Mail Merge to Outlook (email) stopped working / Excel data source

[anthws]

[FONT=&quot]One of my clients has been using this for years and it stopped working some weeks ago (they couldn't give me a specific date or even a good guess about when exactly). It's Office Pro 2013, so Word/Excel/Outlook are all the same version. Here's what they do:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1) create a data source in Excel, including email addresses and other potential merge fields[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2) create a new (or use an existing) "master document" in Word and connect it to that data source (I've done this before on other systems and am very comfortable with it)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3) select Mailings>Finish & Merge>Send Email Messages[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The user is prompted to choose the field containing the email address, a subject line, and the format (HTML [default] or Plain Text).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4) Enter all the required fields and click OK[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"HTML" used to work fine. Now it seems to do nothing. "Plain Text" partially works but brings up an Outlook warning from the Trust Center about a program trying to send email. There are articles about this on Support.Microsoft.com (here's one: https://support.microsoft.com/en-za/help/3189806/a-program-is-trying-to-send-an-e-mail-message-on-yo...) and I have gone through them looking for a solution. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One thing they list as an option is to change the "programmatic access" to "never warn... (not recommended)" but this is disabled since the user is not an admin user. And... i would like to not either make them admin or change that setting.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Another option is to do the "online repair" (completed... no joy)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Another is to uninstall Office, wipe traces of it, and reinstall). Not excited about trying this since I have dim hopes about it succeeding in resolving the issue.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One lead they offer is that some antivirus apps might interfere, especially if Windows/Office thinks the app is not valid or out of date. There's a place in Outlook>Options>Trust Center where the user's computer says the antivirus IS "valid", so that seems like a dead end.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My guesses are...[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]a) recent Windows / Office / .NET security update (but no way to know which one(s) since the usual Google searches haven't yielded any resolutions)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]b) recent antivirus client (it's Vipre Endpoint Security) change though that should only include new definitions since i haven't pushed a new client version[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Things I've tried...[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I) restart the computer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]II) login as admin user and set Outlook to run as admin (that didn't get completely tested because it wouldn't use the current user's mail profile and would only offer to create a new profile and email account for me - i don't have an email account on their system)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]III) "online repair"[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]IV) asked them to try using the same documents (stored on the server) on a different workstation on the same network (haven't heard results from that yet)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No positive results from these and I'm starting to wonder if there is yet another "known issue" that MS acknowledges and just lets it slide (I have experience with those on the MS Access side, for sure).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance!![/FONT]

 

[Macropod]

If mailmerge emails are able to be sent in plain-text format (despite the prompts), that suggests the basic functionality is intact. There are utilities for overcoming the plain text prompts (e.g. A program is trying to send e-mail on your behalf. Bypass this message with ClickYes.) but I suspect you'd prefer to get the HTML email functionality back. Was the PC re-booted after doing the repair? Does sending the mailmerge output to a Word document instead of to email work? Do the HTML emails at least get to the user's Outbox? If so, all that may be required is a change the Outlook Send & Receive scheduled period.

 

[anthws]

Macropod, first let me just say you are wonderful just to have replied!


You're correct that the HTML version (also with no prompt for permission) is preferable. However, if you can point me at a program that can bypass the prompt in the plain text mode, I'm game to try it.

Yes, the PC was rebooted after the repair.

No, the messages do not reach the user's Outlbox when using the HTML format.

Failing a successful resolution to this, I will recommend 3rd party email merge management software... if you have any favorites to recommend, i'd been appreciative of your input.

 

[Macropod]

Have you tried sending the mailmerge output to a Word document instead of to email? Does it look correct there?

As for:

if you can point me at a program that can bypass the prompt in the plain text mode

I already did that!

 

[anthws]

i see i forgot to answer one of the questions... yes, merge to Word works fine.

 

[anthws]

sorry, i didn't see the link. i'll check it out.

 

[Macropod]

It's possible that an AV app (even an updated one) or even a rogue 3rd-party addin is interfering with the process. If it works properly when running Word in safe mode (i.e. hold down the Ctrl key while starting Word), a rogue 3rd-party addin is the most likely culprit.

Cross-posted at:
Excel to Word to Outlook email merge stopped working in the last 2 months - Super User
Microsoft Word Merge to Email Stopped Working - Spiceworks

Please read Mr Excel's policy on Cross-Posting in rule 13: Forum Rules

I gather from your cross-post discussions that the problem affects all computers on the network concerned. Since there have been no reports of an Office update causing this, the problem is most likely something to do with the network concerned or a network-wide application (e.g. AV software or 3rd-party addin).

 

[anthws]

Paul,

Thanks for pointing out the rule about cross-posting. I have now read them. I understand that is one of the roles of moderators, i.e. to enforce rules. As an experienced moderator, i'm sure you're aware that few people actually read such rules before becoming aware of them. I am guilty of that. I don't understand the purpose of this rule, but i am certainly ready to respect it. Feel free to delete the entire thread, though i think you have brought it into compliance by posting the links. FWIW, i think that rule is counter-productive. When people need answers, they go to multiple sources. It's completely natural. To try to make one site the proprietary "owner" of a question... how does that help the community?

It is not all computers on the network. There are only two that are affected to this point. I have also done a comparison of installed updates on the affected and unaffected machines from around the time the problem began. There are no update that were installed within about 3 weeks of the inception of the problem.

It's not the AV app. I disabled AV as one of the first troubleshooting steps. I may not have mentioned it because it was second nature to try that. I will try the Word safe mode option but I don't believe that will make a difference since there should be no 3rd party addins on any of these systems (unless you count the Adobe Acrobat print driver).

I appreciate your time in responding.

 

[Macropod]

The rule about cross-posting mainly concerns the prevention of time-wasting by having people on a forum:
• retracing the same issues ; or
• providing advice in ignorance of relevant details,
that have already been covered elsewhere. It is not about 'ownership'. By all means, post on other forums - just provide the links for the benefit of all concerned.

If only two PCs on the network are affected, that suggests a problem with just those two PCs, or with the users' profiles. Re-imaging the affected PCs might resolve the former; revising the user profile would resolve the latter.