Word Mail Merge: Remove Decimal Places from Number Fields

To remove decimal places from a Word mail merge result, edit the merge field and add the number-format switch \# "0", as in { MERGEFIELD Amount \# "0" }. This displays a whole number by rounding to the nearest integer; it does not change the value in your Excel data source. Preview the merge before printing or sending so you can confirm the result is right.

This method is useful for amounts, counts, and other numeric fields that should appear without digits after the decimal point. If you need to cut off the decimal portion without rounding, use a whole-number helper column in the data source instead. The distinction matters: 18.7 displays as 19 with the Word switch, but truncating it produces 18.

What You’ll Need

A Word mail merge main document with a merge field for the number you want to format.
An attached data source, such as an Excel workbook, containing the values to merge.
Permission to edit the Word document and, if needed, the spreadsheet or other source file.

Step-by-Step

Open the mail merge main document. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open the document that contains your merge fields. Select the Mailings tab and check that the correct recipient list is attached. If it is not, choose Mailings > Select Recipients and reconnect the appropriate list before changing field formatting.
Find the field that displays decimals. Select Mailings > Preview Results to see a sample recipient’s values in the document. Locate the number that needs changing, then turn off Preview Results so you can work with the merge field itself. If several fields show decimals, make a note of each field name; each one may need its own format switch.
Show the field code for that value. Right-click the merge result in the document and choose Toggle Field Codes. You should see a code similar to { MERGEFIELD Amount }, where Amount is the name of the column in your data source. You can also select the field and press Shift+F9 on Windows to toggle its code. Press Alt+F9 to show or hide field codes throughout the document.
Add the whole-number format switch. Place the cursor just before the field’s closing brace and type a space followed by \# "0". The complete code should look like { MERGEFIELD Amount \# "0" }. Keep the existing field name and add the switch inside the field. Do not type new curly braces yourself: Word uses special field braces, and ordinary typed braces do not create a working field.
Switch back to the result. Right-click the field and choose Toggle Field Codes again, or press Shift+F9 while the field is selected. The field should now display as a whole number. If you still see the code, switch it back to the result before judging the formatting.
Preview more than one recipient. Choose Mailings > Preview Results, then use the recipient navigation arrows on the Mailings tab to check several records. Include a value with a decimal fraction, a value that is already a whole number, and any unusually large or small values. The switch should remove the decimal display consistently, while rounding values to the nearest whole number.
Repeat for other numeric fields. Add the switch to each merge field that needs whole-number formatting. For example, a field named Quantity becomes { MERGEFIELD Quantity \# "0" }. Do not apply it to fields such as names, postal codes, or account numbers just because they contain digits; those are usually identifiers, not values to round.
Complete a test merge before producing the final output. Choose Mailings > Finish & Merge > Edit Individual Documents to create a separate document for review, or use the relevant print or email merge option if that is your intended output. Check the merged document for rounding, missing values, and any other formatting changes before distributing it.

To show thousands separators as well as remove decimals, use a pattern such as \# "#,##0", giving a field like { MERGEFIELD Amount \# "#,##0" }. A value of 12500 would then display as 12,500, depending on the regional number settings used by Word. Use \# "0.00" if you later decide the field should show exactly two decimal places instead.

On Word for Mac, the field-code commands are available from the right-click menu as well. The keyboard shortcut for toggling all field codes is generally Option+F9; on some keyboards you may also need to hold Fn. Windows uses Alt+F9. The Mailings tab and the field switch itself work similarly on both platforms, though ribbon labels or menu layout can vary slightly by Word version.

Common Mistakes

Typing the braces manually. Word field braces are special field characters. Typing { and } from the keyboard creates ordinary text, not a merge field. Edit the existing field, or insert a new one using Mailings > Insert Merge Field.
Putting the switch outside the field. The switch belongs after the merge field name and before the field’s closing brace. If it is typed after the brace, Word treats it as ordinary document text and the displayed number will not change.
Expecting truncation rather than rounding. The \# "0" picture displays a rounded whole number. For example, 6.8 becomes 7, not 6. If the business rule requires dropping the fractional part, change the source value with an appropriate helper column before merging.
Formatting the wrong field. A document can contain several numeric fields, and each may have a different name. Confirm the field code before editing it. Also check the field in the body, headers, footers, and labels if the same value appears in more than one place.
Assuming Excel cell formatting always carries into Word. Excel may display a value with no decimals while Word still receives or displays the underlying decimal value. A Word number-format switch is usually the most direct fix for the merge output.
Changing an identifier as though it were a quantity. Rounding a postal code, product code, or account number can make it incorrect. Treat identifiers as text and preserve leading zeros rather than applying a numeric format switch.

Tips

Keep a copy of the original mail merge document before editing many fields. That makes it easy to compare the original field codes or restore the prior formatting.
Use the simplest picture that matches the intended display. \# "0" removes decimal places; \# "#,##0" also groups thousands; and \# "0.00" shows two decimal places.
Test boundary values as well as typical ones. A value such as 3.2 rounds to 3, while 3.8 rounds to 4. Confirm that this behavior is appropriate for the way the merged document will be used.
If you want to truncate rather than round and the source is Excel, create a helper column. With the decimal values in A2:A20, enter =TRUNC(A2,0) in the helper column’s first data row and fill it down. For example, 6.8 returns 6. Use that helper column as the merge field. This changes the values supplied to the merge, so keep the original column if you need it for other purposes.
When you finish the merge, treat the resulting individual document as a snapshot. If you later change the source workbook, create or refresh the merge output again rather than assuming an already-created document will update itself.
For a currency field, decide whether the output should retain cents before choosing a switch. A whole-number format may be unsuitable for prices or totals where decimal precision is important.

Troubleshooting

The decimals are still visible. First toggle the field code and check that the switch is inside the braces and follows the field name. Confirm that the pattern is exactly \# "0", with a space before the backslash and straight quotation marks around the zero. Toggle back to the result, then select Mailings > Preview Results again. If you edited a finished merged document rather than the main document, make sure you changed the actual field and not a plain-text value.

The number changes, but it rounds the wrong way for your needs. The Word format switch is for display and rounds to a whole number; it is not a truncation command. If your requirement is to discard the fraction, use a calculated or prepared whole-number column in the data source, then insert that column as the merge field. Check a few source values and the resulting merge to make sure the chosen method matches the required rule.

The output looks like 0, blank, or an unexpected value. Check the source cell. It may contain text rather than a numeric value, a formula returning an empty string, or a value that is blank for that recipient. Verify that the merge field is connected to the intended column by selecting Mailings > Edit Recipient List and reviewing the recipient data. If the source value is text, correct or convert it in the source file instead of expecting the Word numeric picture to interpret every text format.

The code appears in the printed or merged document. Field codes may still be showing. Select the affected field and choose Toggle Field Codes, or use the all-fields shortcut to hide codes. Then preview the result again. Also ensure you did not insert the example code as ordinary text in place of a real merge field.

The result changes in preview but not in the final merge. Reopen the main merge document, confirm the switch remains in the field, and run a fresh merge using Mailings > Finish & Merge. If the merged document contains real fields that need recalculating, select its contents and update fields with F9 on Windows. On Mac, use the equivalent field-update command or the context menu; function keys may require Fn. Review the finished file before sending it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Word switch change the number in my Excel file?
No. It changes how the merge field is displayed in Word. The source value remains as it was in Excel.

Will removing decimal places round my numbers?
Yes. The \# "0" format displays a rounded whole number. If you need to drop the fractional part instead, prepare a truncated value in the source data and merge that field.

Can I keep a comma for thousands?
Yes. Use the number picture \# "#,##0" inside the field. Preview it in Word because separators can follow the regional settings on your computer.

Can I use this with a currency merge field?
Yes, but decide whether cents should be shown. A zero-decimal picture removes cents from the display and rounds the value, so it may not be suitable for invoices or other documents that require cents.

Do I need to add the switch to every recipient?
No. Add it once to the merge field in the main document. Word applies that field formatting as it previews and generates the output for each recipient.

Why do some numbers remain unchanged?
Those values may be stored as text, may belong to a different merge field, or may not contain decimal places. Check the field code and the corresponding source column, then preview a recipient whose source value is definitely numeric and has decimals.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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