[AccessD] date format

Hello Group,

i have to date-fields in a table, both with the same preferences and both display there data in format dd-MM-yyyy.
When i use mailmerge with word, with the prps.item i get a different result, MM\dd\yyyy and dd\MM\yyyy. In this mailmerge also the function TodayDate is used, this gives dd-MM-yyyy. I now have changed the different format in the worddocument, to the same output, by using:
{DOCPROPERTY "GebDat" \@ "dd-MM-yyyy" \*MERGEFORMAT}
{DOCPROPERTY "DDatum" \@ "MM-dd-yyyy" \*MERGEFORMAT}

How is possible that two the same fields in access give different results? Is there a hidden format in the date fields?

When the Date-seperator in the country-preferences is choosen as "-", how can access gives "\" as seperator and why not in TodayDate?

TIA

Pedro Janssen