I am haveing trouble getting the "recipients first name only to appear in
letter I try to add it but it doesn't insert itself.

"Frustrated In LA" wrote:

I am haveing trouble getting the "recipients first name only to appear in
letter I try to add it but it doesn't insert itself.

I take it you have your mailmerge toolbar showing and you have selected your
datasource correctly, if you have done this, then choose INSERT MERGE FIELDS
the sixth box from the left, and you should have all the headings showing and
be able to choose the column headings from your datasource. Click INSERT
(this being the column heading of the first name)and the first name should be
revealed.

To check the correct detail is showing, click the VIEW MERGED DATA button,
looks like ABC, and the first names should be showing

Charlie

After following the response directions, the program is still showing the
last name of the person, the first name in my greeting. Instead of picking up
the first name only. It seems to be picking up the info from the address
first line. Could it be an issue with my data source?

"Frustrated In LA" wrote:

I am haveing trouble getting the "recipients first name only to appear in
letter I try to add it but it doesn't insert itself.

If you don't have a separate field for First Name in your data source, then
it will be impossible to use just the first name in your greeting.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Frustrated In LA" wrote in
message ...
After following the response directions, the program is still showing the
last name of the person, the first name in my greeting. Instead of picking
up
the first name only. It seems to be picking up the info from the address
first line. Could it be an issue with my data source?

"Frustrated In LA" wrote:

I am haveing trouble getting the "recipients first name only to appear
in
letter I try to add it but it doesn't insert itself.

This could also be due to the manner in which the record source is
structured. If first & last name are in a single field _both_ will be
inserted when you insert that field. IOW, Word won't separate the data...
The record source must have the data items stored as individual fields in
order to use them independently.

HTH |:)


On 1/26/06 8:49 PM, in article
, "Frustrated In LA"
Frustrated In wrote:

I am haveing trouble getting the "recipients first name only to appear in
letter I try to add it but it doesn't insert itself.