"Too Many Data Fields" Error in Single-Field Data Document

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a

SYMPTOMS

If ALL of the following conditions are true when you perform a mail merge operation, Word for Windows displays a "Record 1 contained too many data fields" error message:

• You are using a separate header source.
• Your header and data documents are text files that contain only one field per record.
• When you attached the header source, you selected None from the Field Delimiter list in the Header Record Delimiters dialog box. (This is the logical selection because you do not need a delimiter in a single-field data document.)
• The records in your data document are identical in format and they all contain a character that Word can use as a delimiter (such as hyphens, periods, and so on).

   Header Source    Data Source       Note
   -------------    -----------       ----

   SSN              123-45-6789       All contain 2 hyphens
                    987-65-4321
                    654-32-1098

   Chapter          83.6.9            All contain 2 periods
                    12.3.2
                    7.5.5

   Description      Push-pull         All contain 1 hyphen
                    Helter-skelter
                    Teeter-totter

   123            83            Push
   987            12            Helter
   654             7            Teeter

CAUSE

Even though you selected no field delimiter, Word still analyses your data document. If all the records are formatted in a similar manner (all social security numbers, all contain the same number of decimals, and so on), Word mistakenly uses the common character as a delimiter and treats each record as if it contained multiple fields.

This problem does not occur if the data records contain dissimilar formatting, if the data document is a Word table, if you are not using a separate header source, if each data record is enclosed in quotation marks, or if your data records contain more than one field apiece.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 6.0 and 6.0a for Windows. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUNDS

Method 1: Do not use a header source file; instead, place the field name at

          the beginning of the data document. (To detach the header source,
          you must restore your main document to a normal Word document and
          then reattach the data document)

          Word table:

          a. Open the mail merge data document in Word. (To open the data
             document from your main document, choose the Edit Data Source
             button on the Mail Merge toolbar.)

          b. From the Edit menu, choose Select All to select all your
             data.

          c. From the Table menu, choose Convert Text to Table.

          d. Select 1 in the Number of Columns box, select the Paragraphs
             option, and then choose OK.

          field apiece. You do not need to use the additional fields in
          your mail merge operation.

          For example, change the sample file above to the following:

             "123-45-6789"
             "987-65-4321"
             "654-32-1098"

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 627, 679, 682-683