Have set up a form letter, opened csv data source, inserted data fields and merged and all works fine.



When I save the form letter and open it later I get asked to confirm that I am expecting data to be inserted and when I click yes I get the message that data source can not be found. Am then able to search for new data source and select my csv file but loops back to can not find data source.

Any help please?

Did you save the mailmerge main document after attaching the data source?

Are you actually executing the mailmerge, send the output to a new document, then saving the output? Or are you just saving a preview of the mailmerge? Mailmerge output documents should not prompt you for the mailmerge data source.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

I'm having the same type of problem. But in my case, I was using Windows XP OS, and had created a Word 2003 template that consists of a table with merge fields in it, saved to the Microsoft Template directory as a .dot file - then this is merged with a CSV file located in 'MyDocuments' folder. It worked just fine.

Our company switched our computers to Windows 7 64 bit and Word 2010.

I tried to replicate the scenario as close as i could and saved the templates to the Mircrosoft template directory, and the data in the Library/Documents" folder. Then I browsed to the new data lodation and it merged fine. I save template file. But it seems no matter what I try, my Word Template never retains the data source, and I have to keep on attaching it every single time I want to merge data from that file name.

I have tried changing the location of the files, changing the Trust settings in Word, tried doing them in dot format, in dotx format, etc. I've tried creating a new dotx file and even a docx, and copy and pated the table into it and then tried to merge to that. I tried so many variables that my head is spinning.

Right now I have the data source csv file saved to "Library/Documents", I've also tried storing the data file to the desktop and making new folders in other locations to store it in. Right now the template is saved to the microsoft template file folder via "users". I've run out of ideas. Is this a bug?

Help please...

Hi Liese,

A couple of points:
1. Mailmerge main documents really shouldn't be saved as templates - they're intended to be used as documents.
2. When you use a Mailmerge main document template, both the template and the document created from it look for the datasource (ie, it's looked for twice). Updating the datasource in the new document does not update it in the template. The only way to update it in the template is to specifically open the template for editing.

The simplest way to update the datasource is to answer 'No' to the SQL prompt when the mailmerge main document opens. That disconnects it from the datasource and turns it into a plain document. Then go through the mailmerge start-up process to re-attach the datasource. Once you've done that, save the mailmerge main document.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi Paul, thanks for the reply
to address the points

1. Maybe merge documents shouldn't be saved as templates, but it worked flawlessly in the version I was previouly using (2003)

2. I tried over and over to update the datasource to the actual template and also to the main merge document.

I also tried the last point over and over and over again, but yet it still will not retain the data source.

I have no problem with other docments where I'm using Access db files as the data source. But this CSV file is giving me problems - I'm starting to suspect that it has something to do with merging with csv's and not necessarily merging in general?

Did you actually open the template for editing? Double-clicking on it doesn't do so - you need to open it via File|Open with the 'Templates' file type selected.

AFAIK, links to CSVs per se are not an issue, though changes in in the CSV's filename will cause problems, as may changes to its structure.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Yes, I did exactly that, I selected the radio button for "Template" rather than "document" when working with these.

But! the good news is after much testing and torture, I FINALLY GOT IT TO WORK! The CSV file was the culprit.

The CSV file originated from a third party - I'm not sure how they are converting their data to the format, but instead of my usual downloading the file with a "save target as", I opted to OPEN it instead, it of course opens in the new edition of Excel, I then chose to Save As, and then close it and when it asks yet again if I want to save it, I actually go through the save process again - and THEN it worked. So now when I use this CSV file it is retained as the source data with my Word Merge Template main document - permanently.

Now when I need to update the document, as usual I overwrite the old CSV, but go through the round about saving process in Excel first.

hi Liese,

I'm glad you got it sorted.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]