WD95: How to Use Microsoft Excel Data Source for Word Mail Merge

ID: Q187352

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes three methods to attach a Microsoft Excel data source to a Word mail merge main document.

MORE INFORMATION

After you perform step 1 of the Mail Merge, use one of the following methods in step 2 of the mail merge to attach a Microsoft Excel worksheet.

Method 1: Accessing Microsoft Excel Worksheet with a Converter

NOTE: To use this method, the Microsoft Excel converter must already be installed.

To access a Microsoft Excel worksheet with a converter, follow these steps:

1. From the Get Data list, click Open Data Source.

2. Locate and select the Microsoft Excel file. Make sure that the Select 

   Method box in the Open Data Source dialog box is selected.
3. Click Open.

4. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet 

   via Converter.
5. Click OK.

6. In the Open Worksheet dialog box, do the following: 

   a. Under Open Document In Workbook, select either the Entire Workbook
      or a particular Sheet of the Workbook.

   b. Under Name Or Cell Range, select either the Entire Worksheet
      or Named Or Cell Range.

   c. Click OK.
7. Click Edit Main Document and continue with the merge process.

Method 2: Accessing MS Excel Worksheets with DDE

Microsoft Excel must already be installed.

NOTE: Using DDE allows Word to see only the first worksheet ("Worksheet 1" by default). If you want to use a sheet other than the first worksheet as your data source while using the DDE option, start Microsoft Excel first, then open the workbook and move the desired sheet to the first position. To do this, drag the desired sheet to the first position on the sheet tab bar at the bottom of the current workbook. Save and Minimize the Microsoft Excel workbook.

To access a Microsoft Excel worksheets with DDE, follow these steps:

1. From the Get Data list, click Open Data Source.

2. Locate and select the Microsoft Excel file. Make sure that the Select 

   Method box in the Open Data Source dialog box is selected.
3. Click Open.

4. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select MS Excel Worksheets via 

   DDE. Click OK.
5. In the Microsoft Excel dialog box, select the Entire Spreadsheet or 
   Named Or Cell Range from the list. Click OK.
6. Click Edit Main Document and continue with the merge process.

Method 3: Accessing the Microsoft Excel Files with ODBC

The Microsoft Excel ODBC driver must already be installed.

To access the Microsoft Excel files with ODBC, follow these steps:

1. From the Get Data list, click Open Data Source.

2. Locate and select the Microsoft Excel file. Make sure that the Select 

   Method box in the Open Data Source dialog box is selected.
3. Click Open.

4. Select Microsoft Excel Files via ODBC in the Confirm Data source dialog 

   box. Click OK.
5. In the Select Table dialog box, specify the table from the list (which 
   will only show the first worksheet in the workbook) or click Options
   and select System Tables, and specify the Table you want to use.
   Click OK.
6. Click Edit Main Document and continue with the merge process.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q116470
   TITLE     : Sheet1 is the Only Microsoft Excel Sheet Available with
               Word DDE
Additional query words: mail merge mm mmh xl5 xl7 xl97 wks xls convert insert datafile data file database data base 
Keywords          : kbdta word7 word95 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,7.0a
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: February 12, 1999