Word 2007 mail merge problem

[peterk]

I'm new to Word 2007 so I'm hoping this is a simple issue.

I have created a merge letter, linked it to a data source and completed the
merge. Everything is fine. I save the letter.

Next day when I re-open it, the letter and data file are not linked, and I
have to build the merge from scratch again. Is that correct? In Word 97,
which I'm most used to, one click on the toolbar button would complete the
merge because the link to the data file was saved.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Unfortunately you have landed in a group focussed on Mac Word, so I have
cross-posted to the microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields group.

Juat to clarify: you mean that you are saving the mail merge main
document with the data source attached, then when you re-open it, the
data source is no longer attached, i.e. this has nothing to do with
saving a new document produced from the merge?

This can certainly happen, but it would help to know what type of data
source you are using and where it is stored (a local drive, a network
drive, etc.). Also, do you see any messages when you reopen the Word
document (normally, if Word thinks it is attached to a data source, it
pops up a message about performing a SQL query, for example).

One thing to try is:
a. make a backup copy of your mail merge main document
b. open your mail merge main document
c. in the Mailings Tab, click "Start Mail Merge" and select "Normal
Word Document". This should disconnect the document from its data source
(if any)
d. Save the document
e. re-open it, then go through the process of selecting the mail merge
main document again
f. save the document.

One reason for doing this is that if at some point you have moved your
data source, Word should pop up a message saying it cannot find the
source and ask if you want to browse for it. If you do, even if you
re-save the document afterwords, it can have the wrong data source
information in it. disconnecting, saving, then reconnecting can fix that.

Another thing to try is to save your document as a .doc (Word 97-2003
format) rather than a .docx, assuming that it does not use any Word
2007-specific features. Although this may seem like a retrograde step, s
number of things still work better if you save in the old formats.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

 

[peterk]

Sorry about that. I realised later I might have done that, so I reposted my
question today and only now discovered your reply.

You have correctly interpreted the issue. Thanks for the suggestions. I
will try them out and get back to you.