Suppress Blank Lines in a mail merge

Anonymous
2010-09-17T14:37:31+00:00

Using Word 2007, I am creating a mail merge. Some addresses have one line, some have two (Suite number, etc.) I want to suppress the second address field only if it is blank, so there are no blank lines in the document after I perform the merge. In older versions of Word, I remember a check box for "suppress blank fields" but I can't seem to find that in 2007.

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Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2010-09-17T14:59:46+00:00

In general, blank lines are automatically suppressed, but only if they end in a paragraph break, not a line break. Consequently, the default is not a solution for me and perhaps not for you, either. So you have to use an IF field. Assuming your two address lines are the merge fields Address1 and Address2, you'd have something like this.

{ MERGEFIELD Address1 }<line break>

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Address2 } = "" "" "{MERGEFIELD ADDRESS2}<line break>" }

The way that will actually appear in your document is:

{ MERGEFIELD Address1 }

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Address2 } = "" "" "{MERGEFIELD ADDRESS2}

" }

By putting the line break inside the FalseText quotes, you ensure that thereis a line break only if the line contains text; otherwise, there will be no line.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-01-27T15:21:59+00:00

    instead of suppressing a line for blank field, i work the opposite way, creating a line if the field is not blank

    go to:

    mailings -> rules -> if/then

    if (address2) is not blank then

    in first box, hit the enter key to make a line

    in the second box, nothing

    then when you get back to the word doc, press F9 to see merge codes, and insert address2 field on the blank line created.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-13T15:21:24+00:00

    John,

    Thank you for this easy fix. I have been banging my head against the desk for about 20 minutes sifting through replies and trying out various solutions. Yours is the least complex and also works :)

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-12-03T17:09:09+00:00

    This works PERFECTLY! Thanks Richard!

    Hi MarciaBe, great! I'm glad you found it useful. 

    You know, it's the first time i've ever posted anything to a forum, but it was such a pain to try to sort the blank line issue out, I thought others may find the method helpful too.

    I'm glad I did post it as there is something strangely satisfying about conquering a problem and letting others in on how to solve it!

    Thanks for your feedback Marcia.

    P.S. Would you mind clicking on the 'Found this helpful' link so that others can see my method works!

    Many Thanks

    Richard

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-12-03T16:19:16+00:00

    This works PERFECTLY! Thanks Richard!

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