Displays the name of a data field within the "chevron" merge characters in a mail merge main document
In previous versions of Microsoft Word, merged documents frequently displayed double spaces in place of field that mapped to missing data. Now you can use switches to specify which text is printed before or after the field results (provided that the field contains data).
You must select the data source for the main document before you insert merge fields.
Instructions- FieldName
- The name of a data field listed in the header record of the selected data source. The field name must exactly match the field name in the header record.
- \b
- Specifies the text to be inserted before the MERGEFIELD field if the field is not blank.
- \f
- Specifies the text to be inserted following the MERGEFIELD field if the field is not blank.
- \m
- Specifies that the MERGEFIELD field is a mapped field.
- \v
- Enables character conversion for vertical formatting.
Placing the following three MERGEFIELD fields together and using the \f switch as specified ensures that the three fields have spaces between them, but only if the designated field information is present in the data source.
{ MERGEFIELD CoutesyTitle \f " " }{ MERGEFIELD FirstName \f " " }{ MERGEFIELD LastName }
Results in the following:
- If all fields are present:
Ms. Mindy Martin - If FirstName is missing from the data source:
Ms. Martin
Note If you must change the field name specified in a merge field, edit the field name in the MERGEFIELD field codes. Changing a field name with field codes hidden has no effect.