How to remove or replace certain characters from a string in mail merge?

I created a mail merge document using Word 2003. The ZIP code field comes from the database in this format: 60202-
I would like to remove the dash from the ZIP code and have 60202.
Also, the telephone numbers are formatted as: (111) 111-1111 and I would like to have it formatted as: 111.111.1111
I have done a lot of research online, but haven't found a solution to these problems yet. I Hope to find the answer here.

You need to open your database and select the table that has the zip code and phone number that you are wanting to edit and click the "design" tab.

If you picked the "zip code" input mask, then you need to deselect it.

For the phone number, in the "design" mode of the database, you need to replace the -- !(999) 000-0000;0;_ -- and replace it with 999"."000"."0000;;_

sorry to say this but there is no clear way

if you use outlook you may be able to edit them easily, and reformat them (in the address book)

It might be easiest to make a copy of the database and make the changes you need directly in that, before importing for the mail merge. Depending on the database program you're using, you might easily be able to change the format of the phone number. For the Zip Code, you could just do a search and replace in that particular field. (i.e. search for "-" and replace with "", although you wouldn't use quotes, of course.)

Here's another option for you, if you're not able to do an easy format change in your database program (like the guy below me mentions). Export the information you need from your database into Excel. Once your data is in Excel, it would be easy to search and replace within columns or rows. So you could select the Zip Code column, search for "-" and replace with "". (Use the "replace all" feature so you're not hitting OK a thousand times). Then, in the phone numbers column, do the same thing. Search for "(" and replace with "". Search for ") " and replace with "-". See what this does? This will give you the phone number format you're looking for! Then simply do your mail merge from the Excel document.

I know it's a bit convoluted, but this will get the job done for you. I don't know, maybe someone out there can come up with a better answer.