Forms in a Mail Merged word doc

[eg_87]

Is it at all possible to create, edit and delete form items (including protecting and unprotecting the document - so the form functions actually work!) on a word document that is a mail merge from a database and is in template form. When I open up the template itself and try to do it, everything works except the protecting and unprotecting. As is the same when I just open up the template as a word doc ( like double click on it and it opens up as document1.doc) - I can do all the messing around with forms, but I just can't protect it.

My aim is to open up several of these mail merge documents and for people to be able to fill them in electronically. Except I work with some fairly creative people who don't enter in the right details and are able to completely mess up the entire document. So I want to be able to 'lock it down' of sorts.

If anyone could help me with this - or has any suggestions other than beating my colleagues over the head with a blunt object it would be much appreciated!!

Cheers

Em

[spacesurfer]

I've had a similar problem protecting word documents. For some reason, it wants me to download Windows rights management.

On other computers, it seems to work alright.

I don't know what's causing this.

[Tricia C]

I am trying to do EXACTLY the same thing as Em, and I can't get it to work, either. We are setting up a "Paperless Office" and this combination of Mailmerge and Forms is essential.

I went back to Word 97 to try it out, and when you click Protect, it actually CRASHES Word.

So if ANYONE can explain if/how it can be made to work, I could postpone my nervous breakdown

Thanks, Tricia.