WD: Bookmark Errors in FORMULA or Text Form Fields

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh versions 6.0, 6.0.1

SYMPTOMS

If you define a bookmark whose name has one or two letters plus a number (such as BM1 or ZZ4096) and then insert a FORMULA field that performs a calculation using the bookmark reference, one of the following field errors may appear in place of the field result:

   !Error at <bookmarkname>

   !Error <bookmarkname> is not in table

   !Error at BM1

NOTE: The "!Error <bookmarkname> is not in table" error occurs if the FORMULA field is located in a table.

For example, if you insert and then update the following fields, the field error occurs in place of the FORMULA field:

   {set BM1 1}
   {set BM2 2}
   {=BM1+BM2}

CAUSE

In a FORMULA field, Word considers bookmark names that consist of one or two letters plus a number to be table cell references instead of bookmark names. Cell references take precedence over bookmarks, so if the bookmark does not reference a valid table cell in the document, the FORMULA field yields an error instead of a result.

WORDAROUND

Change the bookmark name so Word no longer thinks it is a table cell reference. For example, change "BM1" to "BAM1", or change "ZZ4096" to "ZZZ4096".

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition.