You receive a "Word could not re-establish a DDE connection" error message in Word

To resolve this issue, use the method that is associated with the cause.

Problem Communicating Through DDE

Select a different method for opening the data source. To do this, make sure that the Confirm conversion at open option is enabled, and then open the data source:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Click to select the Confirm conversion at open check box, and then click OK.
4. Open the data source. To do so, use either of the following methods:
   
   • Insert a database in a Word document:
     
     1. On the Database toolbar, click Insert Database.
        
        Note To view the Database toolbar, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then click Database.
     2. In the Database dialog box, click Get Data.
     3. In the Files of type box, click the type of data file that you have.
     4. Click your data file, and then click Open.
     5. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, click the via DDE method that is correct for your data source, and then click OK.
     6. Click Insert Data.
        
        Note If Word cannot re-establish a DDE connection, try starting the database program, and then repeat the previous steps. Or, click via ODBC method in step 5.
   • Attach a data source to a mail-merge main document:
     
     1. Open your mail-merge main document.
     2. On the Tools menu, point to Letters and Mailings, and then click Mail Merge.
     3. In the Mail Merge task pane, click Step 3: Select Recipients, click Use an existing list, and then click Browse.
     4. In the Files of type box, click the type of data file that you have.
     5. Click your data file, and then click Open.
     6. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, click the via DDE method that is correct for your data source, and then click OK.
     7. In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, click OK.
        
        Note If Word cannot re-establish a DDE connection, try starting the database program, and then repeat the previous steps, or click via ODBC method in step 6.

The Query or Table Name Contains Quotation Marks

To work around this issue, rename the table in Access to use apostrophe characters (') as the marker, or use the Access ODBC driver instead of DDE.

You Select a Memo or Picture Field

To prevent this error message, do not try to sort Access 1.0 data tables by using the memo field or picture field.

The Access Database Is Opened Exclusively

To make shared access to the Access database possible:

1. In the Open Database dialog box, click to clear the Exclusive check box.
2. Change the Default Open mode for databases to shared. To locate this option in Access 2.0, click Options on the View menu, and then click Multiuser/ODBC in the Category box. To locate this option in Access 7.0, Access 97, Access 2000, or Access 2002, click Options on the Tools menu, click the Advanced tab, and then click the Shared option.