Mail merge questions

[Guest]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 200
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I filtered the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I view them through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name does not exist on the source document but I can choose to change it to...... Why do they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to" drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the fields for every contact before I can get out of the data merge window
What am I doing wrong?? I hope this would be easy
Thank you for prompt replies. ( I have one question on here from 10/20 that no one has answered yet

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Your quotes are killing me. Explain what they mean, please.
"rolodex?"
"list?"
Post precise steps you are using and what happens at each point.
We really can't read minds here. That might be the reason your other post
wasn't answered.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 2002
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I filtered

the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I view them
through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing
Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name does not
exist on the source document but I can choose to change it to...... Why do
they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to"
drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the fields for
every contact before I can get out of the data merge window!

What am I doing wrong?? I hope this would be easy.
Thank you for prompt replies. ( I have one question on here from 10/20

that no one has answered yet )

 

[Guest]

Sorry
"rolodex" is the little icon that apprears on the side bar of outlook. I quess it is a separate contacts folder. These represent 250 or so contacts from the regular contacts data. I am editing them while viewing them as a phone List instead of Address Cards. In Field Chooser, I select Full Name, Company and Mailing Address. Then I do the merge. I have a lable document to merge the names to but the fields that show are not the same as the ones from the List view. They are First_Name, Last_name, etc. Then an Invalid Merge Field box opens and askes to change the fields from First_Name to Full_Name and Postal_Address to Mailing_Address. We'll that's fine but 250 times! There seems to be no way to get that window to CLOSE until you get through all the names. I don't understand. Sorry, I'm frustrated.
I have tried to merge the names to a new lable doument that, I assume, the program will create, but it comes out blank.


----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Your quotes are killing me. Explain what they mean, please.
"rolodex?"
"list?"
Post precise steps you are using and what happens at each point.
We really can't read minds here. That might be the reason your other post
wasn't answered.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 2002
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I filtered

the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I view them
through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing
Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name does not
exist on the source document but I can choose to change it to...... Why do
they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to"
drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the fields for
every contact before I can get out of the data merge window!

What am I doing wrong?? I hope this would be easy.
Thank you for prompt replies. ( I have one question on here from 10/20

that no one has answered yet )

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Could you list the exact steps you're using for the merge, please, so we can
figure out what's going wrong?
It is not necessary to Select the fields you want to use in advance of the
merge.
Start the merge from the Contacts subfolder you want to use (Tools > Mail
Merge...)
Select "All Contact Fields" in the dialog to provide you with the most
options.
Then you should be able to select the fields you want with the "Insert Merge
Field" button on the Mail Merge Toolbar in Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Sorry
"rolodex" is the little icon that apprears on the side bar of outlook. I

quess it is a separate contacts folder. These represent 250 or so contacts
from the regular contacts data. I am editing them while viewing them as a
phone List instead of Address Cards. In Field Chooser, I select Full Name,
Company and Mailing Address. Then I do the merge. I have a lable document
to merge the names to but the fields that show are not the same as the ones
from the List view. They are First_Name, Last_name, etc. Then an Invalid
Merge Field box opens and askes to change the fields from First_Name to
Full_Name and Postal_Address to Mailing_Address. We'll that's fine but 250
times! There seems to be no way to get that window to CLOSE until you get
through all the names. I don't understand. Sorry, I'm frustrated.

I have tried to merge the names to a new lable doument that, I assume, the

program will create, but it comes out blank.

----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Your quotes are killing me. Explain what they mean, please.
"rolodex?"
"list?"
Post precise steps you are using and what happens at each point.
We really can't read minds here. That might be the reason your other post
wasn't answered.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 2002
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I

filtered
the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I view them
through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing
Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name does not
exist on the source document but I can choose to change it to...... Why do
they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to"
drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the fields for
every contact before I can get out of the data merge window!

What am I doing wrong?? I hope this would be easy.
Thank you for prompt replies. ( I have one question on here from

10/20
that no one has answered yet )

 

[Guest]

OK, I tried what you suggested. The "Insert Merge Field" button was not there, I went into Tools and added it to the Tool Bar. I made the changes on the lable (changed all the Postal _Address to Mailing_Address and First_Name to Full_Name) then I click on the <abc> to merge the data and I get the message that "This merge field is used in the main document but is not in the main data source." In the box it says <Postal_Address> and that I can Remove Field or Replace it with one of the valid field names in the drop down box. This is where I can not get OUT of that window! Unless, of course I change each field or hit Cancel for each of the 250 records. Plus I already CHANGED the field names to match. The field names on the document keep reverting back to the wrong field names even if I save the document. I think you should just be able to make the adjustments at the source doument or the Data Source just once at that window.
I have used the mail merge feature MANY TIMES over the years and I KNOW this is EASY...this is the first time I have had a problem. It is also the first time I have used it with Windows XP.
I don't what else to say...
Thanks
----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Could you list the exact steps you're using for the merge, please, so we can
figure out what's going wrong?
It is not necessary to Select the fields you want to use in advance of the
merge.
Start the merge from the Contacts subfolder you want to use (Tools > Mail
Merge...)
Select "All Contact Fields" in the dialog to provide you with the most
options.
Then you should be able to select the fields you want with the "Insert Merge
Field" button on the Mail Merge Toolbar in Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Sorry
"rolodex" is the little icon that apprears on the side bar of outlook. I

quess it is a separate contacts folder. These represent 250 or so contacts
from the regular contacts data. I am editing them while viewing them as a
phone List instead of Address Cards. In Field Chooser, I select Full Name,
Company and Mailing Address. Then I do the merge. I have a lable document
to merge the names to but the fields that show are not the same as the ones
from the List view. They are First_Name, Last_name, etc. Then an Invalid
Merge Field box opens and askes to change the fields from First_Name to
Full_Name and Postal_Address to Mailing_Address. We'll that's fine but 250
times! There seems to be no way to get that window to CLOSE until you get
through all the names. I don't understand. Sorry, I'm frustrated.

I have tried to merge the names to a new lable doument that, I assume, the

program will create, but it comes out blank.

----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Your quotes are killing me. Explain what they mean, please.

"rolodex?"
"list?"
Post precise steps you are using and what happens at each point.
We really can't read minds here. That might be the reason your other post
wasn't answered.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 2002
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I

filtered
the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I view them
through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing
Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name does not
exist on the source document but I can choose to change it to...... Why do
they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to"
drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the fields for
every contact before I can get out of the data merge window!

What am I doing wrong?? I hope this would be easy.
Thank you for prompt replies. ( I have one question on here from

10/20
that no one has answered yet )

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You're still not providing enough information for troubleshooting. You must
post the precise steps you are using. I simply cannot follow what you are
doing. I am not there to look over your shoulder. I don't understand why
there is any need to change merge fields.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

OK, I tried what you suggested. The "Insert Merge Field" button was not

there, I went into Tools and added it to the Tool Bar. I made the changes
on the lable (changed all the Postal _Address to Mailing_Address and
First_Name to Full_Name) then I click on the <abc> to merge the data and I
get the message that "This merge field is used in the main document but is
not in the main data source." In the box it says <Postal_Address> and that
I can Remove Field or Replace it with one of the valid field names in the
drop down box. This is where I can not get OUT of that window! Unless, of
course I change each field or hit Cancel for each of the 250 records. Plus
I already CHANGED the field names to match. The field names on the document
keep reverting back to the wrong field names even if I save the document. I
think you should just be able to make the adjustments at the source doument
or the Data Source just once at that window.

I have used the mail merge feature MANY TIMES over the years and I KNOW

this is EASY...this is the first time I have had a problem. It is also the
first time I have used it with Windows XP.

I don't what else to say...
Thanks
----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Could you list the exact steps you're using for the merge, please, so we can
figure out what's going wrong?
It is not necessary to Select the fields you want to use in advance of the
merge.
Start the merge from the Contacts subfolder you want to use (Tools > Mail
Merge...)
Select "All Contact Fields" in the dialog to provide you with the most
options.
Then you should be able to select the fields you want with the "Insert Merge
Field" button on the Mail Merge Toolbar in Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Sorry
"rolodex" is the little icon that apprears on the side bar of

outlook. I
quess it is a separate contacts folder. These represent 250 or so contacts
from the regular contacts data. I am editing them while viewing them as a
phone List instead of Address Cards. In Field Chooser, I select Full Name,
Company and Mailing Address. Then I do the merge. I have a lable document
to merge the names to but the fields that show are not the same as the ones
from the List view. They are First_Name, Last_name, etc. Then an Invalid
Merge Field box opens and askes to change the fields from First_Name to
Full_Name and Postal_Address to Mailing_Address. We'll that's fine but 250
times! There seems to be no way to get that window to CLOSE until you get
through all the names. I don't understand. Sorry, I'm frustrated.

I have tried to merge the names to a new lable doument that, I

assume, the
program will create, but it comes out blank.

----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----
Your quotes are killing me. Explain what they mean, please.

"rolodex?"
"list?"
Post precise steps you are using and what happens at each point.
We really can't read minds here. That might be the reason your

other

post
wasn't answered.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Please help me figure this out. Using Windows XP and Outlook 2002
I have several names of contact to send Christmas cards to. I

filtered
the contacts and made a separate "rolodex" for them. When I

view

them
through "list" the field names I want are Full Name, Company, Mailing
Address. However when I do the merge, it says the field name

does

not
exist on the source document but I can choose to change it

to......
Why do

they appear as headers on the list but are not a choice on the "change to"
drop down???? Then I have to cancel or X through each of the

fields

for
every contact before I can get out of the data merge window! 10/20
that no one has answered yet )

 

[Pam Young]

I, too, am having problems merging labels from Outlook to Word. I have
done this many a time, however, more often than not, after completing
setup, a message comes up saying "invalid merge field. This merge field
is used in the main document but it does not exist in the data source."
e.g. Full_Name "You can remove the invalid field from the main
document OR replace it with a valid merge field from the data source."

I can understand the frustration of the other individual who complained
of this problem because I have repeatedly had this problem and I know
what I am doing otherwise.

Hint: to get out of the merge when this happens and not have to go
through your whole mailing list, just press control, alt delete and
click on "end task".