When merging from database, ignore certain values

[Guest]

We use Word to produce all the job-control documents from our SQL Server
database, and have many mergefields working in these documents.
However there are occasions when the value in the database is such that we
do not want the merge to take place.
For example in our Customers table we have the value "New Prospect" and if
this has been entered on a job in the database, it will print out on the docs
whenever the mergefield Customer: is used.
I would like to code this mergefield so that if the value is found to be
"New Prospect" it would be ignored and the field would not be populated on
the doc.
I know this is some sort of If statement but I cannot get anything to
work.....help, please!
Many thanks
CW

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I think what you need in this case is to insert a nested IF field in your
mail merge main document.

Use Alt-F9 to show/hide the field codes ({ MERGEFIELD CustomerID } etc.) and
ctrl-F9 to insert /every/ pair of the special "field code braces" {} that
surround each field.

In this case, try

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Customer } = "New Prospect" "" "{ MERGEFIELD Customer }" }

Peter Jamieson

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Peter, but unfortunately that didn't work - the mergefield failed
completely and nothing at all pulled through...any further thoughts?
Thanks again
CW

 

[Peter Jamieson]

It may seem trivial, but...

What result do you get from

{ MERGEFIELD Customer }

?

What result do you get from

{ IF "New Prospect" = "New Prospect" "" "{ MERGEFIELD Customer }" }

What result do you get from

{ IF "xxx" = "New Prospect" "" "{ MERGEFIELD Customer }" }

?

Peter Jamieson