WD97: How to Use Mail Merge with a Microsoft Access Parameter Query

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A Microsoft Access parameter query extends the flexibility of other Microsoft Access queries by prompting the user to enter certain criteria each time the query is run.

This article assumes that there is a proper parameter query in Access. For more information about parameter queries, click Contents and Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Microsoft Access Help, type the following text and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Create a parameter query that prompts for criteria each time it's run" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

To merge a Word document with a Microsoft Access query using a parameter query, use the following steps:

1. Start a new Word document.
2. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
3. Click the Create button on the Mail Merge Helper, and select the type of document to merge (such as Form Letter or Mailing Labels).
4. Click New Main Document.
5. Click the Get Data button, and select Open Data Source.
6. Change the List Files to MS Access Databases (*.mdb), and change to the folder where Microsoft Access is located.
7. Select the database you want to use, click the Select Method check box to select it, and click the OK or Open button.
8. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select MS Access Databases via DDE (*.mdb), and click OK.
   
   A Microsoft Access dialog box is displayed.
9. Click the Queries tab.
10. Select the parameter query from the list of queries, and click OK.
11. A dialog box appears on the screen as a result of the parameter query.
    
    If the dialog box does not appear, and Word does not seem to be responding, press ALT+TAB once. The parameter query prompt dialog box should now appear.
12. Type the information in the Parameter Query dialog box and click OK.
13. A Word dialog box appears. Click Edit Main Document.
14. Insert the merge fields in the main document, and perform the mail merge as usual.