Spaces between empty merge fields

[Debbie Griesemer]

I am creating labels and letters from an Access database.
Our first line contains the following merge fields:
"title" "firstname" "middle" "lastname"

Some records contain one or more blank fields prior to
the "lastname" field. The "lastname" field will print
first on the line as desired if this is the case.
However, the spaces between each of the prior mergefields
push "lastname" over 1 or more spaces.

example:
Mr. Joe Jones Jones Family
101 Bird Drive 101 Bird Drive
Anywhere, USA Anywhere, USA

How do we get merge to run without the space between the
blank fields?

Thank you!
Debbie

[Katy Rea]

What you need to do is create an 'if/then/else' statement
on your merge document.

Position your curser where the blanks are appearing
(sounds like 'middle' may be the big offender...put curser
after middle). Delete the space between the fields so
that now the merge doc looks like this

"title" "firstname" "middle""lastname"

Now, if there is no middle initial, there will not be two
spaces between firstname and lastname.

If there is a middle initial, and you want a space to
appear, you must create an if/then statment. Leave the
curser between "middle""lastname".

Go to the 'Insert Word Field' on the Mail Merge menu and
select If...Then...Else. Here you have an easy dialog box
to create an if/then statement. Choose the field, in this
case "middle". In the 'Comparison' menu, choose "is not
blank". In the 'Insert this Text' box, type a space (ie.
just use your space bar once). Say OK to this and return
to your document.

If you highlight those fields now and right click on your
mouse, select 'toggle between fields' and you will see the
if/then statement that the Insert Word Field created for
you.

When you type a space on a merge doc between fields, it
will always be there unlike if a field is blank, merge
will not fill the space. In your example below, Jones
Family must be in the lastname field, therefore you are
seeing the spaces between the blank fields
of "Title" "Firstname" "Middle".

Hope this helps.

Katy

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[Alan]

Thanks Katy:

That's the clearest explanation I've ever seen of how to
do this!

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