The "Data Link Properties" dialog box appears when you try to add Outlook contacts to a mail merge document in Word 2007

When you try to add Microsoft Outlook contacts to a mail merge document in Microsoft Office Word 2007, the Data Link Properties dialog box appears.

This issue may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

• There is a problem with Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) on the computer.
• The Outlook profile that you are using is damaged.

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Install MDAC 2.8 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

If you are using Microsoft Windows XP, install Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 Service Pack 1 (SP1). If you are using Microsoft Windows Vista, go to method 2.

Note MDAC 2.8 must be installed before you can install MDAC 2.8 SP1. For more information about how to determine the version of MDAC that is installed on your computer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

1. If MDAC 2.8 is not installed, install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). MDAC 2.8 is included in Windows XP SP2. For more information about how to obtain Windows XP SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
2. After MDAC 2.8 is installed, restart the computer. Then, install MDAC 2.8 SP1. For more information about how to obtain the latest MDAC 2.8 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   884103 How to obtain the latest MDAC 2.8 service pack
3. Restart the computer. Then, determine whether the issue is resolved.

Method 2: Create a new Outlook profile

If method 1 does not resolve this issue, or if you are using Windows Vista, create a new Outlook profile. Then, configure the new profile to use the personal folders (.pst) file that was used by the damaged profile.

Locate the .pst file

To locate the .pst file that your profile uses, follow these steps.

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
3. On the E-mail tab, click your e-mail account.
4. The *.pst file appears under Selected e-mail account delivers new e-mail messages to the following location at the bottom of the Account Settings dialog box.
5. Note the path and the file name for the .pst file that is associated with your e-mail profile. For example, the path and the file name may resemble the following:
   C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and Microsoft Outlook 2002

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. On the Mail Setup tab, click Data Files.
4. Note the path and the file name for each .pst file that is associated with your e-mail profile. For example, the path and the file name may resemble the following:
   C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst

Create a new e-mail profile in Outlook

After you locate the .pst files, create a new e-mail profile in Outlook. To do this, follow these steps.

Outlook 2007

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
3. Click the E-mail tab, and then click New.
4. Follow the instructions in the Add New E-mail Account wizard to create the new account.
   
   Note If you do not have the account information that the Add New E-mail Account wizard requires, view the settings for your existing account. To do this, click the account on the E-mail tab in the Account Settings dialog box, and then click Change. Note each setting in the Internet E-mail Settings dialog box. If you do not know the password for your e-mail account, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Alternatively, if your mailbox is not associated with your ISP, contact the network administrator of the server on which your mailbox is located for help with your password.

Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2002

For more information about how to create a new e-mail profile in Outlook 2003 and in Outlook 2002, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Configure the new profile to use the .pst file that was used by the damaged profile

After you create the new profile in Outlook, configure the new profile to use the .pst file that was used by the damaged profile. To do this, follow these steps.

Outlook 2007

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
3. On the E-mail tab, click your e-mail account.
4. Click Change Folder under Selected e-mail account delivers new e-mail messages to the following location at the bottom of the Account Settings dialog box.
5. Click New Outlook Data File, click Office Outlook Personal Folders File, and then click OK.
6. Locate and then click the .pst file that was used by the damaged profile, and then click OK.

Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2002

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. On the Mail Setup tab, click E-mail accounts, click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
4. Click New Outlook Data File, click Personal Folders file (.pst) under Types of storage, and then click OK.
5. Locate and then click the .pst file that you want to use, and then click OK two times.
   
   Note If you want to use more than one .pst file, repeat steps 4 and 5 for each .pst file that you want to use with the new e-mail profile.
6. In the Deliver new e-mail to the following location list, click Personal Folders, and then click Finish.
7. Click OK if you receive the following message:
   You have changed the default deliver location for your e-mail. This will change the location of the Inbox, Calendar, and other folders. These changes will take effect the next time that you start Outlook.
8. On the File menu, click Exit.
9. Start Outlook. Then, click Yes to update the Outlook Bar shortcuts to point to the .pst files if you receive the following message:
   The location that messages are delivered to has changed for this user profile. To complete this operation, you may need to copy the contents of the old Outlook folders to the new Outlook folders. For information about how to complete the change of your mail delivery location, see Microsoft Outlook Help. Some of the shortcuts on the Outlook Bar may no longer work. Do you want Outlook to re-create your shortcuts?

For more information about a similar issue in Microsoft Office Word 2003 or in Microsoft Word 2002, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: