OL98: (IMO) How to Mail Merge to Outlook Fax Recipients

ID: Q195881

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Outlook 98
NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only (IMO) option. To determine your installation type, on the Help menu click About Microsoft Outlook. In About Microsoft Outlook you should see "Internet Mail Only" if you have the Internet Mail Only option installed.

SYMPTOMS

When attempting to perform a mail merge from Microsoft Word 97, using Microsoft Outlook 98 Contacts, you do not have an option for merging to Electronic Fax.


CAUSE

Microsoft Word does not recognize the Symantec WinFax Starter Edition (WSE) installed with Outlook IMO option.


RESOLUTION

To fax recipients when using Outlook Contacts as a data source in a Word mail merge, you must do the following:

  • Set WSE to the default mail account in Outlook.


  • Export the contact records from Outlook to Microsoft Excel.


  • Modify the fax numbers in Microsoft Excel.


  • Use the modified Microsoft Excel file as the data source for the mail merge in Word.


  • Reset the default mail account in Outlook.



MORE INFORMATION

In Outlook, the fax numbers in Contacts must include the country code, which is a +1 in the U.S.

For example: +1(555)555-5555
This format ensures that WSE correctly uses the Windows Dialing Properties and suppresses the Dialing dialog box that asks you to verify each fax number. For more information about adding the country code to the fax numbers, please see the "References" section, later in this article.

To Set WSE as the Default Mail Account in Outlook

  1. On the Tools menu in Outlook, click Accounts.


  2. Click to select the WinFax Started Edition account, click Set As Default, and then click Close.


To Export the Contact Records from Outlook to Microsoft Excel

  1. In Outlook, click Import And Export on the File menu.


  2. Click to select "Export to a file" and click Next.


  3. Click to select Microsoft Excel and click Next.


  4. Click to select the folder from which you want to export the contacts and click Next.


  5. Type a path and name for the file to be exported. Click Next and then click Finish.


To Modify the Fax Numbers in Microsoft Excel

  1. In Microsoft Excel, open the file you just exported from Outlook.


  2. On the Edit menu, click Replace.


  3. In the Find What box, type "+1" (without the quotation marks).


  4. In the Replace With box, type "fax@+1" (without the quotation marks).


  5. Click Replace All.


  6. Close and save the file.


To Use the Modified Microsoft Excel File as the Data Source for the Merge

  1. In Word, click Mail Merge on the Tools menu.


  2. Click Create, click Form Letters, and click Active Window.


  3. Click Get Data and click Open Data Source.


  4. Click to select the file saved in step 6 above.


  5. Click to select the Contacts named range.


  6. Insert the contact fields needed in your form letter.


  7. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge and then click Merge in the Mail Merge Helper dialog box.


  8. In the Merge To list, click Electronic Mail.


  9. Click Setup. In the drop-down list click to select the field containing the fax numbers you want to use. Click OK and click Merge.


To Reset the Default Mail Account in Outlook

  1. On the Tools menu in Outlook, click Accounts.


  2. Click to select the mail account you want to use as the default. Click Set As Default, and then click Close.



REFERENCES

For more information about manually adding the country code to contact fax numbers, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q188323 OL98: (IMO) Fax Number Verification Displays for Every Fax
For more information about programmatically adding the country code to contact fax numbers, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q193981 OL98: How to Programmatically Add '+1' to Contact Fax Numbers
For more information about mail merging contact fax numbers from Word, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q187978 OL98: (IMO) Can't Fax After Mail Merge from Microsoft Word

Additional query words: 98

Keywords : kbinterop
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: July 29, 1999
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