Error message when you try to perform a mail merge in Publisher by using an Outlook contact list: "Unable to obtain list of tables from the data source" (922684)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Microsoft Outlook 2002
Microsoft Outlook 2000
Microsoft Office Publisher 2003
Microsoft Publisher 2002
Microsoft Publisher 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you try to perform a mail merge in Microsoft Publisher by using a Microsoft Outlook contact list, you receive the following error message:

Unable to obtain list of tables from the data source.

CAUSE

This issue occurs if you select an Outlook contact list that is not available in Publisher. The Outlook contact list must be displayed in the Outlook Address Book for Publisher to use the contact list in a mail merge.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, enable the Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book option in Outlook for the contacts folder that contains the contact list that you want. This causes the contact list to be displayed in the Outlook Address Book. To do this, follow these steps:

In Outlook, click Contacts.
Under My Contacts, right-click the contacts folder that contains the contact list that you want to use, and then click Properties.
On the Outlook Address Book tab, click to select the Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book check box, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Outlook Address Book, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

287563 Contact information does not appear in the address book in Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	8/8/2006
Keywords:	kbcontact kberrmsg kbtshoot kbprb KB922684 kbAudKnowledgeWorker kbAudEndUser