WD: Date, Currency Result Incorrect Merging from Access Database

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Access for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft Access for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you perform a mail merge using ODBC with a Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel data source, the merge results for Date, Phone Number, and Currency fields are incorrect. For example, the Date field appears in the following format:

   1995-10-22 00:00:00

   12.00

   -7081234567.00

CAUSE

The data appears in its native, stored format in Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel. When you use DDE to convert the Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel data instead of ODBC, the data is "masked" to display the correct format.

RESOLUTION

Method 1:Use DDE to connect to the Microsoft Access or Excel database.

To do this, select the Select Method (Confirm Conversion) check box in the Open Data Source dialog box, locate and select your Access/Excel database, and then click Open. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel Database via DDE (*.mdb) and click OK.

Note: If DDE is not available, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q137076
   TITLE     : Can't Use Microsoft Access Files, *.MDB, or DDE with Word 95

Method 2: Use ODBC and add a picture switch to the Date/Currency fields.

Include a numeric picture switch (\#) in the Currency field, so that the Currency field looks like this:

   {mergefield number \# $####,0.0}

Include a numeric picture switch (\#) in the Phone Number field, so that the Phone Number field looks like this:

   (mergefield phone \# ###'-'###'-'####}

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  ARTICLE ID: Q121938
  TITLE     : Hyphens Don't Display Correctly with Numeric Picture Switch

   {mergefield date \@ "MMMM d, yyyy"}