# Mail Merge from Excel



## RSB1 (Feb 20, 2010)

I've suddenly started experiencing a problem with merging data from an Excel worksheet into Word 2007.
I am using the same technique that has been working for ages, and in fact has just worked with one worksheet in the spreadsheet but not another.
I open my template in Word 2007, click on "Mailings" and then "Start Mail Merge". This particular job is to print Letters and so I select that option, and then I go to "Select Recipients". I take the "Use existing list" option and then browse until I find the appropriate worksheet in my spreadsheet.
Normally, that links me to the worksheet and I can edit the recipient list and then do the merge.
However, I am getting a dialogue box saying "Select Table" rather than being linked to my data.
Can anyone please explain what I - or the system - am doing wrong?
RSB1


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi RSB1,

What data connection method are you using? AFAIK, the Select Table dialogue box is used to select the source worksheet only when the workbook contains more than one worksheet.


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## RSB1 (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi Macropod
The workbook contains 10 worksheets. In the past, the methodology I have outlined has asked which particular worksheet I want, and then links to it. Now, having identified which worksheet I want, I am getting this "Select Table" message!
I have been using this same technique for ages - but have just started getting this problem.
RSB1


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi RSB1,

Again: what data connection method are you using? Also, does the wb have any named ranges that it didn't have before?


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## RSB1 (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi Macropod
I'm simply using Mail Merge in Word. I haven't used any other data connection methods. There are no named ranges. All the data is on my own PC and there is no network. However, I have also copied the workbook onto my laptop together with the Word document templates and tried to run it there (under Windows 7) and it too failed. 
What is odd is that I have been using this technique for some time without problem, and in fact I produced one set of letters from one worksheet, but then when I tried to produce the second set of letters (two minutes later) using a different worksheet in the same workbook, it failed with the "Select Table" message.
I have just checked to see if there are any Trusted Site problems, but there don't appear to be.
I'm puzzled!
RSB1


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi RSB1,

Word allows you to choose from a variety of data connetcion methods when setting up the mailmerge.

I take it from what you've described is that you're trying to use the same mailmerge main document to produce merges from two different worksheets. That may have something to do with the problem also, since the mailmerge main document would already have stored the query for the first merge in its metacode. You may need to remove the merge header info between merges.


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## RSB1 (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi Macropod
I will need to experiment with some of the other data connection methods to see if that might help. To date, I've only used the simple option in Word.
To clarify what is happening, I have 3 and potentially 4 templates in Word which are form letters I send out to a group of people. One of the letters accesses one workbook, the other 2 (or, occasionally 3) access a second workbook. All that I am extracting from Excel is a name and address plus a salutation.
The first of the mail-merges worked (accessing wb 1), but the second (accessing wb 2) failed as described above. Before each mail merge, I call up the new document (containing the fields to be included) always press "Start Mail Merge" and proceed as originally described.
In the past, this technique has worked countless number of times.
I have again just tried linking to the first of the workbooks and the merge worked, but not when I call up a different document and try to link to the second sheet. I have tried moving the position of the workbook and a couple of the more obvious things, but still no joy.
I usually work on the principle that I am doing something wrong, but in this case, if I am, I can't see it! My assumption is that there is some difference between the workbooks, but what is frustrating is that I can see no (obvious) difference between them!
RSB1


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## BEERviper (May 12, 2010)

Well I had to create an account just to reply to this message...

I was having the EXACT same problem, couldn't get the mail merge to open the Excel file as the data source without getting a second "Select Table" prompt that I could not modify.

On a whim I decided to try moving the Excel file into another folder as it was sitting on my desktop ... and it worked!

Every time I would get the second "Select Table" prompt, it would pre-populate the workbook field with a file called desktop.xlsx and I could not choose a different file nor edit the only option. Apparently Word could not create appropriate temporary file on the desktop that it needs to be able to read the data from the Excel spreadsheet.

Maybe this is the same issue you were having if your source file was sitting on your desktop!


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## RSB1 (Feb 20, 2010)

Many thanks, BEERviper.
I didn't have a a file on the Desktop, but I did have a shortcut to that folder. So, I deleted that, but no joy!
I have tried copying the file to another folder as you suggested, but again no joy.
I suspect it is something weird like this though. I just have to keep trying more options!
However, I do now believe it's a fault in either Excel or Word and not me.


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## BEERviper (May 12, 2010)

In the end the issue was not with the Excel file itself, I believe it was the ability to create a temporary in the same directory as the source file. Perhaps the directory where the file is located is a protected directory that the OS is unable to create temp files. Sounds weird but then again so did the fact that it wouldn't work with the source Excel file on the Desktop and worked fine in Documents.

I tried transferring the source file to another computer where I knew mail merge was working ok and the source file worked fine. I tried a different letter for the merge, nothing worked with the Excel file on the desktop. It's weird but it worked.


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