How do I fix my mergefield codes to NOT have a gap between £ and the first number?

Question

Please help urgently!

I need to complete a mailmerge on word asap with the excel data source - no matter what code I use I’m getting a gap where the value is under a thousand I.e £ 999 but where over a thousand it displays fine.

I’ve used multiple codes and exhausted Co-pilot every fix it gives me just outputs exactly the same - I’ve trimmed my excel data source so it’s definitely not an issue with the data.

I’ve used { mergefield mydata /# “£#,##0.00” } and plenty of Co-pilot variations to no avail.

Answer 1

This might result from either a hidden space in the numeric picture switch or Word inheriting Excel’s Accounting format spacing. Accounting format pads values under 1000 so the currency symbols line up in columns, which shows up in mail merge as “£ 999” but “£1,000”. Even if you’ve “trimmed” the data, that padding is formatting, not data, so it survives the merge.

First check the actual field code in Word with Alt+F9 and make sure there is no space after the pound sign. A common culprit is this:

{

That single space after £ produces exactly the gap you’re seeing. It must be:

{

If the code is already clean, the next most likely cause is Excel using Accounting rather than Currency/Number. Change the Excel column to plain Number with two decimals (not Accounting), save, close Excel completely, reopen Word, and reconnect the data source. Word caches Excel formatting and will keep reproducing the spacing until the connection is refreshed.

If Word is still forcing the spacing, bypass Excel formatting entirely and force Word to treat the value as numeric with an equals field:

{

Insert the braces with Ctrl+F9, not by typing them, then update fields with F9.

Also check that the merge field does not include the MERGEFORMAT switch carrying old formatting:

{

If it does, remove the MERGEFORMAT part so Word stops reapplying previous spacing.

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hth

Marcin