Creating a Data Source

[Jessica]

Hello,

I am in the process of creating a Data Source and have a few questions
regarding the correct process.

1) Is it advisable for me to create a spreadsheet or a table for my data
source or can I just start with "create a data source"

My reason behind the question is because I would hate to have created a data
source in a specific order or even alpha order and the data would not merge
correctly. But what I do see happening on a more regular base would be that,
New Data would be entered and the new data would have to follow the current
alpha order. Would that be a problem?

I am not sure if I was clear so let me share an example....

Current data would be

Jane Doe and the New entry data would be Jan Doe1 would this new entry fall
under Jan Doe and then Jan Doe 1 without any problems? or would it be out of
alpha order and at the end of my data source/

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Regardless of how you create the data source, you will be able to sort it
alphabetically or based on any other field. I personally prefer to create
data sources as either Excel spreadsheets or Word tables because I find it
more efficient to be able to edit them directly (and much faster to enter
the data initially as well) as compared to entering and editing data in an
Access-style form.

In earlier versions of Word, even if you used the form to enter the data,
the result was a Word table that could be viewed and edited directly. Now
the data source is an Access-type database that can be viewed and edited
only through the form.

 

[Jessica]

Susan,

I have decided tha I will create the Data Source via excel, however, I have
a lot of data to enter that will require me to have several excel sheets with
different names, how does the merge work with over 20 sheets that has
different names? Would I just merge the entire data source, or would I have
to give each sheet its name and then merge the data?
--
Jay

Regardless of how you create the data source, you will be able to sort it
alphabetically or based on any other field. I personally prefer to create
data sources as either Excel spreadsheets or Word tables because I find it
more efficient to be able to edit them directly (and much faster to enter
the data initially as well) as compared to entering and editing data in an
Access-style form.

In earlier versions of Word, even if you used the form to enter the data,
the result was a Word table that could be viewed and edited directly. Now
the data source is an Access-type database that can be viewed and edited
only through the form.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word can use only one data source, which means only one Excel sheet. How
much data do you have that you can't put it all in one sheet?

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Susan,

I have decided tha I will create the Data Source via excel, however, I
have
a lot of data to enter that will require me to have several excel sheets
with
different names, how does the merge work with over 20 sheets that has
different names? Would I just merge the entire data source, or would I
have
to give each sheet its name and then merge the data?

 

[Jessica]

Here is the layout for the data

Chapter, Region, Last name, First name etc...

Also I have labeled each sheet with the Chapters name: Alpha, Beta. etc
which then holds this individuals information, each chapter could have any
number from 10 to 200 members per chapter (sheet)" Chapter, Region, Last
name, First name etc..."so there are at least 20 sheets I believe. The end
result of this design would be a directory in alpha order by chapter that
will also allow for new data to be entered and then merge again in alpha
order.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You'll need to have at least one sheet that combines all the chapters.