Excel to Word Mail Merge without repeating entries

[frogster90]

I'm trying to do an Excel to Word Mail Merge for Mailing Labels. However, I want it to skip over identical entries: ie. entries that have the same name. What's the best way to accomplish this?

For example if the names in the excel doc were:

Laureen Leverich

Shaun Camillo

Shaun Camillo

Shaun Camillo

Shaun Camillo

Duncan Vantrease

Duncan Vantrease

Yi Pierri

Sergio Danzy

Haley Kalis

Haley Kalis

Haley Kalis

Tawanda Hackley

Xavier Hindle

I'd want it to Print labels as follows:

Laureen Leverich

Shaun Camillo

Duncan Vantrease

Yi Pierri

Sergio Danzy

Haley Kalis

Tawanda Hackley

Xavier Hindle

I tried to create a new column in Excel that was identical to the names column but just one row lower. Using this I could compare the two cells.


{ SKIPIF {MERGEFIELD "Name" } = { MERGEFIELD "Pre Name" }{MERGEFIELD "Name" }
{ MERGEFIELD "Address" }
etc...
{ NEXT }


However, this didn't work.



I'm trying to find a way of accomplishing this that does not require an additional step of filtering the data each time I do a mail merge, because it's something I'm doing repeatedly. I know there are SKIPIF and NEXTIF functions in Mail Merge but they don't seem to do what I'd hoped they would.

All advice appreciated.

[bgoree09]

Hello,

I'm not familiar with mail merge, so if I'm off topic please ignore, but I can help to create a unique list in excel. Assuming that names are in column A use :: =IF(COUNTIF($A$1:A1,A1)>1,"",ROW()) in b1 and :: =IFERROR(INDEX($A:$A,MATCH(SMALL(B:B,ROW()),$B:$B)),"") in c1 and drag down. This will give you a unique list in column C.

Hope this helps,

[Kevin@Radstock]

Hi frogster90

Assuming your data is in A2:A15 and you are using Excel 2007>. In B2 enter: =IFERROR(INDEX($A$2:$A$15,MATCH(0,INDEX(COUNTIF($B$1:B1,$A$2:$A$15),0,0),0)),"") and copy down.