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Mail merge issue

I just got Office 365 and when I go to do a mail merge in Word, it will not open the access database.

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Are you using the default method of connecting to the data source or, in Word, under File>Options>Advanced>General, do you have a check mark in the box for "Confirm file format conversion on open" and in the Confirm Data Source dialog, you have check the box for "Show all" and you have selected one of the other methods of connecting to the data source.

In Access>File>Options>Client Settings, is there a check mark in the box for "Ignore DDE requests"?

As a workaround, you could export the Access Table or Query to Excel and use the Excel workbook as the data source.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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Thank you for your response.  There is not a check mark in the "ignore DDE requests"  Should there be?
The Word settings are as they should be

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The error message says, "Something went wrong.  We couldn't start the program.  Please try starting it again."

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No, there should not be a check mark in the box for "Ignore DDE requests"

Was the database created in an earlier version of Office?  Can you open the database in Access on the current machine?  If you can open the database, try initiating the merge from Access.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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Possibly a compatibility issue?  The access file is an .mdb file.

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Merging from Access is not working either.  Even though I select a query for the merge, when word opens a "select table" dialog box comes up with only one choice, even though there are many tables.  No option for queries.

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Is it a parameter query (that is, it asks you for some information when you open it)?

If you want to initiate a merge from Access, you should have the table or query that contains the data open in Access when you access the Word Merge facility on the Export tab of the ribbon.  The Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard will then open and in that you have the option of selecting to:

  • Link your data to an existing Microsoft Word document
  • Create a new document and then link the data to it..
Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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Yes it is a Parameter query.
I tried the method you suggested but the only thing that I get after initiating the word mail merge is a select table dialog box with one lookup table listed.

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What do you mean by "initiating the word mailmerge"?

You need to open the query in Access and use the Word Merge facility on the Export tab of the ribbon IN Access.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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I meant initiating the merge from Access instead of Word.  

<<You need to open the query in Access and use the Word Merge facility on the Export tab of the ribbon IN Access.>>

This is what I tried, but no success. 

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Last updated December 5, 2021 Views 1,155 Applies to: