Word 2003 has done something to mail merge where, if we open a document that's
the result of a merge (like a sheet of labels, etc.), we're always asked if we
want to do a re-merge.

Why? I can't imagine most people want or need this, and it's confusing my users
beyond belief. Is there a way to stop that prompt?

TIA
Mark Tangard

I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This Will Run
the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

--
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.

"Mark Tangard" wrote in message
...
Word 2003 has done something to mail merge where, if we open a document
that's
the result of a merge (like a sheet of labels, etc.), we're always asked
if we
want to do a re-merge.

Why? I can't imagine most people want or need this, and it's confusing my
users
beyond belief. Is there a way to stop that prompt?

TIA
Mark Tangard

Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever want the
datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo the merge
with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This Will Run
the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

That puzzled me, too, as none of my merged documents do this. Are you sure
the document you're looking at doesn't contain merge fields? Sometimes this
isn't obvious, because Word will populate the fields with data from one of
the records even in a mail merge main document. Alt+F9 should show you the
fields if any are present.

--
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.

"Mark Tangard" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever want
the
datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo the
merge
with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This Will
Run
the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

I actually considered that, but there are no fields in the result. They're all
pretty simple docs, mostly catalog, oops############# directory merges. The
only quirk, if it is one, is that the merge main doc is created from a template,
rather than from a plain, assembled-on-the-fly collection of merge fields,
because we want a very specific format in the output (certain lines bolder and
different font sizes) and the field structure is a bit complex (if firstname=""
bold the company name, blah blah). The template isn't ancient but was created
in a pre-2003 version of Word. Hmm.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
That puzzled me, too, as none of my merged documents do this. Are you sure
the document you're looking at doesn't contain merge fields? Sometimes this
isn't obvious, because Word will populate the fields with data from one of
the records even in a mail merge main document. Alt+F9 should show you the
fields if any are present.

-- 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. "Mark Tangard"
wrote in message
...

Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever want

the

datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo the

merge

with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:

I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This Will

Run

the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

Most of my merge documents were created in earlier Word versions, too, so I
think that's probably a red herring. All I can say is that I get the message
box only on mail merge main documents, not on the merged results. Sorry I
can't offer any other ideas (especially since I just noticed it's you, Mark
g).

--
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.

"Mark Tangard" wrote in message
...
I actually considered that, but there are no fields in the result.
They're all
pretty simple docs, mostly catalog, oops############# directory merges.
The
only quirk, if it is one, is that the merge main doc is created from a
template,
rather than from a plain, assembled-on-the-fly collection of merge fields,
because we want a very specific format in the output (certain lines bolder
and
different font sizes) and the field structure is a bit complex (if
firstname=""
bold the company name, blah blah). The template isn't ancient but was
created
in a pre-2003 version of Word. Hmm.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
That puzzled me, too, as none of my merged documents do this. Are you
sure
the document you're looking at doesn't contain merge fields? Sometimes
this
isn't obvious, because Word will populate the fields with data from one
of
the records even in a mail merge main document. Alt+F9 should show you
the
fields if any are present.

-- 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. "Mark Tangard"
wrote in message
...

Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever
want

the

datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a
merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo
the

merge

with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:

I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This
Will

Run

the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

Hi Mark,

Have you tried attaching the merge result to a different template? Opening a
document does open the template, sort of, in the background...

I actually considered that, but there are no fields in the result. They're all
pretty simple docs, mostly catalog, oops############# directory merges. The
only quirk, if it is one, is that the merge main doc is created from a template,
rather than from a plain, assembled-on-the-fly collection of merge fields,
because we want a very specific format in the output (certain lines bolder and
different font sizes) and the field structure is a bit complex (if firstname=""
bold the company name, blah blah). The template isn't ancient but was created
in a pre-2003 version of Word. Hmm.


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in
the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

Hi Suzanne,

Actually believe I am having the same problem, but with a slight twist. In my
case I created a mail merge template with a graphic and saved it. When I open
the merged document I get the message "Opening This Will Run the Following SQL
Command", I click ok, and all the merged info is in the document (BTW, I
checked the resulting merge document for fields and there aren't any). However,
two other people have also tried to open the merged file, one gets the SQL
message, the other doesn't, but in both cases, they only see the graphic in the
merged document.

I have posted this puzzle in the word.docmanagement group (subject template
woes). My apologies for cross-posting, but when I saw this thread, the problem
seemed very similar to the one I am having. Cindy Meister has offered a
solution, which is to see if the "non-printing" character checkboxes are
activated. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that option.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has had the same issue - and found a
solution. g

Cheers,

Jason

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
Most of my merge documents were created in earlier Word versions, too, so I
think that's probably a red herring. All I can say is that I get the message
box only on mail merge main documents, not on the merged results. Sorry I
can't offer any other ideas (especially since I just noticed it's you, Mark
g).

--
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.

"Mark Tangard" wrote in message
...
I actually considered that, but there are no fields in the result.
They're all
pretty simple docs, mostly catalog, oops############# directory merges.
The
only quirk, if it is one, is that the merge main doc is created from a
template,
rather than from a plain, assembled-on-the-fly collection of merge fields,
because we want a very specific format in the output (certain lines bolder
and
different font sizes) and the field structure is a bit complex (if
firstname=""
bold the company name, blah blah). The template isn't ancient but was
created
in a pre-2003 version of Word. Hmm.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
That puzzled me, too, as none of my merged documents do this. Are you
sure
the document you're looking at doesn't contain merge fields? Sometimes
this
isn't obvious, because Word will populate the fields with data from one
of
the records even in a mail merge main document. Alt+F9 should show you
the
fields if any are present.

-- 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. "Mark Tangard"
wrote in message
...

Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever
want

the

datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a
merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo
the

merge

with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:

I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening This
Will

Run

the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765

solution, which is to see if the "non-printing" character checkboxes are
activated. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that option.

Tools | Options | View: Formatting marks (in recent versions)

I'm not sure how this relates to your problem. Alt+F9 would display field
codes if any were present.

--
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.

"J_Gold" wrote in message
...
Hi Suzanne,

Actually believe I am having the same problem, but with a slight twist.
In my
case I created a mail merge template with a graphic and saved it. When I
open
the merged document I get the message "Opening This Will Run the Following
SQL
Command", I click ok, and all the merged info is in the document (BTW, I
checked the resulting merge document for fields and there aren't any).
However,
two other people have also tried to open the merged file, one gets the SQL
message, the other doesn't, but in both cases, they only see the graphic
in the
merged document.

I have posted this puzzle in the word.docmanagement group (subject
template
woes). My apologies for cross-posting, but when I saw this thread, the
problem
seemed very similar to the one I am having. Cindy Meister has offered a
solution, which is to see if the "non-printing" character checkboxes are
activated. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that option.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has had the same issue - and
found a
solution. g

Cheers,

Jason

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
Most of my merge documents were created in earlier Word versions, too,
so I
think that's probably a red herring. All I can say is that I get the
message
box only on mail merge main documents, not on the merged results. Sorry
I
can't offer any other ideas (especially since I just noticed it's you,
Mark
g).

--
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.

"Mark Tangard" wrote in message
...
I actually considered that, but there are no fields in the result.
They're all
pretty simple docs, mostly catalog, oops############# directory merges.
The
only quirk, if it is one, is that the merge main doc is created from a
template,
rather than from a plain, assembled-on-the-fly collection of merge
fields,
because we want a very specific format in the output (certain lines
bolder
and
different font sizes) and the field structure is a bit complex (if
firstname=""
bold the company name, blah blah). The template isn't ancient but was
created
in a pre-2003 version of Word. Hmm.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
That puzzled me, too, as none of my merged documents do this. Are you
sure
the document you're looking at doesn't contain merge fields?
Sometimes
this
isn't obvious, because Word will populate the fields with data from
one
of
the records even in a mail merge main document. Alt+F9 should show
you
the
fields if any are present.

-- 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. "Mark Tangard"
wrote in message
...

Thanks, Suzanne, that helps. I'm still not clear on why you'd ever
want

the

datasource attached once you've done the merge (this is a
merged-results
document, not a merge main document), unless it actually would redo
the

merge

with (presumably) some difference/update in the data.

MT

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:

I think you're misinterpreting the message, but see "Opening
This
Will

Run

the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word Document
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825765