Microsoft KB Archive/212263

= WD2000: Error Message: Word Could Not Open  as a Data or Header Source Because It Is the Active Mail Merge Main Document =

Article ID: 212263

Article Last Modified on 8/6/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q212263





SYMPTOMS
When you set up a mail merge in Word, you may receive the following error message:

Word could not open  as a data or header source because it is the active mail merge main document.

where  is the name of the document you are attempting to use as the data source.



CAUSE
The file that you are attempting to attach as a data (header) source has been previously set as a main document in Word.



WORKAROUND
Make sure the document you want to use as the data source is actually the data source and not a mail merge main document. If it is actually the data source, you can reset it as the data source by following these steps:  Close all documents currently open in Word. Open the data file you want to use in your mail merge. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge. In the Mail Merge Helper, click Create and then click Restore to Normal Word Document. When you receive the following message, click Yes:

By restoring  to a normal Word document, the text of the document will not change. However,  will no longer be a mail merge main document. Do you want to continue?

</li> In the Mail Merge Helper, click Close.</li> On the File menu, click Save, and then close the file.</li> Perform your mail merge again.</li></ol>

Additional query words: printmerge mailmerge datasource datafile

Keywords: kbmerge kbprb KB212263

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