data from excel into Word Labels - Help!

[NJRagdoll]

I have a spreadsheet in Excel that consists of 4 columns, and 210 rows. This is for labeling a product for a retail store. Each row is one "item" - the number, the name, criteria 1 and criteria 2.

I need to print a label for each item, with the number in the first row, name below, criteria below, and criteria below. So there would be 4 lines on the label.

As far as I can figure, you have to do a mail merge - but they aren't address labels, and they don't have recipients like for the mass mailings. I go all the way thru, point it toward the spreadsheet, pick my Avery label, etc... but it doesn't put the data in.

I also downloaded a template for the labels, and tried using that - nope. I tried saving the template (which downloaded as a doc file) AS a Template, and tried using that - nope.

How do I get the DATA into the label grid? If I just do a copy and paste, it doesn't work. The label grid has little 'separator' columns, and the Paste puts data in those columns instead of just the Label Squares.

Can this be done? I'm sure it can... I just can't figure it out. Hope you guys can help me!

Thanks!

[Redbeard]

The exact answers depend on what version of Word that you have. What you will be doing is a Mail Merge even though you are not mailing anything. Word after Word 2000 "improved" the mail merge process and to me made it more difficult. The first line in your Excel speadsheet must contain the names for each field.

I would have 2 suggestions- use the Mail Merge toolbar instead of the menus and add one icon to this toolbar- "Insert Merge Field". To add an icon right click in an empty area of a toolbar and go to "Customize". Select the Commands tab and in the left side select Mail Merge and on the right side select the icon that you want and drag it to the place in the toolbar where you want it to appear.

(The paragraph above is not necessary in Word 97 or Word 2000 since this icon is already there.)

Use the toolbar to insert your fields in the order that you want and do your merge.

Fred

[NJRagdoll]

Okay, I added that button, and managed to do the Main Document Setup, Added the Data Source, and then did Insert Merge Fields.

It did insert the fields in the first label. But how do I get it to do it in ALL the labels? I got the first one to enter in correctly - it looks great!

So I have "1, Widget, Large, Red".

Now I need "2, Widget, small, Pink", "3, Widget, medium, purple", "4, Widget, Jumbo, White" etc....

BTW I have Word 2002 (ver. 10).

Thank you SOOOO much for your help!

[NJRagdoll]

I figured it out! I hit "propagate", and it filled them in! Now I'm trying to get them all to format at once... need to have a "return" so that it's 4 lines instead of one all the way across...

[NJRagdoll]

I got it!!!! :clap: Whoo hoo! I started over, and this time did the steps in the correct order, and it propagated everything perfectly!

Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction with the toolbar, that made it MUCH easier than that stupid Wizard.

Thank you!!

[Redbeard]

I'm so happy that it worked. It helped you and made my day because you got it. There is nothing like an "ah ha" moment!

Fred

[NJRagdoll]

I got myself into a mess again!

I went to Staples, thinking "okay, I have my merge working, I just need to get the labels and use the template, and I'm good to go".

Well, it seems that Avery does not have a template for these little round labels. Grrrrr!

So I managed to manually move the columns around until it fits... I'm not quite done yet, but I think I'll be able to play with the margins until I get it right.

The thing I'm noticing now, is that the text in each label has a gray background around it. I tried making the Patterns "clear" for background, but it didn't remove it.

Any insight as to why it's doing this?

PS - I have a passing familiarity with Word, can do all the basics, but have no knowledge really of using styles, macros, etc... Not sure if this is pertinent or not, but figured I'd toss it in.

Thanks!

[printman331]

Local mail house closed and has begun referring clients to me. Took a stab at generating my first mail labels. No matter how many times I try to import my excel address I get a page with just the header info like this:

«Next Record»
«Contact»
«Address»
«City» «State» «Zip»

Next record is supposed to be bar code. I'm on a mac running OSX. Can't remember which version of Word (I'm at home now). I know I have the latest version of Word on the PC so I'll try that in the morning.