Mail Merge Address Labels into Word from Excel

I have successfully created a mail merge for address labels in Word using the data in an Excel spreadsheet. However, the leading 0 in my Zip Code is dropped once the data is merged from Excel to Word. I have formatted my Zip Code column as a Zip Code and the column does display the five digit Zip with the leading 0 in Excel. Example: Excel shows Zip as 01701, but my Word label shows the Zip as 1701. I also tried formatting the Zip column as Custom with 00000, but that won't work either--Word still drops the leading 0. If I try formatting the Zip column as Text or General, it drops the leading 0 immediately.

I know I can just go and edit each label and type the 0 in myself, but isn't the whole point of mail merge to do it for you?

I hope I'm making my problem clear. I'm sure this is just a regional problem since most of the country's Zips don't start with 0.

Thanks!

 

Whoof. Not simple, is it.

I think I have a quick fix that will do for you though.

- move your existing zip info to another column - call it newzip.
- format newzip in any fashion that gives you the leading zero. I think the custom of 00000 is as good as any and better than several.
- format your (now empty) mergezip column as text.
- select all from newzip that you want, copy, and do a paste special to the mergezip column. Use the option for All except borders and you'll get exactly what was displaying with leading zeros.

I would keep the newzip column since you can manipulate it in ways you couldn't with the text zip column and any time you add to newzip you can quickly push the updated list over the the mergezip column.

 

Thanks Newt. Not simple is only half of it. Five months ago I new nothing about Excel except that I should fear it, then I took a position where I was supposed to know it inside out and 20 ways to next Tuesday (except they did not tell me that when they lured me in!) for a sports group! THEY don't even know what they expect ME to do blindfolded! I will try this tomorrow. I've had too many Cosmopolitans tonight.

I was also thinking I could solve the problem by setting up my address labels via the "More Items" option through the Mail Merge Wizard and just adding that nasty 0 before my zip field. It would accomplish the same thing in the long run but through many more key strokes. If your suggestions works, it will make my job easier. And, I realized yesterday that I posted my question in the wrong forum and should have done it in "Other Software ", so an extra THANK YOU goes out to you. Being new to this site, I appreciate not being jumped on when I was "doing it wrong ".

 

The work-around should do fine. I haven't done any mail merge in years and was really surprised to find the bug you described. But it is there for sure and it strikes me as a really stupid way for mail merge to behave. Anyway, I had fun setting up all the stuff for a merge. Easier than it used to be with all the wizard help.

Speaking of help, feel very free to post any problems, questions, whatever on here. Somebody should be able to give you an answer. And don't worry about getting it in the 'wrong' section sometimes. Often there are good reasons to put an item in one of several sections and we certainly don't mind moving them around as needed.