Word 2003 Mail Merge cannot open Excel 2003 document

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Guest

I use mail merge all of the time and am baffled by this one. I just did a
mail merge project where I merged data from an excel spreadsheet into a word
document. I need to create a new mail merge using a new word document and
the same spreadsheet and it comes up as if it is opening excel and than says
word cannot open document. I have tried everything I can possibly think of.
Any suggestions?
 
You may have tried these suggestions.
1. Save the Excel file again with a different name.
2. Save the Excel file as a c.s.v. file

At what point does it try to open the file, and what have you tried.
 
Is the Excel workbork already open (e.g., do you have your old mail merge
main document with the Excel workbook attached open as you work, or are you
starting from a Word template that has the Excel sheet attached as a data
source)?
 
I did save with a different name; saved as a csv; it tries to open the file
when I first do open data source and then it says cannot open source. I have
also tried copying the file and creating a new excel document with a new name
(which is what I had to do originally to make it work.) and now that wont
work either.
 
No the excel workbook is closed. I open word and then ask to open the data
source. that is when it says cannont open data source.
 
From your other response I'd guess that something might have broken in
Office and I'd consider using the Detect and Repair facility (e.g. in Word
Help). However, I would first try
a. creating a very simple data source in Word (say, two rows and two
columns) and see if that works OK
b. exporting that as a plain text file and see if that works OK as a data
source
c. creating a very simple data source in Excel and see if that works OK.
You can also try checking Word Tools|Options|General|"Confirm conversions at
open", going through the connection process again, and trying each of the
methods offered.
 
Peter,

I redid it and saved as a csv file again and it worked! Thanks so much for
all of your helpful information.

Stacey
 
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