Moving Merge Template Files
Document Actions
If you move the Merge Template files from one server or computer to another, you may break the links to the Merge Data Files. That means you will get an error message when you try to merge a new document.
Even if you use ampersand notation throughout your Merge Template Setup screens in Time Matters, you still need to make sure that the links will work.
Here are two ways to see that the links work after the move.
Drive Letter Mapping
By far the best approach is to adjust the mapping of the drive letter and folders so that the new path to documents is exactly the same as the old path. In other words, the files may be placed on a different machine, but the path to the files that, such as F:\Docs\, points to the folder on the new machine that now holds the Merge Data files.
On a small network, you may need to go to each PC and use Windows Explorer to change the drive mapping. On a larger network, your systems staff may be responsible for setting up the drive mappings in your user profile and will handle the change.
Re-linking to the Merge Data Files
If the Merge Data files need to be located in a place that has a different drive letter, you need to relink the Merge Data files. The path to the Merge Data File is hard-coded inside the Word document that is the Merge Form File. You need to open, fix and resave each Merge Form File.
To fix Merge Form Files due to a change in the drive letter of Merge Data Files:
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Go to Main Menu | File | Setup | Templates | Merge | Files.
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Note the folder and name of the Merge Data File, often WORDDATA.DAT.
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Select the Merge Template and click Change.
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Click on Create or Open Merge Form File.
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When the Word error displays, click on Find Data Source.
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Browse to the new location of the Merge Data File, select the file and click Open.
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Save the file and exit Word.
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Back in Time Matters, press OK, Close.
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Repeat for each Merge Template.
