Automatically populate document properties fields and create a new document?

Question

I have a Word template with some fields that I'd like to fill in as soon as the document is created, if possible automatically. Things like customer name, e-mail, ID number for this document etc.

What I'd like to have is an excel spreadsheet to keep track of customer information, and which I can use to populate customer information automatically into Word.

I've tried using Power automate desktop, however, this doesn't work very well for me since I only have the free version of PA. I was looking for a way to fill in the document properties (i.e. title, company, telephone, e-mail etc).

Is there any other way I can populate the properties of a Word document automatically? I've tried mail merge, but found it cumbersome to make work seamlessly.

Thanks in advance, -HS.

Answer 1

Here is information about using vba to populate document properties. You could gather the information using a userform or from another file.

https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/MacrosVBA/MixedDocProp...

https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/MacrosVBA/DSOFile.htm

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These are links to pages on a trusted Word MVP website. Those pages contain accurate safe information that I think will help you.

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I still think that Mail Merge is simpler.

Answer 2

Hello,

Mail Merge remains your best option. It provides the most flexibility. You can use a macro to make it easier to use.

Create your Word document as a letter merge main document with the appropriate merge fields. Once it is complete, under the mailings tab change the type to a normal, non-merge, document.

Record a macro changing it to a letter merge and attaching your data source. Name the macro AutoNew and save it in your document, not in the normal template. Have the macro then trigger the find recipients box. Stop your macro with that box open.

Change it back to a normal, non-merge, document. Save it as a .dotm template. Use that template to create your documents. You can complete the merge with the new document that is created and discard that document.

This forum is a user-to-user support forum. My name is Charles and I am a fellow user with decades of experience using Microsoft Word. I have written extensively on using Word and have authored help articles on the Microsoft site.

I hope this information helps.

Please let me know if you have any more questions or require further help.

You can ask for more help by replying to this post (Reply button below).

Stay well

Answer 3

I'm not sure what you mean by a "somewhat static Excel file." I've been using this method for approximately thirty years. I add clients and remove them from my Excel file. I modify the information for clients as it changes. The Excel file, itself, is the same file, yes.

Answer 4

Ok, thank you for that information and all the help! I was looking for something more "plug and play" if you will, but it seems there is none. Thanks a million!

Answer 5

Hmm that is unfortunate since, for my situation, that would probably require a fairly static Excel file, which is somewhat difficult to do.

I was looking for a more Power Automate-y way of doing so, but I couldn't find a way to add information like "Company" and "Postal code" (into the document properties section of word, for fields like Title and Address) from excel into the document.

Thanks in any case!