Mailing and percentage format

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holly456 Posted messages 55 Status Membre -  
argixu Posted messages 5292 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   -
Hello,

I will try to explain my issue as clearly as possible even though everything is a bit confusing in my head... :

I created a table in Excel and now I need to do a mail merge in Word with this data. (Dates, numerical data with two decimal places, percentage data...)

I tried checking the box "Confirm file format conversion on open" to obtain the same format in Word as in Excel, however, when I choose "Microsoft Excel worksheet via DDE (*.xls)", I receive this error message: "Unable to re-establish a DDE link with Microsoft Excel to complete the task at hand."

In despair, I decided to manually format my Mergefield fields by adding, for example, to my "date" field which was not in the desired format: " \@ "dd/MM/YY". This worked very well.

I also managed to set my "rate" field to two decimal places.

The issue I am stuck on is with my "rate" field. I should have 100%, but I only have 1%

Could you please provide me with the steps to get the correct format?

4 réponses

argixu Posted messages 5292 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   4 842
 
Hello Holly

To use the DDE protocol, the linked Excel sheet must be on the first sheet. Please check.

Otherwise, you will continue to set the fields directly in Word.
For the percentage, you put { = { MERGEFIELD "monchamp"} * 100\##%}
The { } are made with Ctrl+F9

--
Argitxu
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holly456 Posted messages 55 Status Membre 11
 
Hello Argixu,

Thank you for your response. So for the linked sheet, I have indeed placed my data sheet on the first sheet, I absolutely don’t see why it isn’t working :( Do the Excel and Word documents need to be saved under a special name perhaps? For Excel, I have the name .xls, for Word, it’s from a Word template, maybe I should have specified that? I don’t know much about it.
For the % field, I tried what you suggested but it doesn’t work, it says "syntax error"
I’m despairing :(
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holly456 Posted messages 55 Status Membre 11
 
However, I see that in the properties of my Excel document, it says .xlsx
I don't know if there's a difference with .xls? And if that could be the issue? Yet I renamed it to .xls, how come it appears as .xlsx in the properties? Is this normal?
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argixu Posted messages 5292 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   4 842
 
File extensions before 2007 are .doc for Word and .xls for Excel
After 2007, it's .docx for Word and .xlsx for Excel
For a merge, if you have any issues, it's better to merge a .doc with a .xls and not mix the versions, to avoid any problems on that front.
File saving in that format is done via Save As / file type and choosing the format
that's for the DDE protocol

But if you force the field in Word, what I gave you last night should work, I just retested it while reproducing your issue.
Here's an example. Merge it with your Excel file, and be sure to adjust the field to that of your database; here it’s called Percentage: Alt+F9 to show or hide the field
https://www.cjoint.com/?3DtnlYbvZHN

And let me know?
Otherwise, send me a cleaned-up example of confidential data from your files for me to check. In a private message if you prefer.

Argitxu
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holly456 Posted messages 55 Status Membre 11
 
So,

I moved my folder to "my documents" and then I tried again. And it works! I find it strange that this kind of manipulation could change anything about my issue, yet it was after moving it that it worked. No more issues with the DDE link, very strange. In any case, my problem is solved and I thank you very much for your responses which I keep handy just in case it happens again!
Thanks again for everything :-) Looking forward to it!
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argixu Posted messages 5292 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   4 842
 
Great!
Thanks for the feedback.
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