Microsoft KB Archive/211322

= WD2000: Cannot Change Default Field Names in Mail Merge Helper =

Article ID: 211322

Article Last Modified on 7/13/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q211322





SYMPTOMS
In the Create Data Source dialog box, if you select a field name from the Field names in header row list, the field name is not displayed in the Field name box, and there are no controls or option selections that allow you to rename the field name.



CAUSE
You cannot change these defaults because the names are hard-coded in the Word program.



WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Remove and Add Field Names
To customize the field names used in the header rows of data, follow these steps:
 * 1) On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
 * 2) Click Create, and then click Form Letters.
 * 3) Click New Main Document or Active Window.
 * 4) Click Get Data, and then click Create Data Source.

NOTE: This is only one of several ways to open the Create Data Source dialog box.
 * 1) In the Field names in header row list, select a name you want to change (for example: PostalCode), and then click Remove Field Name.

The field name appears in the Field name box.
 * 1) In the Field name box, type the name that you want (for example: ZIP_Code), and then click Add Field Name.

The added field name now appears in place of the removed field name.

Method 2: Create a Data Source with Custom Headers
To create and open a data source with custom headers, follow these steps:
 * 1) In a new Word document, on the Table menu, point to Insert, and then click Table.
 * 2) Under Table size, enter the number of columns and rows you want, and then click OK.
 * 3) Enter the heading names that you want into the top row of the table, and then enter the data that you want into the subsequent rows.
 * 4) Close and save the table document.
 * 5) Open a new Word document, and then on the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
 * 6) Click Create, and then click Form Letters.
 * 7) Click New Main Document or Active Window.
 * 8) Under Data source, click Get Data and then click Open Data Source.
 * 9) Select the table document that you just created, open it, and then follow the instructions in the Mail Merge Helper.

NOTE: The field names that are available to you are the names in the first row of each column of the table document.

Additional query words: helper

Keywords: kbdtacode kbmacroexample kbmerge kbprb KB211322

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