It shouldn't! It seems like you are not saving the finished document, but instead saved the merge doc underneath....

When you 'merge to a new document', it makes a new, finished document that is not linked to the data source. The file that is still linked to the data source is underneath the finished document. If you have your Show/Hide turned on, you can see the section breaks in the finished document.

When you double-click on a template, you are opening the template (which you would only do when you are not happy with the template and wish to edit it for future use), not making a document based on the template. Opening a template to use it eliminates the point of having a template.



Please do this:
Either verify that you have a template that is connected to the data source and includes merge fields. Then close all instances of Word completely and then open Word and use the code I provided (edited to change the path to the template), to make a macro,


or create a new template and write your own macro

Here are the steps...

1. Close all instances of Word completely
2. Open Word
3. Create a new document
4. Start a mail merge... connect to the data source and insert the merge fields. You can preview them if desired, but don't complete the merge
5. File > Save as.. document template... Word will want to save this in the Templates folder. Do so for now, you can move it later.
6. Close the template
7. Record a macro... do these steps while recording:
8. File > New > Templates on My Computer
9. Double-click on your new template - now you might have to say OK to the SQL dialog box
10. Click Merge to New Document button
11. OK to the all records dialog box
12. Stop Recording
13. Close everything that is open
14. Run the macro to test it

After the macro has run, save the file that is on top. Close without saving the other file.