> If
> a. your address list is an "Office Address List" (OAL, a special type of
> ..mdb) and
> b. you have Access and
> c. you feel comfortable using SQL,
>
> then you can certainly try editing your data using Access and SQL.Although
> this appears to work, I haven't used it much, and you should back up your
> existing OAL before using this technique
>
> However, if you try this I suggest that you do not open the OAL directly in
> Access because you then risk damaging its structure, which is quite
> fragile - and that would mean that Word will not see it as an OAL and you
> will probably lose the ability to edit the records in the Form that Word
> provides.
>
> Instead, you can create a new blank database (let's call it editoal.mdb and
> use Access File->get External Data->Link tables to create a link to the
> Office_Address_List table in your OAL (an OAL has a single table called
> Office_Address_List and a single query called Office Address List)
>
> Then you can create a Query in your new database. From the database panel, I
> usually do Access Insert->Query, select Design View, OK, then Close when I
> get to Show Table. Then you have a blank Query Design panel. RIght-click on
> the Query title bar and select SQL View (Access regulars may have a much
> quicker way to get there).
>
> Then enter your UPDATE query, e.g.
>
> UPDATE Office_Address_List SET [Address Line 1] = replace([Address Line
> 1],"ave.","Avenue")
>
> (that would update all [Address Line 1] fields, but actual change would only
> occur in the ones that contained the text "ave.")
>
> And click the ! button to execute the query. The changes should occur
> immediately, but you may need to move records or re-open the Edit Recipients
> dialog in Word to see the changes.
>
> If you save the query, to edit it all you need do is select the query in the
> Database panel, right-cick and select Design View.
>
> Working this way you can keep both Access and Word open and retain the
> features of the OAL. Of course, if you do not mind losing the OAL's special
> features there is nothing to stop you opening the OAL directly in Access.
> You can link to different OAL's from the same .mdb either as and when
> requied (it doesn't take long) or you can give each linked table in
> editoal.mdb a distinctive name.
>
> If your data source isn't an OAL then I think Graham has already covered the
> ground.
>
> If your data source is an OAL but you do not have Access you could execute
> this kind of query using Word VBA, but let's not go there just yet.
> --
> Peter Jamieson
>
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk>
> "RS" <RS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:14F0635E-EAAF-4511-B5BC-2462C663FE51[ at ]microsoft.com...
> > Is there a way to edit multiple entries in the data source for Word 2003?
> > i.e. if I want all the ave. to read "Avenue". I know I can do this at
> > the
> > end of mail merge, but I would like to have it in my main data source.
> >
> > Thank you for any assistance you can offer!!
> >
> > RS
>
>