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Problem with Word mail merge

Anonymous
2019-08-14T23:00:58+00:00

Using Word 2010.  I have some mail merge main documents stored on my server.  When I go to open one of these I get the following message:

It appears that the 35A24CF8.doc is a temporary file name determined by Word (it is different each time I try to open the file), and the data source is an old file that does not exist on my computer, perhaps attached when the merge main document was created long ago.  When I click on Options I get the following message:

My questions:

  1. How do I dis-associate the main merge document to the identified data source?
  2. What happens if I click on Remove All Merge Info?

I presume that if I click on Remove Data/Header Source, I will get a document without the data source info and the merge fields remaining, but the original stored file is not changed.  If I save the resulting document as a new file, will that dis-associate the document with the data source?  Will I then be able to process it as a merge document while specifying the data source I want to use?

I have quite a few merge documents that this occurs with.  I would like to get these fixed so that I don't get this error, and that I can use the merge data source of my choice.

Thanks for the help.

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 322.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-08-15T01:31:44+00:00

    Clicking on the Remove Data/Header Source button will result in the document being retained as a Mail Merge Main Document, but without the Data Source attached to it.  You can save it in that format, or select the data source that you want to use with it and then proceed with the merge.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-08-15T13:34:52+00:00

    Thanks.  Looks like I can open the document with Remove Data/Header Source and then save it, and the linkage will be removed in the Mail Merge Main Document.  So, the next time I access the document, I can associate my specific data source through the Mailings > Select  Recipients option.  Presumably, if I click Remove All Merge Info, I would lose my merge fields.  

    I think this will do it.

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  3. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 322.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-08-16T01:34:18+00:00

    If you click on Remove All Merge Info, the fields will be retained, but the type of document will be changed to a Normal Word Document.

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