who "mark" is & tell him to stay out of your
files!

Anyway - glad you got it sorted. I was just about to reply that I had tested
in 2008 7 had confirmed that the typical behavior is what you had been
expecting.