I have built an IF Then Else statement that successfully compares three
fields of date, each field with two options (6 statements) to see if a
letter should be merged to a record. I want to skip the record if all
six comparisons fail and a letter is not triggered. When I do the
merge, I get a blank page every non-qualifying record. Can you help?

There is a SKIPIF field that should cancel processing of the current record,
e.g.

{ SKIPIF { MERGEFIELD counter } 10 }

Word Help says you shouldn't use this field type for new merges, and
suggests that you filter records using Mail Merge Recipients. However, using
a filter is not always an option, not least because Word does not always get
it right if the filter conditions are date comparisons. So I think your only
options are probably
a. try the filter anyway - if it works, it works
b. if possible, apply the filter in the data source, e.g. if it's an Access
table and you can write a Query to do the correct filtering, you may be able
to use that as the data source
c. depending on the data source, you may be able to issue the SQL query you
need to filter the data in a Word VBA OpenDataSource call
d. use the { SKIPIF } approach anyway, but bear in mind that it may not
work in future.

Peter Jamieson

"Nick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have built an IF Then Else statement that successfully compares three
fields of date, each field with two options (6 statements) to see if a
letter should be merged to a record. I want to skip the record if all
six comparisons fail and a letter is not triggered. When I do the
merge, I get a blank page every non-qualifying record. Can you help?

Thank you for the reply. Need a Word Mail Merge (MM) "Skip Record IF"
solution.

Data compare perception ratings between three products. The target
product could be 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice, or not mentioned. If the
product is rated either better or worse than the products in the other
two positions a paragraph or letter is generated. The MM works fine for
that purpose. However the merge is creating a blank page for the
non-qualifying records. Need a way to Skip the record if:

1. product is not mentioned in any position
or
2. product is mentioned but is not rated better or worse than the
target product

Mergefield Counter - Can you tell me how this works? Does it count the
number of IF statements and then go to the next record? This looks
hopeful if I can figure out how to turn it on. I placed it at the head
of my mail merge and tried 27 (the number of IF statements), 3 (the
number of times MERGEFIELD appears in the mail merge statement, and
even 1, but still am getting the unwanted blank merged pages when I
run the merge.

Sorry, not sure what you are talking about here - what are you actually
inserting at the head of the mail merge?

Peter Jamieson

"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mergefield Counter - Can you tell me how this works? Does it count the
number of IF statements and then go to the next record? This looks
hopeful if I can figure out how to turn it on. I placed it at the head
of my mail merge and tried 27 (the number of IF statements), 3 (the
number of times MERGEFIELD appears in the mail merge statement, and
even 1, but still am getting the unwanted blank merged pages when I
run the merge.

Not sure what columns you have in your data source and your specification
seems ambiguous to me, but assuming you have

target,choice_1,choice_2,choice_3,rating_1,rating_ 2,rating_3

then I think you need something like

{ SKIPIF
{ =
{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_1 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_2 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_3 } "1" "0" }
*{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_1 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_2 }
"{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_2 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_3 } "0" "1" }"
"1" }
} = 0 }

Peter Jamieson
"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you for the reply. Need a Word Mail Merge (MM) "Skip Record IF"
solution.

Data compare perception ratings between three products. The target
product could be 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice, or not mentioned. If the
product is rated either better or worse than the products in the other
two positions a paragraph or letter is generated. The MM works fine for
that purpose. However the merge is creating a blank page for the
non-qualifying records. Need a way to Skip the record if:

1. product is not mentioned in any position
or
2. product is mentioned but is not rated better or worse than the
target product

Sorry to be ambiguous. I have been trying to figure out how I can copy
the mail merge instructions so you can see them, but can't figure it
out, so, I will bite the bullet and type them in.

Data fields include:

ClientPosition (whether our client is the "1","2" or "3" choice or
"FALSE" if not selected)
Issue D rating for 1st choice client (1-5 reported where "1" is most
favorable - up to "4" which is least favorable and "5" is no opinion)
Issue D rating for 2nd choice client
Issue D rating for 3rds choice client

Mail merge does the following:
1. check to see if client position=1
2. checks to see that rating for 1st choice is not null
3. checks to see that rating for 2nd choice is not null
4. checks to see that rating for 1st choice is less than 5
5. subtracts value of 1st choice rating from value of second choice
rating to see if it is less than zero
6. If it is the text is activated. If it isn't it
7. checks to see if client position=2, etc.

{IF {MERGEFIELD ClientPosition } = 1 "{IF {Q2_C2D } "" {IF {Q2_C1D }
"" { IF {Q2_C1D } 5 { IF { = { Q2_C2D } - { Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text
here for client in first position rated lower than competitor in second
position

" "{ IF {Q2_3D } "" { IF { Q2_C1D} "" { IF { Q2_C1D } 5 { IF {
= { Q2_C3D } - {Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text here for client in first position
rated lower than competitor in third position

" "" } } } } " } } } } }{IF {MERGEFIELD ClientPosition } = 2 "{IF
{Q2_C2D } "" {IF {Q2_C1D } "" { IF {Q2_C2D } 5 { IF { = { Q2_C1D
} - { Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text here for client in second position rated
lower than competitor in first position

" "{ IF {Q2_2D } "" { IF { Q2_C3D} "" { IF { Q2_C2D } 5 { IF {
= { Q2_C3D } - {Q2_C2D } } 0 "Text here for client in second position
rated lower than competitor in third position

" "" } } } } " } } } } }, etc.

I'm looking for a way to skip the record if none of the statements
trigger the associated text.

Thanks for looking at this for me.

Nick King

To keep things simple, one way you /might/ be able to do it is as follows:

If your complete set of IF fields and text inserts no text at all (not even
any spaces or paragraph marks) in the situation where you want to skip the
letter, then copy the entire body of your mailmerge main document (probably
except the last paragraph mark) and paste it into a SKIPIF field, i.e. as
follows:

{ SKIPIF "all your fields and text" = "" }all your fields and text

(i.e. if it works, it's simpler than trying to work out a second set of IF
fields and so on).

Peter Jamieson

"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sorry to be ambiguous. I have been trying to figure out how I can copy
the mail merge instructions so you can see them, but can't figure it
out, so, I will bite the bullet and type them in.

Data fields include:

ClientPosition (whether our client is the "1","2" or "3" choice or
"FALSE" if not selected)
Issue D rating for 1st choice client (1-5 reported where "1" is most
favorable - up to "4" which is least favorable and "5" is no opinion)
Issue D rating for 2nd choice client
Issue D rating for 3rds choice client

Mail merge does the following:
1. check to see if client position=1
2. checks to see that rating for 1st choice is not null
3. checks to see that rating for 2nd choice is not null
4. checks to see that rating for 1st choice is less than 5
5. subtracts value of 1st choice rating from value of second choice
rating to see if it is less than zero
6. If it is the text is activated. If it isn't it
7. checks to see if client position=2, etc.

{IF {MERGEFIELD ClientPosition } = 1 "{IF {Q2_C2D } "" {IF {Q2_C1D }
"" { IF {Q2_C1D } 5 { IF { = { Q2_C2D } - { Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text
here for client in first position rated lower than competitor in second
position

" "{ IF {Q2_3D } "" { IF { Q2_C1D} "" { IF { Q2_C1D } 5 { IF {
= { Q2_C3D } - {Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text here for client in first position
rated lower than competitor in third position

" "" } } } } " } } } } }{IF {MERGEFIELD ClientPosition } = 2 "{IF
{Q2_C2D } "" {IF {Q2_C1D } "" { IF {Q2_C2D } 5 { IF { = { Q2_C1D
} - { Q2_C1D } } 0 "Text here for client in second position rated
lower than competitor in first position

" "{ IF {Q2_2D } "" { IF { Q2_C3D} "" { IF { Q2_C2D } 5 { IF {
= { Q2_C3D } - {Q2_C2D } } 0 "Text here for client in second position
rated lower than competitor in third position

" "" } } } } " } } } } }, etc.

I'm looking for a way to skip the record if none of the statements
trigger the associated text.

Thanks for looking at this for me.

Nick King

Peter -

In the solution below:

{ SKIPIF
{ =
{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_1 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_2 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_3 } "1" "0" }
*{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_1 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_2 }
"{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_2 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_3 } "0" "1" }"
"1" }

there are some operators (+ and *). Can you tell me about other
available operators? Is there an "or" operator?

Nick King

You can look up the available functions and operators in the Word help for
the = field. However, that can be hard to find as the field isn't listed in
the help index - you can search for "formula field" in the "Search for" box
in Word Help.

+ is just the usual addition operator and * is the usual multiplication
operator. it is sometimes easier to use these rather than the or and and
functions which are also available because or and and only take two
parameters, i.e. you can have

{ =or(param1,param2) }

but for three parameters I think you need

{ =or(param1,or(param1,param2)) }

The thing to bear in mind is that within the formula field "True" is
represented as "1" and "False" as "0", so in the first example above, if
param1 or param2 is true or 1, then the result is "1".

However, the fields as suggested here obviously won't work because your
structures are actually slightly different.

Peter Jamieson

"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Peter -

In the solution below:

{ SKIPIF
{ =
{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_1 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_2 } "1" "0" }
+{ IF { MERGEFIELD target } = { MERGEFIELD choice_3 } "1" "0" }
*{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_1 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_2 }
"{ IF { MERGEFIELD rating_2 } = { MERGEFIELD rating_3 } "0" "1" }"
"1" }

there are some operators (+ and *). Can you tell me about other
available operators? Is there an "or" operator?

Nick King