WD97: Error Merging with Outlook CSV, TSV File

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Outlook 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

You receive the following error message when you attempt to merge using a comma separated value (CSV) or a tab separated value (TSV) data source exported from Microsoft Outlook.

   Record <n> contained too few data fields.

CAUSE

When you exported the data from Microsoft Outlook, some of the fields were not exported. For example, all of the header fields were exported, but empty data fields were dropped, resulting in fewer fields for some data records than are present in the header record.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the appropriate method:

Method 1: When you export the file from Outlook into either CSV or TSV

          format, do the following:

          a. On the File menu, click Import and Export.

          b. Select Export To A File and click Next.

          c. Select the folder you want to export from. For example,

             the Contacts folder. Click Next.

          d. In the Create A File Of Type list, select either Comma
             Separated Values (Windows) or Tab Separated Values (Windows),
             and then click Next.

          e. Type a name for the new file in the Save Exported Files As
             box, and click Next.

          f. Click Map Custom Fields, select the default map, and then
             click OK.

          g. Click Finish.

          do the following.

          NOTE: This method does not work with TSV files. For additional
          information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
          Knowledge Base:

             ARTICLE-ID: Q137385
             TITLE     : Error Using Tab-Delimited Data File with ODBC
                         Driver

          a. On the Insert menu, click Database, and then click the Get
             Data button.

             -or-

             Open the mail merge main document and then do the following:

             1. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.

             2. In the Mail Merge Helper, click the Get Data button, and
                then click Open Data Source.

          b. Select the CSV file you want to use, click to select the
             Select Method check box, and then click OK.

          c. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select Text Files Via
             ODBC, and then click OK.

STATUS

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