Member Avatar for Nelly1965

I am trying to control the input of data into a Word 97 document using a VB form to collect the data. How do I then best transfer this data into the correct locations on the document.

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Two practical approaches will solve this. One is the batch route hinted at (store form values in a data source and use Word mail merge when you need many letters/documents). The other is direct automation from your VB form into a single Word template using bookmarks or legacy form fields — this is usually simpler for one-off or interactive documents. The VB TextBox ControlSource cannot be pointed at a Word bookmark; you must copy values in code.

A minimal VB6 pattern (early binding) looks like this — open the template, write into a bookmark range, re-add the bookmark (assigning text removes the bookmark), save and close:

' VB6, early-binding example (add Microsoft Word Object Library reference)
Dim appWord As Word.Application
Dim doc As Word.Document
Dim rng As Word.Range

Set appWord = New Word.Application
Set doc = appWord.Documents.Open("C:\Template.doc")
Set rng = doc.Bookmarks("ClientName").Range
rng.Text = Me.txtClientName.Text
doc.Bookmarks.Add "ClientName", rng

doc.SaveAs "C:\Output.doc"
doc.Close False
appWord.Quit
Set rng = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
Set appWord = Nothing

Notes and troubleshooting:

  • Use simple bookmark names (alphanumeric, no spaces) and match them exactly.
  • For fillable Word form fields use doc.FormFields("FieldName").Result = value instead.
  • If deploying to different Office versions, prefer late binding (CreateObject("Word.Application")) to avoid reference issues.
  • Always close documents and quit Word or you’ll leave WINWORD.EXE processes running.

If the need is many personalized docs, push your form data into Access or CSV and run a mail merge; if you want interactive, single-document editing, automate bookmarks/formfields from VB as shown.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

do you have microsoft access?

Member Avatar for Nelly1965

I have office 97 profesional so yes and VB6. The text box on the VB form has a control source property, how can I link this to a location on the Word document (maybe a bookmark?).

Member Avatar for jbennet

you could get the form to put data into an access database then mail merge it from there into a word document?

Member Avatar for Nelly1965

Thank you I will look into that. I am not familiar with mail merging.

Member Avatar for jbennet

mail merge is where you have a word document that gets data from an access database


e.g

<address>

mr <name> you are in debt of <balance> to our company. please pay within 28 days or your account will be closed


Mail merge will make a document like that for every record

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