Problem mail merging a Numbers spreadsheet

Question

Problem mail merging a Numbers spreadsheet

I am having problems trying to print address labels from a Numbers spreadsheet. I have a correctly formatted Pages document (pages 4.3 version) with the merge fields in the correct order in a text box. When I go to Mail merge and try to select a Source for Mail merge, I get the message "Please select a Numbers document that has one or more named header columns and one or more rows of data". The Numbers document (version 3.0.1) has 8 columns with headings which match those in the Pages merge document and has many rows of data. In the table inspector, I have selected 0 header columns but 1 header row. This is the row that contains the header fields. This seems logical to me. Can anyone suggest what I am doing wrong?

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 2, 2013 7:05 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Wayne Contello

Level 7

26,529 points

Dec 2, 2013 7:08 AM in response to Arthur from Scotland

Is the fist row formatted as a header row?

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Answer 2

Dec 2, 2013 7:37 AM in response to Arthur from Scotland

Arthur,

Use your Numbers 2.3 version for Mail Merge.

Jerry

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Answer 3

Dec 2, 2013 9:10 AM in response to Wayne Contello

Yes it is formatted as a header row.

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Answer 4

Dec 2, 2013 9:47 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Thanks. I had amended the spreadsheet due to change of address and saved it in the new version of Numbers. When I went to an older version and opened it in Numbers 2.3 the merge worked as planned. It does not say much for the upgrade, especially as there appears to be no way of mail merging in the new version of Pages. Thank you for your help. This has solved my problem but I seem to have pressed the green button for the other reply by mistake and cannot give you the credit.

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Answer 5

Ahimsa

Level 1

11 points

Mar 3, 2016 11:36 AM in response to Arthur from Scotland

Between Apple and Microsoft, the process for generating merged documents has become a total disaster.

When trying to merge in Word it is very difficult with multiple fields. Word new version keeps crashing [7 times today] and apologizing.

I tried with Pages and Numbers; one has to use an older version of Numbers for data source [which I don't have] or reformat the data source which is really a hit or miss thing. it never worked. When you convert the file to .csv format Pages doesn't accept it.

No matter how you try to do it, we're screwed.

I can understand the owners of the other system making lemons. Why does Apple have to emulate them?

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Answer 6

SGIII

Level 8

35,216 points

Mar 3, 2016 12:14 PM in response to Ahimsa

Hi Ahimsa,

Have a look at Community etiquette.

I don't do much mail merging these days, but my impression is that it is indeed possible and that some of your frustration may be simply because you aren't going about it the right way.

If you have a specific question about mail merge I hope you will feel free to post it in a new thread.

SG

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