Creating an If...Then...Else rule for mail merges

Hi everyone. If I have a "Nickname" column in my data table and want to
create a rule such as this:

If <Nickname> is not blank, then use <Nickname>, else use <First Name>.

The reverse of that rule would also work. (If it's blank, use First Name,
else use Nickname.)

But how do I do this? Looking at the options for the If rules, I don't see a
way to do something this specific. It only seems you can check a data entry
and then substitute actual text, not another field value.

Thanks!

John Salerno,

Try the following IF function in your Word Document, once you link your data
source to the Mail Merge document.



{if {Mergefield First_Name}<> "" "{Mergefield First_Name}" "{Mergefield
NickName}" }



You can not just type this, you will need to insert the fields into the
formula. A simple way of doing it is as follows.

1. Insert Word Field button> Choose If....Then

2. Select if first name Is Not Blank. Which will give you this in your Word
Document.

{if {Mergefield first_name}<> "" "" "" }

3. Click mouse in the center of the Second double quotes (""). From the Mail
Merge toolbar> Select Insert Mail Mergefields button, and choose "First
Name"> Apply/OK.

4. Click mouse in the center of the Third double quotes (""). From the Mail
Merge toolbar> Select Insert Mail Mergefields button, and choose "NickName">
Apply/OK.




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"John Salerno" <johnjsal.DeleteThis@NOSPAMgmail.com> wrote in message
news:48b56aae$0$17360$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
Hi everyone. If I have a "Nickname" column in my data table and want to
create a rule such as this:

If <Nickname> is not blank, then use <Nickname>, else use <First Name>.

The reverse of that rule would also work. (If it's blank, use First Name,
else use Nickname.)

But how do I do this? Looking at the options for the If rules, I don't see a
way to do something this specific. It only seems you can check a data entry
and then substitute actual text, not another field value.

Thanks!