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How to Fix Scientific Notation in Publisher Mail Merge Data from Excel
Question details
Long numeric values from an Excel formula column are displaying in scientific notation during a Publisher mail merge.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Publisher
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Using an Excel workbook as a data source for a Microsoft Publisher mail merge recipient list.
- Observed behavior
- Numeric values, especially those derived from formulas, appear in scientific notation (such as values ending in E-2) in Publisher instead of their standard formatted appearance.
Before converting your data, double-check that your Excel formula calculations are fully updated and displaying the correct numbers in your spreadsheet.
Use a CSV File as the Mail Merge Data Source
Saving the Excel worksheet as a CSV file strips away complex formulas and underlying formatting, forcing Publisher to read the exact text values displayed in the cells.
Microsoft Publisher uses OLE DB to pull data from Excel, which often imports the underlying floating-point numbers instead of the formatted text. By converting the data to a CSV (Comma Separated Values) format first, you create a plain text source that reliably preserves the numeric display without automatically converting long numbers into scientific notation.
Launch Microsoft Excel and open the workbook containing the recipient list you want to use for the Publisher mail merge.
Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Save As', and choose your destination folder. In the 'Save as type' drop-down menu, select 'CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)' and click 'Save'.
Open your Microsoft Publisher document. Navigate to the 'Mailings' tab on the ribbon, click 'Select Recipients', and choose 'Use an Existing List'.
Browse your files to locate the newly created CSV file (ensure you select the CSV and not the original Excel file), and click 'Open' to complete the mail merge setup.
Perform Seamless Mail Merge with WPS Office
Avoid complex data connection bugs by using WPS Office. WPS Writer and WPS Spreadsheet are deeply integrated, allowing you to perform mail merges that accurately preserve long numbers and formula results without unwanted scientific notation formatting.
- 1. Prepare Data in WPS Spreadsheet: Open your data file in WPS Spreadsheet and ensure all numbers and formula results display correctly on the screen.
- 2. Initiate Mail Merge in WPS Writer: Open your document in WPS Writer, navigate to the 'References' tab, and click on 'Mail Merge'.
- 3. Import the Data Source: Click 'Open Data Source', select your WPS Spreadsheet file, and insert the required merge fields into your document layout.
- 4. View and Complete Merge: Click 'View Merged Data' to verify that all long numbers display exactly as intended without reverting to scientific notation, then complete the merge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Excel numbers change to scientific notation in Publisher?
Publisher uses an OLE DB connection to read Excel data, which pulls the underlying floating-point values instead of the formatted visual text. This causes long numbers or formula outputs to automatically render in scientific notation.
Can I fix this by changing the Excel cell format to Text?
Yes, but simply changing the format isn't always enough for formula columns. You typically need to copy the formula results, paste them as 'Values', and then format those specific cells as Text before importing them into Publisher.
Will saving my Excel file as a CSV delete my formulas?
Yes, saving a file as CSV converts all formula results into static text. It is highly recommended to save a copy as a CSV for the mail merge while keeping your original .xlsx file intact so you don't lose your formulas.
