I have 10 different documents that I enter almost the same data in each
document. So I have a merge set up that when I enter the info in Access
2005, it inserts the data into my word documents. However, sometimes, say
the documents for Mr. Smith, I need to customize a part of the document. I
want to be able to customize Mr. Smith's documents while keeping the rest of
the records in tact. I also want to save Mr. Smith's documents alone but if
Mr. Smith's data changes, I want it to update the docs.

Thank you for the help!

Hi Carrol

I'm afraid I don't quite follow what you have, and how you want to change
it. Let's start with the version of Office... There is no "2005" version?

So, you enter data into Access. And you've linked this data to 10 mail merge
documents in Word. Are you in the habit of actually executing the mail merge
to a new document? Or do you mainly view/print this information from the main
merge document (where you've inserted the merge fields)?

Is there really a single Mr. Smith, for whom you need something different?
Or did you just use this as an example, and you really want to do "this or
that" for any number of different people?

-- Cindy

"carrol" wrote:

I have 10 different documents that I enter almost the same data in each
document. So I have a merge set up that when I enter the info in Access
2005, it inserts the data into my word documents. However, sometimes, say
the documents for Mr. Smith, I need to customize a part of the document. I
want to be able to customize Mr. Smith's documents while keeping the rest of
the records in tact. I also want to save Mr. Smith's documents alone but if
Mr. Smith's data changes, I want it to update the docs.

Thank you for the help!

Thanks for responding, Cindy.

It's Access 2003 - oops!

I don't execute the merge to a new document because if data changes, I would
have to re-execute the merge to a new document. That's why I print the info
from the main merge. There is no Mr. Smith but there will be! The docs are
basically a shell of info but sometimes I need to add specific info to the
shell for a specific person. That's why I need to be able to change the
shell without changing it for all of the other records.

I'm assuming this is the best way to set this up. I've briefly looked at
InfoPath and that doesn't seem to do what I want because the shell is actuall
Word Docs. I hope I'm not asking too much but the computer age and the help
of Mr. Gates, I believe we can accomplish anything!

If you want to call me you can email me at and I
will give you my phone number or I can call you.

"Cindy Meister" wrote:

Hi Carrol

I'm afraid I don't quite follow what you have, and how you want to change
it. Let's start with the version of Office... There is no "2005" version?

So, you enter data into Access. And you've linked this data to 10 mail merge
documents in Word. Are you in the habit of actually executing the mail merge
to a new document? Or do you mainly view/print this information from the main
merge document (where you've inserted the merge fields)?

Is there really a single Mr. Smith, for whom you need something different?
Or did you just use this as an example, and you really want to do "this or
that" for any number of different people?

-- Cindy

"carrol" wrote:

I have 10 different documents that I enter almost the same data in each
document. So I have a merge set up that when I enter the info in Access
2005, it inserts the data into my word documents. However, sometimes, say
the documents for Mr. Smith, I need to customize a part of the document. I
want to be able to customize Mr. Smith's documents while keeping the rest of
the records in tact. I also want to save Mr. Smith's documents alone but if
Mr. Smith's data changes, I want it to update the docs.

Thank you for the help!

Hi Carrol

It's Access 2003 - oops!

I don't execute the merge to a new document because if data changes, I would
have to re-execute the merge to a new document. That's why I print the info
from the main merge. There is no Mr. Smith but there will be! The docs are
basically a shell of info but sometimes I need to add specific info to the
shell for a specific person. That's why I need to be able to change the
shell without changing it for all of the other records.

Hmmm. It sounds almost as if you'd need additional fields in the data base
to contain the sentences (or paragraphs) that could vary from person to
person? Why would that not work? (I'm sure there's a reason, but without
knowing it...)

That, or a separate set of documents for each person.

If you want to call me you can email me at and I
will give you my phone number or I can call you.

Well, if we got into that, you'd have to pay me my consulting rate fees :-)

-- Cindy

"Cindy Meister" wrote:

Hi Carrol

I'm afraid I don't quite follow what you have, and how you want to change
it. Let's start with the version of Office... There is no "2005" version?

So, you enter data into Access. And you've linked this data to 10 mail merge
documents in Word. Are you in the habit of actually executing the mail merge
to a new document? Or do you mainly view/print this information from the main
merge document (where you've inserted the merge fields)?

Is there really a single Mr. Smith, for whom you need something different?
Or did you just use this as an example, and you really want to do "this or
that" for any number of different people?

-- Cindy

"carrol" wrote:

I have 10 different documents that I enter almost the same data in each
document. So I have a merge set up that when I enter the info in Access
2005, it inserts the data into my word documents. However, sometimes, say
the documents for Mr. Smith, I need to customize a part of the document. I
want to be able to customize Mr. Smith's documents while keeping the rest of
the records in tact. I also want to save Mr. Smith's documents alone but if
Mr. Smith's data changes, I want it to update the docs.

Thank you for the help!