WD2000: Question Marks Appear in Mail Merge Using Excel Data Source with Unicode Characters (250322)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q250322

SYMPTOMS

When you perform a mail merge in Word to an Excel data source, if the Excel data source contains Unicode characters (for example, Greek characters), these characters appear in Word as question marks. This occurs regardless of the method that is used to attach the data source to the document.

CAUSE

Word does not support Unicode characters in mail merge sources that are not in Word document format and that are attached via Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), or a converter that does not support Unicode characters.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, open the file in Excel, and then copy and paste the data into a Word document. Use the Word document as the source of the mail merge.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

  1. Create an Excel file that contains Greek characters.
  2. Switch to Word.
  3. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge. Click Create, and then select Form Letters. When prompted for which document to use, click Active Document.
  4. Click Get Data and then select Open Data Source. Ensure that the Select Method check box is selected, and then select the Excel workbook that you created in step 1.
  5. Click Excel Files Via ODBC, and then select the correct workbook. Click Options, select the System Tables check box, and then click OK. In the list of worksheets, select Sheet1$.
  6. When prompted, click Edit Main Document, and then insert some merge fields.
  7. Merge to a new document.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/3/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbnofix kbQFE KB250322
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