custom date format changed in mail merge

[Guest]

Hello,
I'm having a problem understanding how to correct the change in date format
from my mail merge. I've read Cindy Meister's pages and can't quite find
what I need. http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/MergFram.htm
Office Suite 2003, Data Source is Excel '03, merging into Word '03. The
date format in the data source is custom d-mmm, (30-June) and after the merge
becomes 39263. I believe I understand what the number means, but have no
idea how to change it back to a date that others will understand.

Please help.
TIA,
John

 

[Bob Phillips]

That is the serial date number. Just format the cell as a date
(Format>Cells>Date)

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

 

[Guest]

Hello Bob,
The format change occurs in the Word Mail Merge. I can format the cell in
the Excel data source, but can't find an option to change it in Word.
Revealing the formatting/Cell options are only the prefered width and text
alignment. And from the Menu Bar/Format I'm not given that option. Do I
need to look elsewhere?

 

[David Biddulph]

One option is to use a helper column in Excel =TEXT(A1,"d-mmm")

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

How about a Word newsgroup?

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/index.htm

 

[Guest]

In Word:

Select the field code for the required date field: it will look something
like:

{MERGEFIELD "Date_1"}


Place cursor after the second double quote (") and add > \@ "dd MMM" < as
shown below:

{MERGEFIELD "Date_1" \@ "dd MMM"}

This will give date as 30 Jun.

note capital M: this is mandatory

You change format to suit e.g. dd-MMM-yyyy

HTH

 

[Guest]

Another option: In Word, use a numeric picture switch on the merge field.
See Word help for Numeric Picture switch.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for you input, David. I'll try this out tomorrow and see if I can get
it to work. Additionally, be sure I'll post my successes/failures to keep
this thread informed.

 

[Guest]

Another option: In Word, look at help for Date Picture switch. You can
format the mergefield using that switch.

 

[Guest]

David,
I was able to make you idea work. Thank you very much!
John

 

[Guest]

David,
Thank you, your idea was a simple fix and works nicely. I've tried to
respond a few times already, so sorry if this is a repost. I just wanted to
make sure anyone reading this thread knows that my question's been answered.