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I am created a form-letter using an Excel spreadsheet as a forming tool connected to a database and using paste-link to connect the results to an MS Word document.

Each section of the document is given a single cell to draw from which utilizes a formula to comprise itself of several other cells based on a logic determinate upon the data from the database queries.

All of this functions perfectly well.

The problem arises when the generated blocks of text from Excel include two carriage-returns in a row, creating what MS Word thinks is a new paragraph (and technically it is). The rest of the letter is justified, and I have attempted to set justified text as the default alignment. But no matter what I try, any newly formed paragraphs generated inside of linked text from Excel will be left-aligned.

For this form letter to function properly it must have justified text throughout. Inconsistent formatting won't be accepted by management.

To be clear, I have attempted to modify the settings of the "Normal" style of the document in Word, as well as creating a new style based on Normal called "Justified" and setting that as the default by selecting it and clicking "Change Styles" -> "Set as Default".

The first paragraph of any given block will always remain justified-aligned, it is only subsequent, newly-created (as far as MS Word knows) paragraphs that aren't. So I suspect I am just not setting the default properly or...I don't know, something.

I tried linking as unformatted text but that, for some maddening reason, includes QUOTATIONS MARKS bookending the text! I'm baffled and frustrated.

Please help. I don't like to look the fool at work.

Glamador
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1 Answers1

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While I still do not know how to make Word insert new paragraphs into linked blocks of text without left-aligning them, I have a working solution to my particular problem.

By forcing my spreadsheet to create blocks of text with the maximum number of paragraphs, then forcibly justifying the output in MS Word, I was able to ensure that, as long as I close the document between updates, that the text blocks will only shrink in size, rather than grow. This way, Word does not recognize the updated text as "new" paragraph, as there was already a paragraph in that block.

I saved the Word document with this overabundance of paragraphs, and put the Excel spreadsheet back the way it was.

Glamador
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