How to Fix the Word Email Merge No Records Found Error in WPS Writer
Question details
The user needs to fix the email merge 'No Records Found' error so the selected Excel recipient list is read correctly and the expected recipient records appear.
- Product
- WPS Writer Mail Merge
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is preparing an email merge in Word/WPS Writer and selects an Excel recipient list, but the merge cannot access the correct recipient source.
- Observed behavior
- Word, Adobe PDFMaker, or WPS Writer reports that no records were found instead of loading the recipient data.
Check that the Excel or WPS Spreadsheets recipient list opens correctly and that the intended data is placed on the first worksheet with column headers in the first row.
Select the Correct Excel Recipient List and Active Sheet
Use this fix when Word or WPS Writer shows 'No Records Found' because the mail merge is pointing to the wrong data source or duplicate source entry.
The 'No Records Found' error often occurs when the document is linked to an invalid or ambiguous Excel recipient source. Selecting the correct file and the active worksheet usually restores the recipient list immediately.
In WPS Writer, open the mail merge document and click the 'Mailings' tab in the ribbon.
Click 'Select Recipients' and choose 'Use an Existing List' to open the data source dialog.
Browse to the Excel or WPS Spreadsheets file that contains your recipient data, select it, and click 'Open'.
If the dialog shows multiple entries for the same workbook, select the entry ending with a dollar sign, for example 'Recipients.xlsx$Sheet1', because this indicates the valid worksheet.
Click 'OK' or 'Finish' to confirm the recipient source, then preview the mail merge to verify that records appear.
Prepare the Excel Workbook with First-Sheet Data and a Clean Header Row
Use this when the correct file is selected but the merge still cannot read records, or when preparing a recipient list before starting a mail merge.
Use WPS Writer to Re-link the Correct Excel Recipient List
Open the mail merge document in WPS Writer, select the correct Excel recipient list, and choose the active worksheet entry so the email merge reads every recipient and avoids the 'No Records Found' error.
- 1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open the document you want to use for the email merge.
- 2. Open Mailings tab: Click the 'Mailings' tab and choose 'Select Recipients' > 'Use an Existing List'.
- 3. Select the correct Excel file: Browse to the Excel or WPS Spreadsheets workbook that contains the recipient data, and select it.
- 4. Choose the active worksheet entry: If multiple data source entries appear, select the one that ends with a dollar sign, such as 'Recipients.xlsx$Sheet1'.
- 5. Preview and send: Preview the merged emails to confirm records appear, then complete the mail merge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my email merge say 'No Records Found' when my Excel file has data?
This usually means the document is linked to the wrong Excel file or to an invalid source entry. Open Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List, choose the correct workbook, and select the entry ending with a dollar sign to point to the active worksheet.
How do I make sure my Excel recipient list is ready for email merge?
Put the recipient data on the first worksheet, place field names in the first row, and keep field names alphanumeric and under 40 characters. Then save and close the workbook before selecting it as the recipient source.
Can I use my existing Word mail merge document in WPS Writer?
Yes. WPS Writer opens Word documents and keeps the mail merge settings and .xlsx recipient list compatible, so you can re-select the correct Excel source and continue the email merge.
What if the Select Data Source dialog shows multiple entries for one Excel file?
Choose the entry whose name ends with a dollar sign, for example 'Recipients.xlsx$Sheet1'. This identifies the specific worksheet that contains the recipient records.
Why do field names need to be in the first row of the Excel sheet?
Mail merge treats the first row as the header row. If headings are missing or placed elsewhere, the merge cannot map fields and may report that no records were found.
