Hello all,

I'm new to this forum but hopeing you can help me.

Our receptionists merge in word xp from access (merge.mdb) which is linked to an SQL view and everything works perfectly.....



The only issue we have is when sending a merged document to a client, via email, cd, memory stick etc etc the client opens the word document and word displays cannot find data source c:\merge.mdb and then the client is asked to locate a datasource.

i was under the impression when merging to a new document this removes the datasource link and just inserts the data as text. so why does it still think its linked to a datasource?

Hope someone can help me, thanks

Hi Mark,

That sounds like the merge has not been executed - only previewed. To complete the merge, one needs to click on the 'merge' button in XP, then (for a document you want to send to someone) choose 'Merge to new document'. The new document is what gets sent.

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

Hi, thanks for the quick reply. We do execute the merge as we run a query in word (selecting the client ref) then hit merge and merge to a new document but it still retains some sort of link to the datasource as it always askes for the database.

I have tried recreating the .dot template and the sql view, also the .mdb, tried various methods to connect word to the .mdb but still no joy.

Are you sure the merge is being executed, and that it's not just a preview that's being saved? Once executed, there shouldn't be any links in the output document (unless your merge incorporated INCLUDPICTURE or INCLUDETEXT fields). And even if that's the case, pressing Ctrl-A, Shift-F9 should unlink them.

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

Ok, im not 100% i am executing the merge as your making me think im not. ill explain in a bit more detail.
1. our .dot template has a retained link to our .mdb so no need to select datasource
2. open .dot and open query options then specify "client ref" equal to "d150"
3. in word on the mail merge tool bar we select "merge to new document"
4. this then produces a new document with our data we requested.
5. save the document and then send a copy to our client but when they open it ask's for merge.mdb.

Hope this helps as i am out of ideas

Hi Mark,

What you've described suggests you are executing the merge correctly, but there shouldn't be any db links left in the output document. I'm wondering if it's because you're merging from a dot file rather than a doc file. Ordinarily, you don't need a dot file for merges - simply open a mailmerge main document and merge from there.

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