I am a lawyer and the court system has settled on Word as the required format for submitting certain legal documents. I do a lot of evictions and in WordPerfect I create a database file within that program and merge it into a form file. It is easy and very efficient. I have tried to accomplish the same outcome in Word with zero success. I know there is a Mail merge function but it is totally different from WordPerfect.

I keep seeing reference to the fact that Excel or Access can be used as the DB when using Word and I am thinking that may be a better way to go so my question is which of the 2 would be a better choice. Also, I want to be able to put the program on my 2 computers but keep the actual data info on my thumbdrive so I can work either at home or in the office. Is that possible?

Thanks.

It depends on what your data complexity is and your database programming skills. Excel is pretty simple for this purpose and is what I use.
See Mail Merge.

I have a macro that automatically attaches the current document to the database. It runs automatically when a new document is created from one of my merge templates. It is also available as an icon on my QAT.

My database is in the same relative location to my workgroup templates folder on every computer in my office. It is automatically synchronized between computers.

Can you use a thumb drive? Yes. I would want to have backups and you need to be sure you treat that thumb drive well. You do not want Word working with any documents directly when they are on a thumb drive, I do not know that this applies to data sources not being edited, though. Consider keeping it on the Cloud, One Drive or DropBox.

I recommend spending some time getting to know Word. Although Word and Wordperfect are both WP programs, they are not the same and work in very different ways.
Word for Wordperfect Users
Basic Concepts of Microsoft Word - from Shauna Kelly
Templates in Microsoft Word

Also, won't WordPerfect save a document in Word format so you could transmit it to the court? That would be easier than setting everything up again.

(I am an attorney myself.)

As to the complexity of my database, it is very simple. names, address, date rent due, date of default, etc., etc.. Yes WP will save as a Word document but I like to do things a quickly as possible and merging data to forms in Word would accomplish that objective.