SYMPTOMS
When you perform a mail merge using ODBC with a Microsoft Access or
Microsoft Excel data source, the merge results for Date, Phone Number, and
Currency fields are incorrect. For example, the Date field appears in the
following format:
The Currency field appears in the following format:
The Phone Number field from Microsoft Access appears in the following
format:
RESOLUTION
Method 1:Use DDE to Connect to the Microsoft Access or Excel Database
To do this, select the Select Method (Confirm Conversion) check box in the
Open Data Source dialog box, locate and select your Access/Excel database,
and then click Open. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select
Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel Database via DDE (*.mdb) and click OK.
NOTE: If DDE is not available, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
137076 Can't Use Microsoft Access Files (.mdb or DDE) with Word
Method 2: Use ODBC and add a picture switch to the Date/Currency fields.
Include a numeric picture switch (\#) in the Currency field, so that the
Currency field looks like this:
{mergefield number \# $####,0.0}
NOTE: The {mergefield number \# $####,0.0} string works for SQL Server 6
as well.
Include a numeric picture switch (\#) in the Phone Number field, so that
the Phone Number field looks like this:
(mergefield phone \# ###'-'###'-'####}
NOTE: The hyphen inside the merge field is enclosed in single quotation
marks.
For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
121938 WD: Hyphens Don't Display Correctly with Numeric Picture Switch
Include a date-time picture switch (\@) in the Date field, so that the Date
field looks like this:
{mergefield date \@ "MMMM d, yyyy"}
NOTE: The picture switch is case-sensitive; also, you must use quotation
marks around the picture string.