Mail merge - nicknames

[Wilfred]

I want to add "nickname" to a mail merge document. When I try to insert
merge fields, "Nickname" is not on the list.

I am using Outlook 2002 (10.6515.6714) SP3.

 

[Randy]

Would you kindly re-phrase your question. I don't quite understand what it
is that you are trying to do.

Randy

 

[Wilfred]

I was trying to be brief. I will re-phrase the question.

The Outlook Contacts file has a field where one can store a person's
nickname. I exported the Contacts file to an Access table. When I query
the table, I cannot find the "Nickname" field.

 

[Brian Tillman]

The Outlook Contacts file has a field where one can store a person's
nickname. I exported the Contacts file to an Access table. When I
query the table, I cannot find the "Nickname" field.

Looking through all the fields the export wizard allows indicates that
"Nickname" is not one of the fields the export wizard processes.

 

[Randy]

Brian,

I think (though I am not certain) that that field is populated from the NK2
file. To verify, change the nickname then open the NK2 file (by typing the
approp. keys in the To: field) and see if the alias info has changed.

Randy

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

No. The NK2 files is not in play here.
The Nickname field is in the Contact Record and is available for merges. It
must be selected from the "Database Fields" list not the "Address Fields"
list in current versions of Outlook/Word.

 

[Wilfred]

Actually, I did find the "nickname" field in the "Address Fields" list.

Here's an example of the lack of consistent usability features among the
Office applications suite:

1. When I use Outlook/Tools/Mail Merge to create the source data for a form
letter, the "nickname" is displayed in both lists - Address fields and
Database fields.
2. When I export the Contacts file to an Access table and use that table as
the source for a mail merge, it only appears in the "Address fields" list
BUT the radio button in the dialog box with the two lists defaults to
Database fields.

It was not intuitive for me to look for it in the Address list.

Thank you for the help.

No. The NK2 files is not in play here.
The Nickname field is in the Contact Record and is available for merges.
It must be selected from the "Database Fields" list not the "Address
Fields" list in current versions of Outlook/Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Brian,

I think (though I am not certain) that that field is populated from the
NK2 file. To verify, change the nickname then open the NK2 file (by
typing the approp. keys in the To: field) and see if the alias info has
changed.

Randy

 

[Wilfred]

It looks like I celebrated my discovery prematurely.

Although the "Address Fields" list displays "Nickname", it does not map to a
nickname field in the Access table.

I've managed to get my merge done using Outlook/Tools/Mail Merge, but using
Outlook as the source document doesn't give me the flexibility that using
the Access table does. Although Outlook provides the ability to save the
source list for future use, it does not save it in a table that can be
easily updated for future use.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You never mentioned your versions. In the current version, the Nickname
field appears only in the Database fields, not the Address fields. It will
merge correctly. I would never expect exporting to Access to work for a mail
merge with a non-standard field like Nickname. That is expecting far more
from Office integration than it can deliver. Karl Timmermans can probably
tell you how to export to Access in a way to make this work, but mere
mortals cannot.

 

[Wilfred]

I'm afraid I do not understand the reference to Karl Timmermans.

I mentioned the version number in the original post of this thread. I am
using Outlook 2002 (10.6515.6714) SP3.

The reason I exported to Access is that it allows me to maintain one table
which I can use for multiple purposes, e.g. labels, form letters, envelopes,
etc. It also makes it easier to save queries to be used as source input for
different mailings.

I did not realize that Nickname was a non-standard field. In a form letter,
I use both the full name and the nickname. The envelope and the address in
the letter use the full name, e.g. "Mr. Theodore G. Smith". The salutation
is informal and "Dear Ted" is the preferred form. Is that really that
esoteric?

As a "work around" I populated the "Spouse" field with nicknames and am
using the Access table to perform the desired tasks.

IMHO, "Spouse" appears to be a much more "non-standard" term in a Contacts
database than Nickname.

You never mentioned your versions. In the current version, the Nickname
field appears only in the Database fields, not the Address fields. It will
merge correctly. I would never expect exporting to Access to work for a
mail merge with a non-standard field like Nickname. That is expecting far
more from Office integration than it can deliver. Karl Timmermans can
probably tell you how to export to Access in a way to make this work, but
mere mortals cannot.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

It looks like I celebrated my discovery prematurely.

Although the "Address Fields" list displays "Nickname", it does not map
to a nickname field in the Access table.

I've managed to get my merge done using Outlook/Tools/Mail Merge, but
using Outlook as the source document doesn't give me the flexibility that
using the Access table does. Although Outlook provides the ability to
save the source list for future use, it does not save it in a table that
can be easily updated for future use.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Karl handles Access exporting questions in the Contacts group. That's a good
place to post if you are having issues with Contact data that you've
exported to Access. I have no idea whether Nickname is a standard field or
not. He would know. I've never seen your problem reproduced.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm afraid I do not understand the reference to Karl Timmermans.

I mentioned the version number in the original post of this thread. I am
using Outlook 2002 (10.6515.6714) SP3.

The reason I exported to Access is that it allows me to maintain one table
which I can use for multiple purposes, e.g. labels, form letters,
envelopes, etc. It also makes it easier to save queries to be used as
source input for different mailings.

I did not realize that Nickname was a non-standard field. In a form
letter, I use both the full name and the nickname. The envelope and the
address in the letter use the full name, e.g. "Mr. Theodore G. Smith".
The salutation is informal and "Dear Ted" is the preferred form. Is that
really that esoteric?

As a "work around" I populated the "Spouse" field with nicknames and am
using the Access table to perform the desired tasks.

IMHO, "Spouse" appears to be a much more "non-standard" term in a Contacts
database than Nickname.

You never mentioned your versions. In the current version, the Nickname
field appears only in the Database fields, not the Address fields. It
will merge correctly. I would never expect exporting to Access to work
for a mail merge with a non-standard field like Nickname. That is
expecting far more from Office integration than it can deliver. Karl
Timmermans can probably tell you how to export to Access in a way to make
this work, but mere mortals cannot.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

It looks like I celebrated my discovery prematurely.

Although the "Address Fields" list displays "Nickname", it does not map
to a nickname field in the Access table.

I've managed to get my merge done using Outlook/Tools/Mail Merge, but
using Outlook as the source document doesn't give me the flexibility
that using the Access table does. Although Outlook provides the ability
to save the source list for future use, it does not save it in a table
that can be easily updated for future use.



Actually, I did find the "nickname" field in the "Address Fields" list.

Here's an example of the lack of consistent usability features among
the Office applications suite:

1. When I use Outlook/Tools/Mail Merge to create the source data for a
form letter, the "nickname" is displayed in both lists - Address fields
and Database fields.
2. When I export the Contacts file to an Access table and use that
table as the source for a mail merge, it only appears in the "Address
fields" list BUT the radio button in the dialog box with the two lists
defaults to Database fields.

It was not intuitive for me to look for it in the Address list.

Thank you for the help.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I think (though I am not certain) that that field is populated from
the NK2 file. To verify, change the nickname then open the NK2 file
(by typing the approp. keys in the To: field) and see if the alias
info has changed.

I would disagree. The .NK2 file is used by the autocompletion function of
Outlook and does not refer to any values in the Contacts folder.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Actually, I did find the "nickname" field in the "Address Fields"
list.

And I found it in the "Name Fields", not the "Address Fields" and on the
Details tab in Outlook 2003. Perhaps I'm looking in a different spot than
you.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Actually, I did find the "nickname" field in the "Address Fields"
list.

The information I posted came from File>Import and Export>Export to a file.
I chose the CSV format and clicked Map Custom Fields. "Nickname" did not
appear anywhere in the list of fields to map.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Karl handles Access exporting questions in the Contacts group.

That would be news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook.contacts
, correct?