Question

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Sorting when Combining Family Members

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Trying to print mailing labels and a directory.  When I merge a dataview sorted by last name to a merge document everything comes out exactly as expected.  When I check the box to "combine family members" it ruins the sorting.  Same thing happens when I order by zip code using a report.  If family members are not combined it prints with sorting - if the check box to "combine family memebers" is checked it ruins the sorting.

I'm sure I am just missing something as this seems like such basic functionality.

  • Photo of Aaron Fuchs

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    My workaround for those of you with a similar circumstance.  I created a Word merge document which gets the name and address in a simple table.  Take the resulting merged document from Rock and copy and paste the table from Word into Excel.  Add an extra column with the formula =LEFT(F2,5) and fill that down the whole column.  That takes any zip+4 zipcodes and gives you the 5 digit zip.  Sort the excel spreadsheet by that column to get the zips in numerical order.  Save the sheet and do a regular mail merge in Word using that sorted sheet as the data source.  That would be to sort by zip code for bulk mailings. This is the doc I used for the Merge Template - Address For Sorting.docx.  This one would be more formal to add Mr or Mrs or Dr or whatever before the name Super Sixties Address Labels for Sorting.docx  You also may need to make the zip column a text field - if it is not Word may make some of the zip codes 0.