Search and Replace

This is probably a crude, brutish way to attack my problem, but given my
limited knowledge, that is all I have. My question is: Is there a way to
search for particular text and replace each instance with a blank Text Form
Field?

Background:
I have made a merge document to fill in data from our client(s). There are
some areas of the document that are not worth tracking in our database and
will need to be filled in manually.

I have found that mergefields and form fields do not play well together
because of the locking requirement for form fields. Our secretaries are not
well-versed in Word, and I am trying to make it as easy and error-free as
possible to complete these documents.

My idea was to complete the merge and then have them run a macro (from a
custom menu) that unlinked the mergefields, replaced "**" throughout the text
with a Text Form Field, then locked the document for the remaining data entry
so that they could tab from area to area and fill in the required missing
information.

Like I said probably crude and brutish in an attempt to be efficient and
helpful.

Thanks for any pointers.

Cindy-M
Tue Jun 27 03:17:01 CDT 2006

Well, there is a Knowledge Base article that explains how text formfields in
the original mail merge document can be replaced after the mail merge
completes:

WD2000: Text Form Fields Are Not Retained During Mail Merge
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=211308

Other that that, if you select and COPY a form field, then use Edit/Replace
you can type ^c into the Replace box to replace the search text with the
contents of the clipboard.
--
-- Cindy


"Thanks for the Help" wrote:

> This is probably a crude, brutish way to attack my problem, but given my
> limited knowledge, that is all I have. My question is: Is there a way to
> search for particular text and replace each instance with a blank Text Form
> Field?
>
> Background:
> I have made a merge document to fill in data from our client(s). There are
> some areas of the document that are not worth tracking in our database and
> will need to be filled in manually.
>
> I have found that mergefields and form fields do not play well together
> because of the locking requirement for form fields. Our secretaries are not
> well-versed in Word, and I am trying to make it as easy and error-free as
> possible to complete these documents.
>
> My idea was to complete the merge and then have them run a macro (from a
> custom menu) that unlinked the mergefields, replaced "**" throughout the text
> with a Text Form Field, then locked the document for the remaining data entry
> so that they could tab from area to area and fill in the required missing
> information.
>
> Like I said probably crude and brutish in an attempt to be efficient and
> helpful.
>
> Thanks for any pointers.

Graham
Tue Jun 27 04:04:05 CDT 2006

You could use macrobutton fields in the merge document which will be
preserved by the merge (but not locked).
Or you could use ASK fields to request the missing data before the merge?
Or you could create a user form to gather your missing data.
All of which would be preferable I suspect.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

Thanks for the Help wrote:
> This is probably a crude, brutish way to attack my problem, but given
> my limited knowledge, that is all I have. My question is: Is there
> a way to search for particular text and replace each instance with a
> blank Text Form Field?
>
> Background:
> I have made a merge document to fill in data from our client(s).
> There are some areas of the document that are not worth tracking in
> our database and will need to be filled in manually.
>
> I have found that mergefields and form fields do not play well
> together because of the locking requirement for form fields. Our
> secretaries are not well-versed in Word, and I am trying to make it
> as easy and error-free as possible to complete these documents.
>
> My idea was to complete the merge and then have them run a macro
> (from a custom menu) that unlinked the mergefields, replaced "**"
> throughout the text with a Text Form Field, then locked the document
> for the remaining data entry so that they could tab from area to area
> and fill in the required missing information.
>
> Like I said probably crude and brutish in an attempt to be efficient
> and helpful.
>
> Thanks for any pointers.

ThanksfortheHelp
Tue Jun 27 12:42:02 CDT 2006

Thank you both. I the early morn, I abandoned the idea and went with the
FILLIN field instead. Maybe ASK would be better . . .

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

> You could use macrobutton fields in the merge document which will be
> preserved by the merge (but not locked).
> Or you could use ASK fields to request the missing data before the merge?
> Or you could create a user form to gather your missing data.
> All of which would be preferable I suspect.
>
> --
> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
> Graham Mayor - Word MVP
>
> My web site www.gmayor.com
> Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
>
> Thanks for the Help wrote:
> > This is probably a crude, brutish way to attack my problem, but given
> > my limited knowledge, that is all I have. My question is: Is there
> > a way to search for particular text and replace each instance with a
> > blank Text Form Field?
> >
> > Background:
> > I have made a merge document to fill in data from our client(s).
> > There are some areas of the document that are not worth tracking in
> > our database and will need to be filled in manually.
> >
> > I have found that mergefields and form fields do not play well
> > together because of the locking requirement for form fields. Our
> > secretaries are not well-versed in Word, and I am trying to make it
> > as easy and error-free as possible to complete these documents.
> >
> > My idea was to complete the merge and then have them run a macro
> > (from a custom menu) that unlinked the mergefields, replaced "**"
> > throughout the text with a Text Form Field, then locked the document
> > for the remaining data entry so that they could tab from area to area
> > and fill in the required missing information.
> >
> > Like I said probably crude and brutish in an attempt to be efficient
> > and helpful.
> >
> > Thanks for any pointers.
>
>
>