OL97: Categories Unavailable in Mail Merge to Word

ID: Q160521

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When using the Microsoft Outlook 97 Address Book as a data source for a Microsoft Word 97 mail merge, the Outlook field, Categories, is not available for insertion into the document or available for use as a query parameter.

CAUSE

The converter that is used to convert the Outlook address book into a format that Word can read for mail merge brings across only 40 of the over 80 pre-defined Outlook fields.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a limitation in this version of Outlook. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

Two possible workarounds are:

1. Export the Contacts folder from Outlook as either a comma or a tab 

   delimited text file. You can then use this file as the data source.
   Note however, that the query option in Word does not allow for a contact
   having multiple categories assigned.
2. Define a new Contacts folder in Outlook and copy the desired category 
   into it. You can then use this folder as the mail merge data source.

MORE INFORMATION

Exporting the Contacts Folder as a Text File

To export the contacts folder as a text file, follow these steps:

1. On the Outlook File menu, click Import And Export.

2. In the Import And Export Wizard, select "Export to a file," and click 

   Next.
3. In the "Export to a File" dialog box, select the Contacts folder, and 
   click Next.
4. Select either "Comma Separated Values (Windows)" or "Tab Separated 
   Values (Windows)," and click Next.
5. In the "Save exported file as" box, type a name and path for the file, 
   and click Next.
6. Click the Map Custom Fields button.

7. Select all the desired fields, including Categories, for exporting, and 

   click OK.
8. Click Finish to export the data.

You can use the resulting file as a Word Mail Merge data source.

Copying the Desired Category to a New Contacts Folder

To copy the desired category to a new contacts folder, follow these steps:

1. On the Outlook File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.

2. In the Create New Folder dialog box, in the Name box, type a name for 

   the new folder.
3. Under the Folder Contains box, choose Contact Items.

4. Select a location for your new folder under the "Make this folder a 

   subfolder of" list, and click OK.
5. Select you current Contacts folder.

6. On the View menu, point to Current View, and then click By Category.

7. Expand the desired category to expose all the items.

8. Select all the items in the chosen category and drag them to the new 

   Contacts folder.
You can now use this new folder as a Word Mail Merge data source.

Additional query words: 97 

Keywords          : kbinterop IntpOff 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 5, 1999