I am not sure this isn't the best thing to call this thread, but here goes.

First, I am not familiar at all with VBA but I think it has the ability to resolve my dilemma but the problem is responses always assume you are familiar with VBA which is no help. If anyone knows a KISS source for learning VBA for the current version of Word 365, I would appreciate a referral.

I have a case management system that does a terrible job of document assembly. Data needed for a merge is in numerous different files. I am required to select a record over and over again if because the data requested isn't sequential, which is a pain in the behind. It would be much easier to have an initial page with the collected data from all files (which means I only have to request them once), assigning them to variables, and then populating the document using the variables.

If possible, what I want to is table (so I can reference them) on Page 1 where I can the merge data to a variable. If I am on the right track, I foresee the table having 3 columns (field label, merge data, variable #). Then I could reference this table until I get the merge functioning properly and then I could just delete it.



Thanking you in advance, Rachael

Without knowing the specifics of what applications & files in your case management system data are stored in, how the relevant records and fields within those records for each client are to be identified, or where the data are ultimately required in your assembled document, it's impossible to provide the advice you seek.

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

Thank you for your assistance. The Case Management System (CMS) sends over the data over as a standard mail merge. Each piece of data merges into a pre-defined field that is set up by the CMS. This is what I am trying to by-pass.

If I could create a 3 column table and deposit the CMS data in that table and then somehow reference it to easily place it elsewhere in the document would resolve my problem. For example, if I could create a table with 3 columns, the first holding a variable number (or other item as needed), the second holding a description, and the 3rd holding the data.

1 "Name" Roger Ross
2 "Address1" 123 Anywhere Street
3 "City" City

If I can deposit all the data from each CMS record just once, rather than moving back and forth (which I have to do now due to the way Word processes the merge), then I could make life much easier for me.

The answer may be something as tiresome as writing a macro, or a group of macros, that bookmarks the data in the third field and then does a search and replace for the field name throughout the document (Go To Name Bookmark, copy data in field, Find and replace "Name" with the content of that field.

I am hoping there is an easier way to do this that doesn't require that much work such as being able to assign a bookmark to the field, then assigning the data therein to a merge variable, and then replacing the merge variable with the data. There might be a simpler way to do this too that I am just not aware is an option.

In that case, one assumes it's using a mailmerge main document, for which one would ordinarily get a mailmerge prompt upon opening and you'd see mergefields like «Name», «Address1» , «City», etc.

If so, all you need do is:
1. Make a copy of the mailmerge main document;
2. Replace all the content in the copy with the content you require from your assembled document; then
3. Insert the relevant mergefields wherever you want to data to appear.
From then on, it's just a matter of opening the document and mail-merging the records you're interested in.

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