How to reset default data source

[Bill_LePera]

I’m using LibreOffice 7.2.2.2, Windows 10. Over the years, I’ve set up several annual LO Calc spreadsheets to use as data sources for mail merge, starting in 2019. I’ve noticed that each time I start a mail merge operation, the first data source for 2019 was always selected as the default. Usually I just select the current year’s data source and continue. Recently I archived some of my older files, including the 2019 spreadsheet and connection file. The next time I tried to do a mail merge, I got an error telling me the 2019 data source could not be found. I checked the connection settings, and tried to select the current year, but could not. To work around this, I had to recreate the 2019 data source.

Is there a way to change the default data source LO is using for mail merge, so I can point it to the current year as default?

Thanks.

[Hrbrgr]

Mail Merge in Writer there at
Register Data sources

Can that help?

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My tip: I would not rename the data source every year, choose a name e.g. “Addresses Mail Merge” and change the content there or add / edit it.

[Villeroy]

There are numerous ways to redirect the mail merge document.

1. Follow Hrbrgr’s advice
2. With many spreadsheet documents: Open the Base document and call menu:Edit>Database>Properties… to change the spreadsheet document that is connected to the database.
3. I would use one spreadsheet with multiple sheets for each year and exchange the source sheet in Writer menu:Edit>Exchange database… and pick the right sheet.

The first 2 methods require you to save everything and restart the entire office suite before the mail merge works with the new data. This is a handicap when you connect database documents with spreadsheets. The 3rd should work without restart…

[Bill_LePera]

Thank you. Number 3 (Exchange Database) worked and was exactly the solution I was looking for.