Mail-merge error message in Office (Word) 2010 | Forum

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Fri 2 Nov 2012, 09:00 Delegate Suvira said...

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Mail-merge error message in Office (Word) 2010

When mail-merging a form letter with an Excel datasource, this message comes up:
"Error has occurred: External Table is not in the expected format"

Fri 2 Nov 2012, 16:01 Trainer Andrew said...

RE: Mail-merge error message in Office (Word) 2010

Hi Suvira

Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear you are running into problems. Can you let me know a little more about the Excel file you are connecting to?

Is the Excel document password protected?
How do you connect to the data source. Do you point Word to the file itself or to a DDE data connection? (which has already been set up to connect to the Excel file)

Let me know and I will do my best to help.

Kind regards,
Andrew

Wed 14 Nov 2012, 15:06 Delegate Suvira said...

RE: Mail-merge error message in Office (Word) 2010

Dear Andrew

The Excel file is not password protected. It is saved as an .xlsx document.

I have found a solution - that is by saving this data source to a previous version .xls (2003 /2007) file format (instead of the more recent .xlsx format. This make the file useable and it is possible to link with the mail merge form letter. However, I do not understand why.

Creating a data source in Word 10 has not caused any problems, so I can't understand the reason for it not working with an Excel file. If you have a plausable explaination, it will be very useful knowing.

Thank you
Sue

Fri 16 Nov 2012, 11:07 Trainer Simon said...

RE: Mail-merge error message in Office (Word) 2010

Hi Suvira,

I am currently in the process of trying to sort out all the active questions on the support forum.

The only thing I can think of, is that it might be something to do with the new xml coding.

Sorry I couldn't have been of more help.

Regards

Simon

Fri 16 Nov 2012, 11:07 Trainer Simon said...

Will be marked as resolved in 5 days

Notice: This is an automated message. Due to inactivity, this forum post will be marked as 'resolved' if there are no further responses in the next 5 days.

Fri 23 Nov 2012: Automatically marked as resolved.

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