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Mike_PeoplesMDA's avatar
Mike_PeoplesMDA
Copper Contributor
Jan 03, 2024

IMAGE function not working in Excel desktop app. Trying make custom QR labels using Word Mail Merge

Howdy All,

 

So I recently came across the IMAGE function as a way to generate bulk QR codes in excel.  Formula: =IMAGE("https://api.qrserver.com/v1/create-qr-code/?size=100x100 &data=<"&E2&">")  

 

I was hoping to use this function in combination with MS Word's Mail Merge to generate custom labels that contain a QR code for identifying samples.    We have an enterprise MS Office 365 Pro account.   The desktop Excel/MS Office version 2302 (Build 16130.20868).    Supposedly the IMAGE function should be available on the desktop, but it is not.   When I log in through office 365 website, or run the web version of excel with our license, the image function is there and works perfectly.  Is there any way to get an updated version of the Excel desktop app that supports this function?  

 

 

Unfortunately, when I use the online version of MS Word, I can't find a mail merge option to generate the labels from an excel file that does not have an error.  

 

Now I don't even know if the Word Mail Merge can be compatible with images (I hope it can, if not can someone please start working on this!)

 

Any suggestions to help me take multiple rows of information, condense it into a single QR code, and be able to import that image into Word for printing custom 1.28"x0.5" labels would be greatly appreciated.  

Excel
Excel for web
Formulas and Functions
office 365
  • AshaKantaSharma's avatar
    AshaKantaSharma
    Iron Contributor
    Aug 20, 2024
    The IMAGE function is indeed a newer feature in Excel and may not be available in the desktop version of Excel you're using if it’s not updated.
    • Mike_PeoplesMDA's avatar
      Mike_PeoplesMDA
      Copper Contributor
      Aug 20, 2024

      AshaKantaSharma   Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.  Our enterprise license has been updated to where it does now work on the desktop app and I can form custom QR codes with information based on other cell information.  It is really cool.

       

      However, what I would like to do, is generate labels with this custom information in the format of these custom QR codes.   my labels are ~0.5"x.05".  I have a format for them in MS word and currently can import text from excel into these labels through mail merge.

       

      Does anyone know how to import these QR images through mail merge?  I regularly generate 50-100+ labels at a time, this is why mail merge is very convenient instead of making custom labels for each individual one.   Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

       

      Thank you!

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