WD: How to Use Form Data as Mail Merge Data Source

This article describes how you can use data from a Word form as the data source for a mail merge operation.

NOTE: You cannot use a protected form document as a mail merge main document. In fact, the Mail Merge command on the Tools menu is unavailable when a protected form is the active document.

Using Form Data As Mail Merge Data Source

In a protected form, you can save the data only, in comma-delimited text-file format. You can use this text file as a data document in a Word mail merge, or you can add it to an existing data document. To save only the data, do the following:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options (Word 6.x, 7.x) or Preferences (Word 98).
2. Click the Save tab.
3. Click to select the "Save Data Only for Forms" check box, and then click OK.
4. Fill out your protected form.
5. On the File menu, click Save Copy As. Word proposes the same name as your form document, with a .txt extension (Windows). Word automatically selects Text Only in the "Save File as Type" box (Word 6.x, Word 98) or the Save As Type box (Word 7.x). Type a new file name or click Save (Word 6.x for the Macintosh, Word 7.x, Word 98) or OK (Word 6.x for Windows) to accept the default name.

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, page 320