Export public address book to use as data source mail merge

[Guest]

When I follow the steps to exporting public address book to excel, when I go
to "select the folder to export from" it doesn't list the "public folder". It
lists "archive", "personal", "mailbox-....."
I want to use this for mail merge as a data source. Also when I'll using
mail merge and select option to choose recipients I choose outlook address
book but it doesn't list my public folders address book, only my personal
contacts?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No export is needed, assuming this is a contacts folder in the Public Folders hierarchy. Just go to it and start the merge with Outlook's Tools | Mail Merge command.

 

[Guest]

I'm having some difficulty in understanding mail merge.....The reason for
trying to export an address book in a public folder is: I want to create a
"fax template" that contains merge fields so I can select recipients
contained within this public address book. So when you create this template
fax letter it require's a data source file.
I've created the "fax template" but it's using an exported Excel file of my
personal address book. So when I use the mail merge through Outlook 2003 and
select recipients from my public folder address book, the merge fields don't
match up to the template, why? Both the data source files come from Outlook,
only 1 is an excel formate. The column heading within the exported Excel file
has the same heading as the merge field?
Can you help please? This process seems so easy but has been driving me up
the wall.
I just want a fax template that I can then select recipients from a public
address book with no dramas.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Open the Excel-based template. Start the merge process from Outlook. When the Word document opens, copy and paste into it the content from the Excel-based template. Replace the merge fields with new ones, which will use the Outlook fields. Save that as your new template and use it whenever you start a merge from Outlook.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

When I copy & paste the excel based template this contains merge fields
already link to the wrong data source. Can I select the template without the
merge fields or will it's link to the data source be imbedded within the
template in which I'm pasting across?

Ok I will give that a go.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

As I suggested, you need to replace the existing merge fields -- as in remove them and add new ones. You could probably also edit them by displaying the field codes, but your chances of getting the names right by just typing them in are pretty low.

Since you've created the new document by merging from Outlook, it shouldn't have a link to the Excel data source.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Thanks Sue it worked.
Can you help me on another matter?
We operate 3 computers (Windows XP) and 1 server (SB Server 2003). I've
created a public address book, on the server. For some reason on one of the
computers when I search for this address book in the public folder list it
doesn't show up, but does appear on the other 2 computers? When I first
created this address book in the public folder, it was showing up on all 3
computers.....what's going on?