Convert MailMerge document to "content controls"
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:57 am
I have a docx file created using word and filled with mail merge fields (by non-tech users). How do I convert that to use "content controls" so I can dull the pain of mail merge telling me "MailMerger(659) - TODO MERGEFIELD field contained complex instruction". I assume that's MS-Word splitting the merge fields across runs???
when I crack open the xml I see:
if it's not possible or just error prone to convert from a doc with mail merge fields to one using content controls, how does one go about creating a word doc (using word) that makes use of content controls. From what I read, you need to enable "developer" stuff in the ribbon. Is that something designed for a non-tech?
In the end, I just want to do the "submit both" sort of thing and let the user submit the key/value pairs and do a search and replace in the doc....but how do I get from a mail merge doc to one of these "content control" type documents?
when I crack open the xml I see:
- Code: Select all
<w:r>
<w:instrText xml:space="preserve"> MERGEFIELD Guarantor_1_short_name \* </w:instrText>
</w:r>
<w:r w:rsidRPr="001313F4">
<w:instrText>MERGEFORMAT</w:instrText>
</w:r>
<w:r>
<w:instrText xml:space="preserve"> </w:instrText>
</w:r>
- Code: Select all
<w:r w:rsidRPr="0004112C">
<w:rPr>
<w:color w:val="000000"/>
</w:rPr>
<w:lastRenderedPageBreak/> // this appears to be causing issues also?????
<w:instrText xml:space="preserve">MERGEFIELD "Balance_as_of_Today" </w:instrText>
</w:r>
if it's not possible or just error prone to convert from a doc with mail merge fields to one using content controls, how does one go about creating a word doc (using word) that makes use of content controls. From what I read, you need to enable "developer" stuff in the ribbon. Is that something designed for a non-tech?
In the end, I just want to do the "submit both" sort of thing and let the user submit the key/value pairs and do a search and replace in the doc....but how do I get from a mail merge doc to one of these "content control" type documents?