	AllExperts > Microsoft Word
	Search

About Aidan Heritage
Expertise
I have provided first hand support since `95 for Microsoft Office majoring in Word and Excel - support for all versions of Word from 2 onwards

You are here: Experts > Computing/Technology > Microsoft Software > Microsoft Word > Conditional page break in mail merge

Microsoft Word - Conditional page break in mail merge

Expert: Aidan Heritage - 10/29/2009

Question
Hi Aidan,

I'm wondering whether you can help.

I have created a one-page letter for mail merge where some of the recipients have a lot of extra lines of text (conditional merge fields), causing the letter for those recipients to break onto a second page. I'd like to make sure that when the letters are two pages long, the break is in a particular place to make it look neater.

I am trying to figure out how to include a conditional page break to ensure that all recipients that have a minimum of four extra lines of data (ie where the mergefield "volloc_4" is not blank) have a set page break. I can create a field using IF, but am having trouble figuring out how to actually include a page break inside the field - I've tried Ctrl enter but not working for me. I'm not sure whether there is a special code for a page break. I hope this isn't too convoluted.

Thanks very much.

Answer
As long as you set the view to view field codes (tools, options view, then check field codes in versions other than 2007, otherwise the office button and then word options, advanced, and scroll down to "show document content" to check the field codes box, you are then going to be fine as you can include anything you want within the fields - so insert break, or ctrl enter at the insertion point will work fine. I have many merge documents that have multiple documents within them conditional on the IF statement, complete with page breaks and section breaks!.

any problems let me know - if it helps, my email is aidan.heritage@virgin.net

Add to this Answer Ask a Question

About Microsoft Word
This topic answers questions related to Microsoft Word stand-alone or Mircrosoft Office Word including Word 2003, Word 2007, Office 2000, and Office XP. You can get Word help on formatting text, tables, tabs, fonts, styles, general Word layouts, bullets, headings, and outlines, using templates, toolbar modifications, and using Track Changes. You may also find tips on linking Word and Excel embedded objects including charts. This site does not provide a general Word tutorial nor the basics of using a word processor. It provides specific answers to using Microsoft Word only. If you do not see your Word question answered in this area then please ask a Word question here