You cannot see the starting zero in the ZIP Code/Postal Code after you merge a Works Database field together with a Works Word Processor document (902331)

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Save the Works Database file as a text and tab (*.txt) file or as a text and comma (*.csv) file

You can save the Works Database file as a text and tab (*.txt) file or as a text and comma (*.csv) file. Then, you can use this Works Database file to perform mail merge. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the existing Works Database file that you want to modify.
2. On the File menu, click Save as.
3. In the Save in box, click the location where you want to save the Works Database file.
4. In the File name box, type a new name for the Works Database file.
5. In the Save as type box, click Text & Tabs (*.txt) or click Text & Commas (*.csv), and then click Save.
   
   Note When you save a Works Database file as a text file, the field names, the formatting, and the formulas are not saved.
6. Close the Works Database file.
7. Start Works Word Processor.
8. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge, and then click Open Data Source.
9. Click Merge information from another type of file.
10. Locate the text Works Database file that you want to merge, and then click Open.
    
    Note To view the text file, click All files in the Files of type box.
11. When you are prompted to select the fields that you want to merge into the Works Word Processor document, click each preferred field for merging, and then click Insert.
    
    Note You can decide not to use the entries in the first row of the Works Database.
12. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to complete the wizard.

Method 2: Change the format type of the Works Database field

If the format type that is applied to the Works Database field is numeric, you can change the format type to text so that the Works Database field value that starts with the digit zero is preserved when the Works Database field is mail merged to the Works Word Processor document. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the existing Works Database file that you want to modify.
2. Click the Works Database field that you want to change the format for.
3. Sort the field so that the values that start with zeros appear on the top.
4. On the Format menu, click Field.
5. Under Format, click Text, and then click OK.
6. Re-enter all the field values that starts with the digit zero.
   
   Note You do not have to change Works Database field values that contain a hyphen (-) between the digits because Works automatically formats those values as text values.
7. Save the Works Database file.
8. Close the Works Database file.
9. Start Works Word Processor.
10. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge, and then click Open Data Source.
11. Click Merge information from another type of file.
12. Locate the Works Database file that you want to merge, and then click Open.
13. When you are prompted to select the fields that you want to merge into the Works Word Processor document, click each preferred field for merging, and then click Insert.
14. Click View Results to view the records that you inserted.

Method 3: Use a formula to change the Works Database field format type

You can use this method if you have more field values to edit, and if the field values contain only numbers.

1. Open the existing Works Database file that you want to modify.
2. Create a new Works Database field after the original field that contains the numeric values. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click the Works Database field that you want to add a new Works Database field after.
   2. On the Record menu, point to Insert Field, and then click After.
   3. In the Field name box, type the field name for the new field.
   4. Under Format, click Text, and then click Add.
3. Type a formula in the new field to convert the contents of the original field to text. For example, you can use the following sample formula to convert the numeric values in the original field to text:

   =LEFT("00000",(5-LENGTH(STRING(Original_field,0))))&(STRING(Original_field,0))

   The following are the definitions for the text in the sample formula:
   • =LEFT("00000", (5-LENGTH(STRING(Original_field,0)))): returns the remaining number of zeros in the "00000" text expression after subtracting the length of the field value that is returned in the text with the specified number of decimal spaces by the STRING(Original_field,0) formula. For example, if the numeric value is 00028, the formula returns the value 000.
   • STRING(Original_field,0): returns the numeric value in the text with the specified number of decimal spaces. For example, if the numeric value is 00028, the formula returns the value 28.
   • =LEFT("00000",(5-LENGTH(STRING(Original_field,0))))&(STRING(Original_field,0)): returns the combined result of the first two steps. For example, if the numeric value is 00028, the formula returns the text value 00028.
4. Save the Works Database file.
5. Close the Works Database file.
6. Start Works Word Processor.
7. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge, and then click Open Data Source.
8. Click Merge information from another type of file.
9. Locate the Works Database file that you want to merge, and then click Open.
10. When you are prompted to select the fields that you want to merge into the Works Word Processor document, click the new field that you created for merging, and then click Insert.
11. Click View Results to view the inserted records.