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[hlewton]

I am not at all sure what is happening but I have to put this into the mix because both Word 2003 and Word 2010 display the same thing in this instance. I have a predefined merge document that uses the 5160 labels. As I open it, it opens an Access database and the correct query within that database to use for the data in the labels. In this already defined file the last line of the merge fields is not shown when the merge document is opened in either version but again all the data is there when I use it to create the final document to print.

So anyway they both do the exact same thing in this case but as I was trying to learn how to do merges in Word 2010 I found the above reported discrepancies. And as I have already said I don't know of anything I am doing differently while creating new merges in either version.

[HansV]

Perhaps you could post screenshots of both versions?

To display the vertical ruler:
- Select File > Options.
- Click Advanced.
- Scroll down to the section labeled Display.
- Tick the check box "Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view".
- Click OK.

S0345.png

[stuck]

I can't post a screen shot as I'm at home but both rulers can be inadvertently turned off if you click on the small 'button' just above the top end of the scroll bar. It's very easily done. Fortunately a similarly simple click makes them reappear again.

Ken

[hlewton]

I had to shrink the one for Word 2010 but hopefully you can see what I'm talking about. They were both created the same way and they both have all the same fields in them.

I will also try to get the ruler to appear, thanks to both of you for the advise.

Word2003.JPG

Word2010-2.jpg

[hlewton]

Perhaps you could post screenshots of both versions?

To display the vertical ruler:
- Select File > Options.
- Click Advanced.
- Scroll down to the section labeled Display.
- Tick the check box "Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view".
- Click OK.

S0345.png

Well that option was already checked yet the ruler is still not visible. Maybe I'm not in the Print Layout View but I thought I was. Is it buried somewhere too? I have looked at the Print Preview and also on the Table Tools' Layout view and don't see the ruler. The only time I see it is when I click the double headed arrow on the bottom grid line of the label box. BTW I am usually in the Print Layout View as far as what the buttons at the bottom of the screen tell me but that ruler is still not there.

Thanks.

[HansV]

Your screenshot from Word 2010 is in Print Layout view. You're not displaying the ruler at all. As rudi stuck remarked, click the little button at the top of the vertical scroll bar to display the ruler.

S0346.png

The reason for the discrepancy between Word 2003 and Word 2010 appears to be the gap between the Last Name line and the Street Address line. If you remove that gap, it'll probably look more or less the same as in Word 2003.
To remove the gap, click to the left of the Street Address merge field. Press Backspace, then press Shift+Enter. This inserts a line break instead of a paragraph break.

[hlewton]

Got the ruler to work originally I didn't know where that line was that Rudi mentioned. However, the trying to remove the gap only got worse when I tried following the directions. When I click to the left of the Street Address it turns the Street Address field gray and then the backspace makes it move to the left. When I do the Shift + Enter that adds another line and makes the Street Address field almost disappear by sending it lower instead of eliminating the gap. What am I not doing correctly and is there a way to not allow that gap to be there in the first place?

Thanks.

[HansV]

Could you attach the mail merge document? (I don't need to have the data source for the mail merge)

[hlewton]

Yep but this one is just a try at me learning the new methods of using Word's 2010 mail merge features. But here it is. Just to tell you how I have done it and, this is the way I have for years, actually know no other ways, I insert all the fields with spaces between them as needed and when I reach the end of a line the way I want it to print I hit the "Enter" key and continue to the next line also hitting the "Enter" key with the end of each line.

TestMerge.docx

[HansV]

OK, I see what has happened.
If you click in any of the lines of any cell and click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Paragraph group of the Home tab of the ribbon, you'll see this:

S0348.png

Word has added a "Space Before" of 5.55 points before each paragraph (probably to keep the text away from the top border of the cells).
Cancel this dialog, then press Ctrl+A to select the entire document and click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Paragraph group again.
All boxes in the dialog will be empty. This is nothing to worry about, this always happens if more than 50 paragraphs have been selected (it worked that way in all previous versions of Word too).
Click in the "Space Before" box and enter 0:

S0349.png

Then click OK.
The lines now fit inside the cell again, as in Word 2003.

S0350.png

[hlewton]

That is amazing Hans. It worked. Is there something I should do to keep that as a default or will I have to try to remember these steps for future merges?

Thanks a lot for all your help.

[HansV]

You can always save the modified merge document and reuse it. On the other hand, it's not that much work to set "Space Before" to 0.

[hlewton]

Yes I already do have saved merged documents that I use but I do have one more question. I noticed that when I view or create the final document now the top line of data is at the very top of the label which doesn't allow for any misalignment of the labels when printing. I looked but don't see a setting for the top line so I'm guessing there isn't any. Is that correct?

[HansV]

Click in the very first line of the very first label.
Click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Paragraph group (alternatively, right-click the first line and select Paragraph... from the contex menu).
Set the "Space Before" to for example 3 points or 4 points, then click OK.
There should now be a small space above the top line of the first label, while still leaving all lines visible.
Now activate the Mailings tab of the ribbon and click Propagate Labels.
This will copy the format of the first label to the other labels.

[hlewton]

Thank you. I will try that with a new merge tomorrow.

[stuck]

As rudi remarked

'twas me what suggested this one - but I'll let you off

Ken

[HansV]

Corrected!

[stuck]

Corrected!

Is that your second misteak is as many days?

[HansV]

What's the saying? A misteak a day keeps the pedant away.

[hlewton]

LOL in any case I appreciate all you guys that help me. Thanks.