Can you do Merge Files with MS Word?

The result is neatly formatted like a letter, not a worksheet. It has the appearance of being specially typed up for the purpose. The secondary file can even be formatted into columns, which is great for printing a final report that has parents' names, child(ren)'s names, address, home phone, work phone(s), and whatever else you want to include, along with a memo or explanation at the top or bottom.

Yeah, an ordinary database could produce a similar output (though probably not quite ready for printing as a letter or memo for distribution to teachers at the school), but if the school doesn't have a database program, a word processor that functions as one is pretty neat.

Anyway, WordPerfect can do this. Can Word? If so, I'd like to know how so that we can start using this function. If not, maybe I can talk the school into adopting WordPerfect for in-house document creation.

To me this means you are a little unfamiliar with the MS products. Even when I used WP it was a chore at times to do some tasks. The same for MS Word. All you ask can be done, even if it means diving into VBA code the bottom line is it can be done.

"though probably not quite ready for printing" is not true. I take it you have not used Access or any other database product since if you did you wouldn't have written that.

Bob

I'm not all that familiar with MS Office arcana. That's why I'm asking. Don't have any idea how to dive into VBA code (yet). I only want to know whether Word has the capability I'm asking about. If not, I'll find out whether the school office has Access, or whether switching to WordPerfect would be a better solution.

So, can Word do this?

Mail merge to letters is standard Word, and it can be based on either an Access or Excel database or (maybe better) the existing database from the application used by the schools administration, provided it is accessible via ODBC (most are) or can be exported to txt or csv (most can).
Printing a report in columns is best done in Access, based on the same database.

So we can say is that Microsoft has chosen to divide the capabilities you need over two programs, while Corel decided to put them into one program. A minor difference, and both can do the job you need. If I were IT manager of the school, I would see no reason at all to switch.

Kees

That is precisely what I wanted to know. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

You can create the same sort of merge data file is Word that you did in WordPerfect. In Access, you can also create a report that looks like a typed document. It just takes more practice and there are formatting limitations.

Take your pick!