Mail merge documents take longer than expected to print in Word 2003

When you print a mail merge document in Microsoft Office Word 2003, the document takes much longer to print than it took to print the same mail merge document in Microsoft Word 97.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Microsoft Office 2003 Hotfix Package June 16, 2006. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: To enable this hotfix, follow these steps:

1. Quit Word 2003.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
4. After you select the key that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type MailMergeFastSEtPRintOrient, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click MailMergeFastSEtPRintOrient, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.