Add Variable Hyperlink in Mail Merge in Word 2013

Question

I'm trying to add a hyperlink to a mail merge field. So something like this:

{HYPERLINK "{MERGEFIELD "Links" }"}

So I create a field like this.

{ MERGEFIELD Links }

And the above works (it displays different links for different recipients).

However, when I go to Edit Field, and then attempt to add HYPERLINK to { MERGEFIELD Links}, Word will not allow me. Meaning that when I type HYPERLINK followed by a space, the "variable" field is gone. Instead of word displaying...

LINK

it displays...

   {HYPERLINK "{MERGEFIELD "Links" }"}

even after I press "update field". So Word is not letting me enter HYPERLINK for some reason.

How do I solve this?

Answer 1

I also have been struggling with this. What I found to be the key is creating the document from SCRATCH and not saving it before executing the mail merge. Here are the steps I used:

1. open a new document and click on the step by step mail merge wizard; add your generic text.
2. To add the variable hyperlink go to insert>quick parts>fields
3. select hyperlink on the left and click okay
4. Use alt + F9 to see the hyperlink field code
5. Type “” and between them insert your merged field so that {HYPERLINK \* MERGEFORMAT} -> becomes {HYPERLINK"{MERGEFIELD"Constructed_URL"}"\*MERGEFORMAT}
6. Press ALT+F9 to hide the field code
7. Click in the text "Error! Hyperlink reference not valid" and replace with something generic like click here.
8. Complete the mail merge BEFORE you save the document.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Answer 2

Start with the process here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912679 However, like user1867326 indicated, the hyperlink (which should be variable with the mail merge) is converted into a static link when the Word file is reopened.

A solution that seems to work is adding a bookmark within the hyperlink field code immediatly after the mergefield. { HYPERLINK { MERGEFIELD "Link" } \* MERGEFORMAT } Click between the } and \ and go to INSERT > Bookmark, give it a name, and this seems to prevent Word from replacing the mergefield with a static hyperlink.

This answer is adapted and hopefully clarified from the clever solution described here: Mailmerge dynamic hyperlink fields lost after save/reload of document - Word 2010