MS Word Mail Merge: Group or Link fields across multiple pages/sections?

[dreid1011]

Good afternoon,

I am trying to mail merge a postcard with 4 sections per 8.5"x11" sheet. Each vertical half of the page is one postcard, page 1 is front, and page 2 is the back. All the merge fields are on page 2, but are not all in a single post card section. I have address info in one section, and an account number in another section, but I can't figure out how to link the merge fields to pull the same record. The address fields pull one record, then the account field pulls the next record or however many down the list for each <<Next Record>> rule I have.

Address fields here (1) --link to field below	Address fields here (2) --link to field below
Account field here (1) --link to fields above	Account field here (2) --link to fields above

How do I tell Word to link the fields on the left side of the whole page, and link the fields on the right side?

I have tried searching, but come up empty so far.

Thank you.

 

[dreid1011]

Okay, so when I use Ctrl+F to search for "Next Record" it identifies 8, but I can only see 7 highlighted in the document. Do you know if that is including the default <<Next Record>>? Or is it really off the page somewhere that I need to delete?

Edit: Okay, I found it. It was far off the bottom of the last page/section. I deleted it and now will be testing the results. Thank you for your help with this.

 

[dreid1011]

Alternatively, for the Account IDs, simply create a field in each top left/right cell as:
{SET Acct1 {MERGEFIELD ACCT}} or {SET Acct1 «ACCT»}
and
{SET Acct2 {MERGEFIELD ACCT}}or {SET Acct2 «ACCT»}
respectively, then insert REF fields pointing to those, viz:
{REF Acct1}
and
{REF Acct2}
where you want the Account IDs to be displayed.

Note: The field brace pairs (i.e. '{ }') for the above examples are all created in the document itself, via Ctrl-F9 (Cmd-F9 on a Mac or, if you’re using a laptop, you might need to use Ctrl-Fn-F9); you can't simply type them or copy & paste them from this message. Nor is it practical to add them via any of the standard Word dialogues. Likewise, the chevrons (i.e. '« »') are part of the actual mergefields - which you can insert from the 'Insert Merge Field' dropdown (i.e. you can't type or copy & paste them from this message, either). The spaces represented in the field constructions are all required.

Okay, so when I use Ctrl+F to search for "Next Record" it identifies 8, but I can only see 7 highlighted in the document. Do you know if that is including the default <<Next Record>>? Or is it really off the page somewhere that I need to delete?
View attachment 120475

Edit: Okay, I found it. It was far off the bottom of the last page/section. I deleted it and now will be testing the results. Thank you for your help with this.

Both solutions here to mark as final solution.

 

[Macropod]

With your 'one next record field' example, inserting the «Next Record» field after the second section as you have done should mean you get two of the same record on each page, then the next record gets skipped.

As I said, the «Next Record» field must be inserted before the mergefields for the second section. It works fine in my testing if you do that.

 

[dreid1011]

With your 'one next record field' example, inserting the «Next Record» field after the second section as you have done should mean you get two of the same record on each page, then the next record gets skipped.

As I said, the «Next Record» field must be inserted before the mergefields for the second section. It works fine in my testing if you do that.

Yes, I have resolved the issue. There was another <<Next Record>> way off the bottom of the second page that I couldn't see. I deleted it and the issue is gone. Thank you.