WD: Err Msg: "MergeField Was Not Found..." When Mail Merging

ID: Q177003

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to run a mail merge using a main document and data source that were created in Word version 5.x, the following error message may appear:

   Error! MergeField was not found in header record of data source.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the Word 5.x document contains a MERGEFIELD field with a division (/) symbol. This symbol is not converted correctly in later versions of Word.

For example:

In a converted Word 5.x main document, you may have a MERGEFIELD that resembles one of the following examples:

   <<Zip/10>>

   -or-

   { MergeField Zip/10 }

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, change the MERGEFIELD so that it resembles the following:

   { = { MergeField Zip } / 10 }

NOTE: To change field codes in the Word versions listed at the beginning of this article, use the ALT+F9 (Windows) or OPTION+F9 (Macintosh) shortcut keys.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Keywords          : wordnt word8 kbfield macword98 winword ntword macword 
Version           : MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a; WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a; WINNT:6.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS winnt
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: February 13, 1999