Reading Merge Fields in Rows from Excel

[Ned23]

When preparing a merge list in Excel for a letter template that has a lot of
unique fields, is it possible to have the field names in the first column and
the data in the second column of the spreadsheet? If so, how would one do
this?

It would be much easier to have people enter data by row and scroll down
than requiring people to scroll sideways to enter 50+ fields.

Thanks!

 

[herman7]

Hi Ned23

Create the fieldnames and data in columns. Copy one column at a time and
paste in another area of the worksheet outside your data area, transposing
rows to columns using Excel's Pastespecial Transpose option.


Herman

 

[Ned23]

What I would like to do is prepare a spreadsheet for people to use who need
to prepare one of these letters. I would like them to be able to enter the
unique fields for their particular letter in a vertical column, about two
screens long, with each successive value below the previous one, and the
identifer in the column to the left.

I would like to minimize the amount of sideways scrolling and cutting and
pasting to minimize errors.

Thanks,
Ned.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP on news.microsoft.com]

If they are just creating one letter, it would be better to set up a
template with a userform in it.

See the article "How to create a Userform" at:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm

or, see the following pages of fellow MVP Greg Maxey's website :

http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Create_and_employ_a_UserForm.htm

http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Populate_UserForm_ListBox.htm


If you want to create a datasource for multiple letters, in the first row of
the Excel spreadsheet, insert the field names, then select that row and run
a macro containing the following code:

Worksheets(1).ShowDataForm

Press OK when the dialog box appears and you will then get a dialog box
containing your field names arranged vertically and controls beside them
into which the user can enter their data.

I have given the macro because I do not know where this command is located
in all versions of Excel. In 2007, it is in the commands not in the ribbon
and can be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

In earlier versions, it is probably under the Data menu.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com