How to change data source in Word, Mail-Merge

Question

I have created a Mail-Merge document for envelopes with a spreadsheet as the data source, and saved it. Now I want to use that same document, but with a different source spreadsheet. When I open the doc, I get a message, "Data from your database will be placed in the document. Do you want to continue?" and it shows the name of the original spreadsheet. If I answer 'Yes', I get another message, "... database engine could not find the object ..." Clicking OK gives a 'Data Link Properties' dialogue showing the path to the original spreadsheet, but no way to browse to something else. Clicking 'Cancel' brings up another dialogue with a button: "Find Data Source". At last, I can browse to the new spreadsheet. However, when I select the file, I get the message A8E5255.docx (not the name I saved it as) is a mail merge main document. Word cannot file its data source ...", and is shows the name of the original file path. The 'Find Data Source' button is repeated. I'm at a dead end. Nor can I easily close this document to start over without selecting the option 'Remove all merge info.'

If on the initial message: "Data from your database will be placed in the document. Do you want to continue?" I click 'No', I get the envelop doc, and when I click Mailings > Select Recipient, I can change the data source. However, I can't select any 'Start Mail Merge' options without getting the message, "In order to apply the selected envelope options, Word must delete the current contents of Envelopes.docx ..." And I lose all my formatting and essentially must start over.

How can I simply change data sources in a Mail Merge doc without re-creating the entire merge doc from scratch?

Answer 1

Simply answer 'No' to the SQL prompt you get when you first open the document. Alternatively, open the document in the usual way, then go to Mailings|Start MailMerges>Normal Word Document. Then go through the normal mailmerge connection process to connect to the new data source.

Answer 2

Click on Yes when the SQL warning message appears and then on OK or Cancel in any dialog boxes that open until you see the following dialog

In that dialog, click on Options... and when the following dialog appears, click on Remove Data/Header Source

Then, use the Select Recipients facility in the Start Mail Merge section of the Mailings tab of the ribbon to select the new data source and if the MergeField names are the same, it will be ready to go.

Answer 3

macropod and Doug rRobbins: both of your solutions worked. Thank! Once you know how to do it it's not that hard. I've gone with macropod's solution because it's a bit easier. Thanks again.