How to Mail Merge Using Word for Windows and Approach 2.1

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

This article describes how to use your Approach database in a mail merge with Word for Windows and how to export your Word data to an Approach database.

MORE INFORMATION

Approach allows you to choose from a number of export formats. They are:

   dBASE 3+
   dBASE IV
   FoxPro
   Paradox
   Microsoft Excel
   Text (comma, tab, or semicolon delimited)

Merging to Word 2.0

If you are merging your data to Word 2.0, choose either the Microsoft Excel format or one of the text formats (comma or tab delimited) and edit the data source to include a header row or attach a separate header file. If you do this before attempting to insert your merge fields, you will avoid the following error message:

   Word has detected a field name in the header record which is not
   valid. This error must eventually be corrected in order to complete
   a successful print merge.

Merging to Word 6.0

If you are using Word 6.0 and you have installed the ODBC drivers, you can merge with the dBASE, FoxPro, or Paradox formats using ODBC. If these drivers are not installed, you can either run the Word Setup program to install them, or you can merge with the Microsoft Excel or Text formats. If you choose the Microsoft Excel format, you can merge using the Microsoft Excel converter or DDE.

When Approach exports the data to the dBASE, FoxPro, or Paradox format, it automatically adds a header row to the data source. When the data is exported to the Microsoft Excel or Text format, a header row is not added to the data source. To correct this, you can either edit the data source and add a header row, or you can attach a separate header file to your mail merge main document.

Using the Text Format

When exporting your data to the Text format, you can choose from the following formats and select either the Windows or MS-DOS character set:

   commas
   spaces
   semicolon
   tabs
   other

When performing the merge with the text file, you may get the following message when Word merges the last record because an empty record is created in the data source during the export:

   Record xx contained too few data fields.

To export your data from Approach

1. Start Approach and open your database.

2. From the File menu, choose Export Data.

3. Give your file a name.

4. In the List Files Of Type list, choose the desired format.

5. In the Database Fields scroll box, choose the fields you want to export. You can select multiple fields at one time using SHIFT+Click to select a series or CTRL+Click to select nonadjacent fields.

6. Choose the Add button.

7. Choose the OK button.

Exporting a Word Data Source to an Approach Database

To export Word data to Approach, first remove the header row from your data source, and then save your data in Text Only format. If your data is in a Word table, convert the table to text and separate the fields with tabs. Create a new database in Approach and import the data.

To create a new database in Approach

1. From the File menu, choose New.

2. Enter a filename.

3. Choose from the following three types of formats: dBASE IV, dBASE III+, or FoxPro.

4. Choose OK.

5. In the Field Definition dialog box, type the name for a field.

6. Specify one of the options from the Type list. For example: Text, Numeric, Date, Memo, and so on.

7. Specify a length for the field.

8. Choose the Add button.

9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 until you have named all of your fields.

10. Choose the OK button.

To import your data into Approach

1. From the File menu, choose Import Data.

2. Select your data source from the appropriate directory.

3. Choose a field separator, such as commas, semicolons, tabs, or other.

4. Choose the Windows character set.

5. Choose the OK button.

6. In the Field Mapping dialog box, select one of the fields in the Field To Map list. These Fields appear as Field1, Field2, Field3, and so on. This requires that you know the order of your fields in the data source so that you correctly map them to the new fields.

7. Select a corresponding field from the Unmapped Fields list. These are the fields you specified in step 5 in the previous procedure.

8. Choose the Map button.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until all fields are mapped.

10. Choose the OK button.

The Approach product included here is manufactured by Approach Development Inc., a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.