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Mac Forum / Applications / Word / October 2008Mail merge
Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Processor: Intel Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in Windows? AFAICS Word 2004/2008 cannot access any data sources directly except text files, Excel stuff, Word files, and in some cases FileMaker data sources. Since I don't have FileMaker, I can't tell you what /it/ can do, and what sources it can access "on-the-fly" - Access .mdb? .accdb? stuff like MYSQL data sources? perhaps someone can chip in here? Otherwise, I think you have to consider a 2-stage merge in Word 2004/8 where you copy your data into a format that Word can understand (e.g. Word, Excel, some delimited text formats) then use that as the data source for your merge. In many cases, perhaps cheaper to use Bootcamp, Windows Office etc.  SignaturePeter Jamieson http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk > Version: 2008 > Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) > Processor: Intel > > Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in > Windows? Just confirming what Peter had to say... Access doesn't exist on the Mac so its file type isn't supported by most Mac applications. The process involved for accessing tables or queries in an Access file for a merge is more trouble than it's worth if it isn't an absolute necessity for ongoing requirements. It's far simpler to output the data from Access as one of the source formats Peter suggested (Excel is best) & use that as the data source for the merge. The down side, of course, is that there's no dynamic link to the Access .mdb/.ACCDB so you have to create a new source file as the database gets updated. Mac Excel "can" be used to query an Access file but it's still an extra process which isn't as simple as the output-as-Excel method. You can get excellent additional info here: http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/ExcelHome.htm But I'm not sure everything required by Jim's process is available for Office 2008 due to the lack of support for VBA. HTH |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac On 10/3/08 8:40 AM, in article 59b5b58c.-1@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, > Version: 2008 > Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) > Processor: Intel > > Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in > Windows? Many thanks to both Bob and Peter. I am a professor in a business school, and I make extensive use of mail merge in a course I run, not just for emailing, but also for printing out documents. My data files, once compiled at the beginning of a course, then remain fixed for its duration, and thus do not need updating along the way. In fact, up until now, I have been assembling the data in Excel, and then using the Excel file to create the Access file. If the Excel file will be sufficient on its own, this whole process will be simpler with the Mac! Many thanks again for the fast and helpful comments. If you can think of anything else, let me know. Patrick > Just confirming what Peter had to say... Access doesn't exist on the Mac so > its file type isn't supported by most Mac applications. The process involved [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in > > Windows? Hello Patrick; From what you describe it sounds like skipping the Access file altogether will expedite your workflow. As long as a single list of records will suffice & you don't need relational connections among multiple lists there really isn't any need to move the Excel data into an Access file. Even if you want to use the Forms, Reports & other features of Access you can Link to the Excel File from an Access DB. With the exception of data modification it can be treated as though it were an Access Table. If you wish you can still import to Access any time. As a thought: If you need to do the same basic process repeatedly for course after course you might consider setting the DB up in Access for the purpose of standardizing data entry then outputting the record content for each course as a separate Excel file. Regards |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac On 10/4/08 12:34 AM, in article 59b5b58c.2@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, > Many thanks to both Bob and Peter. I am a professor in a business school, and > I make extensive use of mail merge in a course I run, not just for emailing, [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] >>> Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in >>> Windows? *If* you do need a relational Database on the Mac. The idea application is FileMaker Pro. Its up to version 9 and works with Intel mac and OSX. > Hello Patrick; > [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] >>>> Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in >>>> Windows? Signature------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phillip M. Jones, CET |MEMBER:VPEA (LIFE) ETA-I, NESDA,ISCET, Sterling 616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868 Martinsville Va 24112 |pjones@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If it's "fixed", don't "break it"! mailto:pjones@kimbanet.com <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm> <http://www.vpea.org> > *If* you do need a relational Database on the Mac. The idea application > is FileMaker Pro. Its up to version 9 and works with Intel mac and OSX. [quoted text clipped - 82 lines] >>>>> can in >>>>> Windows? Hi, Although FileMaker is a fine relational database and is a soup-to-nuts solution which can certainly be used in this situation, but it is not needed at all here and would side-step. The question at hand is, "Can Excel use an Access MDB file as a data source?" The answer is absolutely, "Yes." Excel (via MS Query which is included in Office 2008 as part of the regular install) when coupled with a 3rd party ODBC driver ($30 from ActualTechnologies) can do everything the questioner requested. This does work in Office 2008. It does not require VBA. Neither Access nor FileMaker has the data analysis, formula computation, ease of building reports, graphing, etc. that Excel has, which is why it is so good that Excel does have SQL capabilities and can directly link to Access and Filemaker data bases. Details here: http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/RelationalOffice.htm -Jim SignatureJim Gordon Mac MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ WE NEED YOUR HELP! The number of new Mac users has skyrocketed. That’s excellent. In this forum all answers come from other users, not from Microsoft employees. Please help answer questions. If you see an unanswered question that you know the answer to, please take just a moment to post the answer. Doing so speeds response time for people who come here and need fast responses. If you see an answer that might be wrong or that you can answer better, hop right in and offer your thoughts. Don’t berate a wrong answer – we’re all here trying to help each other. Don’t bother with questions you’re not quite sure about or don’t know about. Please take just a moment to help fellow Mac users. Your efforts will be appreciated greatly - especially by those you help. >> *If* you do need a relational Database on the Mac. The idea >> application is FileMaker Pro. Its up to version 9 and works with Intel [quoted text clipped - 115 lines] > > -Jim I was only pointing out *if* he needed such. Then FileMaker would be the ticket. You and other have already explained that in the OP case, FM is overkill and not needed. There are cases where FM would be a good solution. But Many cases Excel can do quite well. Trying not to argue with anyone or detract from Office products. Signature------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phillip M. Jones, CET |MEMBER:VPEA (LIFE) ETA-I, NESDA,ISCET, Sterling 616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868 Martinsville Va 24112 |pjones@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If it's "fixed", don't "break it"! mailto:pjones@kimbanet.com <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm> <http://www.vpea.org> >>> *If* you do need a relational Database on the Mac. The idea >>> application is FileMaker Pro. Its up to version 9 and works with [quoted text clipped - 125 lines] > > Trying not to argue with anyone or detract from Office products. Hi, Sorry if I over-reacted. For many years I have heard and read repeatedly that Excel is not a relational database. That's splitting hairs, because Excel comes with MS Query, which makes Microsoft Office (not Excel alone) a relational database. Excel does have its limitations. In 2004 and earlier versions the row limit was about 65,000 rows. Excel 2008 boosts that to over 1,000,000 rows. More robust databases can handle far more records than that, and be faster at it because they don't do any calculations or formulas in the tables. -Jim SignatureJim Gordon Mac MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ WE NEED YOUR HELP! The number of new Mac users has skyrocketed. That’s excellent. In this forum all answers come from other users, not from Microsoft employees. Please help answer questions. If you see an unanswered question that you know the answer to, please take just a moment to post the answer. Doing so speeds response time for people who come here and need fast responses. If you see an answer that might be wrong or that you can answer better, hop right in and offer your thoughts. Don’t berate a wrong answer – we’re all here trying to help each other. Don’t bother with questions you’re not quite sure about or don’t know about. Please take just a moment to help fellow Mac users. Your efforts will be appreciated greatly - especially by those you help. Many thanks Philip. > *If* you do need a relational Database on the Mac. The idea application > is FileMaker Pro. Its up to version 9 and works with Intel mac and OSX. [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > >>>> Can I use Microsoft Access files as mail merge data sources, as I can in > >>>> Windows? |
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