Word 2003: Problem with Locked Form Fields and MailMerge

[ocean mist]

Someone here is having a big problem and I said I would post this question on
their behalf. Here's what's happening.

They have a Word document that contains quite a few form fields. "Some" of
the form fields are merged with information from an external database and
after merging, they are no longer form fields. At this point, the form is
then to be sent out to about 100 people for them to complete the remaining
fields. The question is how can the fields that have data from that external
database be locked prior to mailing out this form?

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I think that your description of the situation may not be correct.

Are you sure that it is formfields into which the data is be merged from the
external database? If they are formfields, that that could not be being
done by using mailmerge as mailmerge can only be used to populate
mergefields. Of course there are ways other than mailmerge to transfer data
from a database into a document, but they would involved the use of VBA, and
if what is actually being done is that the .Result of some of the formfields
is being set by using VBA, then it would also be possible to use VBA to
unlink those formfields which would turn the data that is inserted into them
into ordinary text and then when the document is protected for forms, as it
will need to be to allow other people to populate the remaining formfields,
they will not be able to access or change the data that was merged from the
external data source.

So the question is, how is the information from the external database being
"merged" into the document.

Sorry answer your question with a question, but if you can answer that, we
can give you more information on what you need to be doing to be able to use
the document as you want it to be used.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP