Microsoft KB Archive/897876

Knowledge Base

Error message when you use a mail merge template that you created by using fields from Business Contact Manager: "This letter template is not valid"

Article ID: 897876

Article Last Modified on 10/29/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Office Accounting Professional 2008
• Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2008
• Microsoft Office Accounting Professional 2007
• Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007
• Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006
• Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition 2006

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SYMPTOMS

When you use a mail-merge template that you created by using fields from Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Business Contact Manager, you receive the following error message:

This letter template is not valid. There are no valid mail merge fields in this template.

This problem occurs in the following products:

• Microsoft Office Accounting Professional
• Microsoft Office Accounting Express
• Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006

CAUSE

When you use the Write Letters Wizard to create a mail-merge template, the fields in the template are from Business Contact Manager. Therefore, they do not exist in Accounting Professional, in Accounting Express, or in Small Business Accounting 2006.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, replace the Business Contact Manager fields in the mail-merge template with the corresponding fields from Accounting Professional, from Accounting Express, or from Small Business Accounting 2006. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Customers menu, click Write Letters to open the Write Letters Wizard.
2. Review the steps that are listed, and then click Next.
3. On the Recipient list, click Customer.
4. Drag the pointer to select the template that you created, and then click Modify. Microsoft Word opens the template and then lists the merge fields.
5. Drag the pointer to select the merge field that you want to replace.
6. On the toolbar or ribbon, click Insert Merge Field.
   
   Note If you use Office 2003 programs or an earlier version, you click the button on the toolbar. If you use 2007 Office programs, you click the button on the ribbon.
7. Click Database Field, and then select a field to replace the merge field that you selected in step 5.
8. Click Insert, and then click Close.
9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for all fields that you want to replace.
10. On the File menu, click Exit to close the Word mail-merge template.
11. Click Yes when Word prompts you to save the changes.
    
    Note If the template exists, Word prompts you about whether you want to replace the existing template. Click Yes to replace it, or click No to save it with a different name. If the template is read-only, a Save As window appears. You can then save the template by using a different name.
    
    Note The following are the default locations for customer letter templates:
    • In Accounting Professional 2008 and in Accounting Express 2008, one of the following is the default location:
      • In Windows Vista:

        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\Office Accounting 2008\Letters\Customer

      • In Windows XP:

        C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates\Office Accounting 2008\Letters\Customer

    • In Accounting Professional 2007 and in Accounting Express 2007, one of the following is the default location:
      • In Windows Vista:

        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\Office Accounting 2007\Letters\Customer

      • In Windows XP:

        C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates\Small Business Accounting 2007\Letters\Customer

    • In Small Business Accounting 2006, the following is the default location:

      C:\Program Files\Microsoft Small Business\Small Business Accounting\Letters\Customer

12. Click Next to continue to use the Write Letters Wizard.
13. Try to use the template again.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the problem

1. On the main menu in Accounting Professional, in Accounting Express, or in Small Business Accounting 2006, click Business Tools, and then click either Accounts or Business Contacts.
2. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
3. In the Mail Merge Contact window, accept the default selections.
4. Click OK to open a new Word template that has the Mail Merge toolbar.
5. In the template, position your pointer in the location at which you want to insert a field.
6. On the toolbar, click the Insert Merge Field button.
7. Click Database Field, drag the pointer to select the field that you want to insert in the template, and then click Insert.
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 for all remaining required fields.
9. Click OK to close the Insert Merge Field window.
10. On the toolbar or on the ribbon, click Preview Results or View Merged Data to make sure that you pulled the data from the Business Contact Manager contact list.
    
    Note If a selected field has no data, that field is blank when you view the merged data. For example, if you add the Business_Fax field to the template, the Business_Fax field is blank if the account in Business Contact Manager does not contain a fax number.
11. On the File menu, click Save As. Or, click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Save As. Then, find the following folder in the Save in box:
    • In Accounting Professional 2008 or in Accounting Express 2008, find the following folder:
      • In Windows Vista:

        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\Office Accounting 2008\Letters\Customer

      • In Windows XP:

        C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates\Office Accounting 2008\Letters\Customer

    • In Accounting Professional 2007 or in Accounting Express 2007, find the following folder:
      • In Windows Vista:

        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\Office Accounting 2007\Letters\Customer

      • In Windows XP:

        C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates\Small Business Accounting 2007\Letters\Customer

    • In Small Business Accounting 2006, find the following folder:

      C:\Program Files\Microsoft Small Business\Small Business Accounting\Letters\Customer

12. In the File name box, enter a file name for the template, and then click Save.
13. In Accounting Professional, in Accounting Express, or in Small Business Accounting 2006, click Company, and then click Write Letters to open the Write Letters Wizard.
14. Click Next.
15. Click Customer if Customer is not already selected.
16. Click the template that you saved in step 12.
17. Click Next.
18. Click the customers who will receive the letter, and then click Next.
19. Make any required changes to the signature, and then click Create Letters. You receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

Additional query words: Mail Merge error MOA

Additional query words: 37661 Content Maintenance

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB897876

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