I finally decided to "convert" my old mail merge system (Word/Excel 97-2003) to my current system (Word/Excel 2016). I merge client data from an Excel spreadsheet with Word "form" documents to produce Packing Slips, Invoices, and mailing Labels.



I understand the basics of the new (to me) Mail Merge.

What I do not understand is the formatting of the various fields. The 97-2003 Mail Merge applied the formats in Excel to the Word form documents. If the formats were correct in Excel, they were also correct in the Word form document.

No so with the 2016 Excel and Word mail merge. It seems a step backward to have to apply the correct format in the Word form document, especially when the correct format is already in the Excel data file.

What is even more confusing is that in my Invoice form document, where I list the items being sold, ONE of the line entries displays the CORRECT format from the Excel spreadsheet. ALL of the remaining line entries, sub total, taxes, and grand total lines DO NOT. WHY IS THAT? I have not figured that out. Even "Format Painting" the correct format does nothing (I didn't expect that it would).

Needless to say, I am not all that impressed with this version of Mail Merge. With a bit of effort it will work. But I would sure like to ask the powers-that-be at Microsoft, why this latest version (2016) of Word/Excel creates more work for me (the end user) than the older version. NEWER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Doug