WD97: Unable to Attach Outlook Address Book for Mail Merge

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you create a mail merge main document in Word, and then attach the Microsoft Outlook Address Book as a data source, the following message may appear:

   Microsoft Word: Word was unable to open the data source.

   Microsoft Word: Word cannot open the document.
                   Try one or more of the following
                   * On the File menu, click open to open the document
                   * Make sure the document has a .Doc extension
                     (Outlook Address Book)

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because there are no valid contact listings in the Microsoft Outlook Address Book.

RESOLUTION

Before you can use the Microsoft Outlook Address Book as a data source in a Word mail merge, you need to type a contact listing in the Address Book. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Outlook.

2. On the Tools menu, click Services. On the Services tab, make sure Outlook Address Book is in the profile list. If Outlook Address Book is not in the list, click Add and add Outlook Address Book.

   For additional information if your contact information does not show correctly, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

         ARTICLE-ID: Q161349
         TITLE     : OL97: Contact Information Does Not Appear in Address Book
   
   

3. On the Outlook bar, which is on the left, click Contacts.

   If the Outlook bar is not visible, click Outlook Bar on the View menu.

4. On the File menu, click New, and click Contact on the New menu.

5. Type the information for the new contact entry.

6. On the Contact toolbar, click Save, and then click Close.

7. On the Outlook bar, right-click the Contacts button. Click Properties on the shortcut menu, and then click the Outlook Address Book tab.

8. Click to select the "Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book" check box, and click OK.