Outlook Tips--Foiling a Mail-Merge Error

Why can't I use a contacts folder in Public Folders as the source of a mail merge in Microsoft Office XP? The technique works for my mailbox Contacts folder, but running a merge in Microsoft Word with a public folder as the data source gives me the error This operation cannot be completed because of dialog or database engine failures.

—Daniel Falconetti

I've seen that same error, but I don't know its cause. The workaround is to start the merge from Outlook instead of Word. Display the public folder, then choose Tools, Mail Merge. If you want to merge only certain contacts from that folder, select them before you choose Tools, Mail Merge. In the Mail Merge Contacts dialog box, choose to merge Only selected contacts.