Word 2002 introduced a new way of connecting to external data sources:
OLEDB. This method does not preserve number formatting. There are two ways
around this:
1. You can connect to the Excel spreadsheet via DDE as in the past. To do
this, you must check the box for "Confirm conversion at Open" on the General
tab of Tools | Options. Then when you select the data source, Word will give
you a choice of connection methods. One caveat about using DDE: not only is
it a bit slower, but you will lose any double-byte Unicode characters you
may have used in the Excel sheet (I realize the latter is not a concern for
most Excel users, but I have a family address list in Excel, and one of my
brothers lives in Japan, so his address requires a vowel with a macron).
2. You can format the merge field in Word using a numeric picture switch.
See Word's Help topic "Numeric Picture (\#) field switch" and
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm.
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
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