The merge is actually being initiated from a legal database program so I
can't use your second suggestion.

You may well be right, but it does depend on what the program is actually
doing to initiate the merge and what you need the user to be able to do. If
it is automating Word itself, executing the merge etc., then you are stuck
with that. But if it is just loading the document and leaving the user to
perform the merge, then you may be able to use an AutoOpen macro to do what
you need, or use some other approach that relies on the user to do the right
thing, e.g. click a button when they are ready to merge in order to invoke
your macro.

If it's a general-purpose legal database system I'd guess it would have some
flexibility in this area.

As for the events, they sometimes look like Greek to me too. My general view
is that you're probably better off avoiding them if you can.

Peter Jamieson

"Michelle" wrote in message
...
Thanks so much for responding. I did read an article about events, and I
am
sorry to say it was like Greek to me.

The merge is actually being initiated from a legal database program so I
can't use your second suggestion.