Hello Paul - Greatly appreciate the response and on how to post code. More background on this - from our database application we are building a command line string that opens Word, opens a merge document and passes in a text file, runs the macros, and completes the merge. It really *has* worked since 2003, the code I posted contained my (bungled) attempts at fixing it recently.

In our string I have now changed it to a .DOTM file and made progress - I still receive the error message but the file *does* merge. But, each merged record is on it's own page, whereas previously we had six labels per page. (these are scientific labels for labeling botanical specimens, not mailing labels). When I tried the code you posted, with just .ACTIVATE, I get "Invalid or Unqualified Reference". Sounds like I need something in from of .ACTIVATE?

Thank you again, very much.

Mike O.