[Nick C[_2_]]

I am attempting to add a couple of new columns of data in an Excel file to
add to a form letter using Mail Merge. However, when I do, the field links
in Word shift so that the data I want does not read from the column it is
actually under. For example, the "End of Month" date might only pull from a
field heading for a column two spaces away while the "End of Month" column
pulls data from a blank column. How do I add field columns to the Excel file
without causing this to happen?

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

It sounds like you might have used field matching to match the fields in
your data source to the "standard" field names. That is not necessary and
you can just insert your actual field names in the configuration that you
want them.

In this case however, you will probably need to edit the main document by
deleting the existing mergefields (or at least those that are not returning
the correct data) and then reinsert the required fields in the places that
you want them.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

"Nick C" wrote in message
...
I am attempting to add a couple of new columns of data in an Excel file to
add to a form letter using Mail Merge. However, when I do, the field
links
in Word shift so that the data I want does not read from the column it is
actually under. For example, the "End of Month" date might only pull from
a
field heading for a column two spaces away while the "End of Month" column
pulls data from a blank column. How do I add field columns to the Excel
file
without causing this to happen?

[macropod[_2_]]

Hi Nick,

If any of the columns you're adding are being inserted to the left of the columns already in use for the mailmerge, that may cause
some problems. Working on the data source without the mailmerge main document being open should be enough to avoid that. Also, data
fields containing double-quotes characters can cause unexpected results, combining multiple fields as if they were one.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


"Nick C" wrote in message ...
I am attempting to add a couple of new columns of data in an Excel file to
add to a form letter using Mail Merge. However, when I do, the field links
in Word shift so that the data I want does not read from the column it is
actually under. For example, the "End of Month" date might only pull from a
field heading for a column two spaces away while the "End of Month" column
pulls data from a blank column. How do I add field columns to the Excel file
without causing this to happen?

[Nick C[_2_]]

"macropod" wrote:

Hi Nick,

If any of the columns you're adding are being inserted to the left of the columns already in use for the mailmerge, that may cause
some problems. Working on the data source without the mailmerge main document being open should be enough to avoid that. Also, data
fields containing double-quotes characters can cause unexpected results, combining multiple fields as if they were one.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


"Nick C" wrote in message ...
I am attempting to add a couple of new columns of data in an Excel file to
add to a form letter using Mail Merge. However, when I do, the field links
in Word shift so that the data I want does not read from the column it is
actually under. For example, the "End of Month" date might only pull from a
field heading for a column two spaces away while the "End of Month" column
pulls data from a blank column. How do I add field columns to the Excel file
without causing this to happen?

I did try adding columns all the way over to the right of the existing data
but I got the same result.

If it helps any, the problem only occurs after a certain column in Excel.
Before that everything pulls from the correct column heading.

[Nick C[_2_]]

"Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

It sounds like you might have used field matching to match the fields in
your data source to the "standard" field names. That is not necessary and
you can just insert your actual field names in the configuration that you
want them.

In this case however, you will probably need to edit the main document by
deleting the existing mergefields (or at least those that are not returning
the correct data) and then reinsert the required fields in the places that
you want them.

Deleting the merge fields and re-inserting doesn't help. It has to do with
something causing the data to shift from the columns when reading through
DDE. In fact, some data won't pull from Excel via DDE; it doesn't appear
under any field.

I tried creating a new Excel sheet from scratch and putting in all the
columns but it still pulls incorrectly.

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Send me a copy of the spreadsheet (with some dummy data if you wish) and the
mail merge main document and I will take a look at it.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

"Nick C" wrote in message
...


"Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

It sounds like you might have used field matching to match the fields in
your data source to the "standard" field names. That is not necessary
and
you can just insert your actual field names in the configuration that you
want them.

In this case however, you will probably need to edit the main document by
deleting the existing mergefields (or at least those that are not
returning
the correct data) and then reinsert the required fields in the places
that
you want them.

Deleting the merge fields and re-inserting doesn't help. It has to do
with
something causing the data to shift from the columns when reading through
DDE. In fact, some data won't pull from Excel via DDE; it doesn't appear
under any field.

I tried creating a new Excel sheet from scratch and putting in all the
columns but it still pulls incorrectly.