[jKingsGirl]

I created a data base in the Word mail merge but I am unable to really access
it or send it to others. Is there a way to reformat it so that it can be
accessed on another computer and possibly printed?

[Peter Jamieson]

If you're using Word 2002 or 2003 then the database is an Access/Jet
database with a .mdb extension. If you have Access /or Excel/, you can make
a copy of it, then open the copy and use Access's facilities to export the
data into a number of formats.

I would not work with the original, because Access then modifies the .mdb in
a way that makes it more difficult to use as a Word data source.

Alternatively, make a new mail merge main document in Word, specify that it
is a "Catalog" or "Directory" merge, then specify your existing data source
as the data source for the new merge. In the mail merge main document,
create a 1-row table with as many columns as you used in the data source
(you can only have up to around 63 columns in a Word table) and insert one
merge field in each cell.

Make sure there is nothing else in your document except that table. Merge to
a new document, and you have a Word table with all the data. Add a row of
column headings, then you can either provide that Word document as a data
source, or e.g. use "Table|Convert table to text" to remove the table, and
save the document in a number of other formats such as comma-delimited text
etc. (Be careful if your data has commas in it, though!)

Peter Jamieson

"jKingsGirl" wrote in message
...
I created a data base in the Word mail merge but I am unable to really
access
it or send it to others. Is there a way to reformat it so that it can be
accessed on another computer and possibly printed?

[Yourcareercoach]

Peter:

You asked if I had the problem solved. I have not. I am trying to test the
documents I create in Word 2002 with someone who has 2003. Then I would send
the tested documents to you for review. Please bear with me.

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

If you're using Word 2002 or 2003 then the database is an Access/Jet
database with a .mdb extension. If you have Access /or Excel/, you can make
a copy of it, then open the copy and use Access's facilities to export the
data into a number of formats.

I would not work with the original, because Access then modifies the .mdb in
a way that makes it more difficult to use as a Word data source.

Alternatively, make a new mail merge main document in Word, specify that it
is a "Catalog" or "Directory" merge, then specify your existing data source
as the data source for the new merge. In the mail merge main document,
create a 1-row table with as many columns as you used in the data source
(you can only have up to around 63 columns in a Word table) and insert one
merge field in each cell.

Make sure there is nothing else in your document except that table. Merge to
a new document, and you have a Word table with all the data. Add a row of
column headings, then you can either provide that Word document as a data
source, or e.g. use "Table|Convert table to text" to remove the table, and
save the document in a number of other formats such as comma-delimited text
etc. (Be careful if your data has commas in it, though!)

Peter Jamieson

"jKingsGirl" wrote in message
...
I created a data base in the Word mail merge but I am unable to really
access
it or send it to others. Is there a way to reformat it so that it can be
accessed on another computer and possibly printed?