Works 2000: Date Formula in Database File Does Not Merge Correctly

When you perform a mail merge in Microsoft Works 2000 Word Processor or Microsoft Word, and you then use a date formula in your Works Database data source file, the results in the mail merge document are different than the data displayed in the Database data source file.

For example, if one of the fields in your Database data source file has the date formula =DATE(2001,1,1), the serial number value for this formula is 36892. However, when you use this field in a mail merge document, the result is the short date 1/1/2001, instead of the serial number, 36892.

This behavior can occur because when Works 2000 performs the mail merge, Works 2000 interprets the date formula as the date itself. So, instead of merging the date formula, Works 2000 displays the short date instead.

To work around this issue, follow these steps:

1. Create a new database and use the same field names as the database with the formula, but do not place the formula in the field.
2. Open the database with the formula, and then select all the cells that you want.
3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
4. Switch to the new database, and then place the insertion point in the first cell into which you want to paste data.
5. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
6. Save the new database.
7. Open the Works Word Processor document or Word document that has the mail merge data fields from the database with the formulas.
8. On the Tools menu, point to Mail Merge, and then click Open Data Source.
9. Click Merge information from another type of file.
10. Select the new database (without the formulas), and then click Open.
11. Click View Results (do not insert any fields).
    
    The data should now be correct.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

For more information about performing a mail merge, click Microsoft Works Help on the Help menu, type mail merge in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.