WD: Merge Envelope Prints Field Names or First Data Record

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh version 6.0, 6.0.1

SYMPTOMS

When you print an envelope from Microsoft Word 6.0, field names or the information from the first data record, rather than individual record information, is printed.

CAUSE

In a mail merge document, if field codes are showing when you click Envelopes And Labels on the Tools menu, Word places the text that appears in the fields, rather than the fields themselves, on the envelope.

For example, if the fields showing are similar to the following

   {MERGEFIELD firstname} {MERGEFIELD lastname}
   {MERGEFIELD address}
   {MERGEFIELD city}, {MERGEFIELD state}  {MERGEFIELD zip}

   MERGEFIELD firstname MERGEFIELD lastname
   MERGEFIELD address
   MERGEFIELD city, MERGEFIELD state  MERGEFIELD zip

If you click Add To Document, Word places the text on the envelope page. If you click Print, the text is printed on an envelope.

RESOLUTION

Turn off field codes and the "merged information" view before clicking Envelopes And Labels, so that the field names appear in chevrons, like this:

   <<firstname>> <<lastname>>
   <<address>>
   <<city>>, <<state>>  <<zip>>

Method 1

Press ALT+F9.

Method 2

On the Tools menu, click Options. Select the View tab. Click to clear the Field Codes check box.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Word listed above. This problem was corrected in Word version 7.0 for Windows 95.