WD: Word Ignores First Record in Excel Data Source

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you perform a mail merge using a Microsoft Excel data source that does not contain a header row, and you attach a separate header document, Microsoft Word ignores the first row of data from the Excel data file. As a result, if the first row in the Excel spreadsheet contains a data record, this record is not merged.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you are performing a mail merge via a DDE connection with a Microsoft Excel Worksheet as your data.

WORKAROUND

In Microsoft Windows, this problem does not occur when you use the Microsoft Excel Worksheet via an Excel Converter or ODBC methods.

This problem also does not occur when you use other types of data sources.

To workaround this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1 (Windows)

1. In the Mail Merge Helper, when you click Open Data Source (Get Data under Data Source), click Confirm Conversions (Word 6.x) or Select Method (Word 7.x, 97).

2. Select the file you want to Open and then click OK or click Open.

3. When the Confirm Data Source dialog box appears, select Microsoft Excel Worksheet via Converter (*.xls, *.xlw).

4. Click OK.

Method 2

Insert a row above the first record in your Excel data file. Word will ignore this first row and merge all of your records.

Method 3

Instead of using a Header document, insert a row above the first record in your Excel data file and type the header field names in this row.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.