Custom label size for merge

[dmwesq]

I need to merge from excel into word, but need a single list of addresses. I have not seen a label that allows me to do this, as all seem to be more than a single column. If I use form letters rather than labels I get the look I want but every name would be on a separate page. Is there a way to have my "labels" just be in one column on a page?

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

What you're describing sounds like a catalog/directory merge.

[dmwesq]

Figured out how to make custom label - would have deleted this question if I could have - seems to let me edit but not delete - sorry.

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

If you figure out a solution before anyone replies, simply add a reply to your own thread saying so - preferably with something that says how you solve it - and mark the thread as solved.

[dmwesq]

Originally Posted by macropod

Hi dmwesq,

What you're describing sounds like a catalog/directory merge.

Thanks Paul, that does indeed fit what I was looking for. Is there a way to suppress fields that are blank in any individual record? For example, I have a field in the merge for middle initial and for fax number. If a person has no MI or fax it puts spaces in that I would want removed in the merge.

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

You can suppress a paragraph break (or a line break) before or after an empty mergefield by doing the following:
• select the mailmerge field to be suppressed (eg «MyData») and press Shift-F9 so that you get {MERGEFIELD MyData};
• edit the field code so that you get {MERGEFIELD MyData \f ""} or {MERGEFIELD MyData \b ""}, depending on whether the line to be suppressed is following or before the mergefield;
• move the paragraph break or line break to be suppressed into field code so that you end up with {MERGEFIELD MyData \f "¶
"} or {MERGEFIELD MyData \b "¶
"} (use a real paragraph break or line break in place of the '¶');
• position the cursor anywhere in this field and press F9 to update it;
• run your mailmerge.

[dmwesq]

Originally Posted by macropod

• move the paragraph break or line break to be suppressed into field code so that you end up with {MERGEFIELD MyData \f "¶
"} or {MERGEFIELD MyData \b "¶
"} (use a real paragraph break or line break in place of the '¶');

Not quite sure I'm following this part - I don't see any breaks except for the line breaks - in between my fields I have spaces - here's my code when originally placed in Word

«FirstName» «MI» «LastName» «Class» «Position»
«Organization»
«WorkAddress» «WorkAddress2»
«WorkCity», «WorkState» «WorkZip»
«WorkPhone» «Cell_Phone» «Email»

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

For your first line:
«FirstName» «MI» «LastName» «Class» «Position»
Select the «MI» field, press Shift-F9 to expose the code {MERGEFIELD MI} and change it to, say, {MERGEFIELD MI \b " "}, then press F9 again and delete the space between «FirstName» and «MI», so that you end up with:
«FirstName»«MI»

Your fax# field is missing, so I can't give specific instructions on that. If it's in-line with other fields, do something along the lines of the above; otherwise do as suggested in my first post.

[dmwesq]

If I delete the space then the entries that do have a middle initial will now be missing a space between the first name and MI, so that won't do any good.

The "fax" field was accidentally pasted as the cell field, but I understand the same will apply to the other fields assuming I can get this to work at all.

[macropod]

Originally Posted by dmwesq

If I delete the space then the entries that do have a middle initial will now be missing a space between the first name and MI, so that won't do any good.

The \b and \f switches tell Word what to insert before/following the field if it isn't empty. So, if the MI field has anything in it, a space will be inserted!

[dmwesq]

I think we are missing something in our dialog. Here is an example

John A. Smith
Bob Jones

Obviously my merge must have a field for first name, middle initial and last name. John A. Smith will work fine, unless I follow your example and after toggling the field to add the switch I delete the space in the merge fields, which will result in either JohnA. Smith or John A.Smith, neither of which is good.

If I don't delete the space then I end up with Smith appearing fine but will get Bob Jones, and in some cases I am even getting an extra space so it will read Bob Jones. Since this all needs to go to print I can't have multiple extra spaces. Maybe this is just something that is not possible to do?

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

Are you actually executing the merge, or only previewing it?

[dmwesq]

Executing it.

[macropod]

Hi dmwesq,

The switch advice is taken straight from:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...005186172.aspx
Although you'll see the switches expressed in capitals, the example shows usage with lower-case letters. You could try using capitals for the switch but that shouldn't make any difference.

If the \b & \f switches don't work on Macs, you'll need to use an IF field for the conditional paragraph breaks. For example:
«FirstName» «MI» «LastName» «Class» «Position»
«Organization»
«WorkAddress»{IF«WorkAddress2»<> "" "¶
«WorkAddress2»"}
«WorkCity», «WorkState» «WorkZip»
«WorkPhone» «Cell_Phone» «Email»

Note: The field brace pairs (i.e. '{ }') for the above example are all created in the document itself, via Ctrl-F9 (Cmd-F9 on a Mac); you can't simply type them or copy & paste them from this message. Nor is it practical to add them via any of the standard Word dialogues.