Q195994: WD97: How to Force Text to Start at Same Line in Merged Letters

Article: Q195994
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbdta winword word97 kbmerge
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes how to set up a mail merge main document so that the body
of the document does not change position when some merge records contain fewer
lines than other merge records.

When you choose to suppress blank lines during a merge, Word automatically
suppresses those fields that are empty. This feature causes the body text to
move up when you perform the merge.

MORE INFORMATION
================

To set up your document so that the body text starts at the same location for
each document, create a table with a row set to an exact height; place your mail
merge field codes into that row; and place all body text below the table row.

The following example demonstrates steps for doing this.

Enter the following mail merge codes into the top of your document with the body
text below this area, starting at the same place for all documents produced in
the mail merge.

<<Title>> <<FirstName>> <<LastName>>
<<Address1>>
<<Address2>>
<<City>>, <<State>> <<PostalCode>>

There will be times that <<Address2>> is blank. You want that blank
line to be suppressed. By default, it will be; however, in case it is not, you
can set it by doing the following:

1. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.

2. Click the Merge button under number 3 "Merge the data with the document".

  NOTE: There must be at least one mail merge field in the document for the
  Merge button to be available.

3. Under When Merging Records, select "Don't print blank line when data fields
  are empty".

If you suppress the <<Address2>> line if it is blank, the body text
moves up one line. To prevent this from happening, you need to place the mail
merge fields into a table row set to an exact height. To do this, follow these
steps:

1. Move the insertion point to the place where you want the mail merge fields.

2. On the Table menu, click Insert Table.

3. In Number of Columns, type 1. In Number of Rows, type 1, and then click OK.

4. On the Table menu, click Cell Height and Width, and then select the Row tab.

5. Under Height of Row 1, select Exactly. In the At box, type a measurement for
  the height of the row, like 1", and then click OK.

  NOTE: If you type in the measurement as inches ("), Word converts this
  measurement to points (pt).

6. Insert the merge field codes into the table cell, and type the body text
  below the table.

Additional query words: mailmerge conditional 8.0 8.00

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Keywords          : kbdta winword word97 kbmerge 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbhowto

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