WD97: Cannot Change Outlook Contacts Folder for Labels or Envelopes Mail Merge (251244)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q251244

SYMPTOMS

When you do a mail merge for labels with an Outlook Address book as the data source, you can select a specific address book only once in every session. You cannot change either the address book that serves as the data source or the current mail merge document, nor can you select another address book as the data source for another mail merge document that you edit in the same session.

CAUSE

This issue occurs when the mail merge document type is either Mailing Labels or Envelopes. The Mail Merge from Contacts Folder dialog box is then displayed only once in every Word session. This dialog box lets you select a specific Outlook Contacts folder to use as the data source for the mail merge document. In order to use a different Outlook Contacts folder, you must quit and restart Word.

RESOLUTION


Use one of the following methods to work around the problem.

Method 1: Restart Word

After you restart Word, the Mail Merge from Contacts Folder dialog box appears again.

Method 2: Try to Edit the Address Book in Word

  1. On the Mail Merge toolbar, click Edit Data Source.
  2. Click View Source. This causes Word to open the data source.
  3. Close the data source again. This brings up the Mail Merge from Contacts Folder dialog box.
  4. Select the new data source, and then click OK.
This action can also be performed by a macro similar to the following:
Sub ShowAddressBookDlg()
    ActiveDocument.MailMerge.EditDataSource
    ActiveWindow.Close
End Sub

Method 3: Use a Different Document Type

You can avoid the problem by not using Mailing Labels or Envelopes.
  1. First set up the document as a Mailing Label or Envelope mail merge document.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
  3. Click Create and then click Restore to Normal Word Document. This preserves the layout but removes the mail merge information.
  4. Save the document.
  5. Quit and restart Word.
  6. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
  7. Click Create and then click Form Letters. Now the document is set up as a Form Letters type mail merge document.
  8. Click Get Data and then click Use Address Book.
  9. Click the Contacts folder that you want to use, and then click OK. Click Close to close the mail merge dialog box.

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 two Contacts folders in Outlook with some addresses in each.
  2. Right-click each Contacts folder, and then click Properties. Switch to the Outlook Address Book tab, and select the Show this folder as an e-mail address book check box.
  3. In Word, create a new document.
  4. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
  5. In the Mail Merge dialog box, click Create and then click Mailing Labels.
  6. Click Active Window when prompted for which file to use.
  7. Click Get Data, and then click Use Address Book.
  8. In the Use Address Book dialog box, click Outlook Address Book and then click OK.
  9. In the Confirm Conversions dialog box, Outlook Address Book via converter appears. Click OK to confirm.
  10. In the Mail Merge from Contacts Folder dialog box, click one of the address book folders set up in steps 1 and 2.
  11. In the next message box, click Set Up Main Document.
  12. Select a label type in the Labels dialog box.
  13. Insert some merge fields into the sample label, and then click OK.
  14. Close the document.
  15. Repeat steps 3-7.

    Result: The new mail merge document does not display the Mail Merge from Contacts Folder dialog box that lets you select a contacts folder.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/18/2005
Keywords:kbbug kbfix kbQFE KB251244
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