Generating completed PDF forms using word docs and ms access - vba

Question

I'm trying to use Microsoft Access to fill out word documents with bookmarked text form fields, and then export them as PDFs. I'm struggling to produce Visual Basic code in Access that works consistently. I continue to get errors about the word documents being locked from editing. Not sure how to proceed
Code I have so far
Public Sub ExportToMGR()
Dim wApp As Word.Application
Dim wDoc As Word.Document
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Set wApp = New Word.Application
Set wDoc = wApp.Documents.Open("C:\filepath\doc.docx")
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("Detail Report - Individuals")
If Not rs.EOF Then rs.MoveFirst
Do Until rs.EOF
wDoc.Bookmarks("FullName1").Range.Text = Nz(rs!ClientName, "")
wDoc.Bookmarks("FullName2").Range.Text = Nz(rs!ClientName, "")
wDoc.SaveAs2 "C:\filepath\" & "firstTest.docx"
rs.MoveNext
Loop
End Sub

Answer 1

Welcome to SO.
You shouldnt be opening the Word document, instead you should create a Word Template (.dotx) and add it to the documents collection by calling the .Add() method.
Once the document is filled with data, you need to call the .ExportAsFixedFormat() method to save as PDF.
See an example below.
Option Explicit
Private Sub RunMailMerge_Click()
On Error GoTo Trap
Const TEMPLATE_PATH As String = "YourTemplateFolder\WordTemplate.dotx"
Dim wApp As Word.Application
Dim wDoc As Word.Document
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim idx As Long
Set wApp = New Word.Application
wApp.Visible = False
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("Detail Report - Individuals")
If rs.EOF Then GoTo Leave
With rs
.MoveLast
.MoveFirst
End With
For idx = 1 To rs.RecordCount
Set wDoc = wApp.Documents.Add(TEMPLATE_PATH)
With wDoc
.Bookmarks("FullName1").Range.Text = Nz(rs!ClientName, vbNullString)
.Bookmarks("FullName2").Range.Text = Nz(rs!ClientName, vbNullString)
.ExportAsFixedFormat "DocumentPathWithExtension.pdf", wdExportFormatPDF, False, wdExportOptimizeForOnScreen
.Close wdDoNotSaveChanges
End With
Set wDoc = Nothing
rs.MoveNext
Next
Leave:
On Error Resume Next
If Not rs Is Nothing Then rs.Close
If Not wDoc Is Nothing Then wDoc.Close wdDoNotSaveChanges
If Not wApp Is Nothing Then wApp.Quit wdDoNotSaveChanges
On Error GoTo 0
Exit Sub
Trap:
MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical
Resume Leave
End Sub