Introduction
Mail Merge is a useful tool that will allow you to easily produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, nametags, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet. In this lesson, you will learn how to use the
Mail Merge Wizard
to create a
data source
and a form
letter
, and you'll explore other wizard features.
Mail Merge
When you are performing a
Mail Merge
, you will need a
Word document
(you can start with an existing one or create a new one) and a
recipient list
, which is typically an
Excel workbook
.
If you'd like to work along with the lesson, you can download the examples below.
To use Mail Merge:
-
Open an
existing
Word document, or create a
new
one.
-
Click the
Mailings
tab.
-
Click the
Start Mail Merge
command.
-
Select
Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard
.
Selecting Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard
The Mail Merge task pane appears and will guide you through the
six main steps
to complete a merge. The following is an example of how to create a form letter and merge the letter with a
recipient list
.
Step 1:
-
Choose the type of document you want to create. In this example, select
Letters
.
Selecting a document type
-
Click
Next: Starting document
to move to Step 2.
Step 2:
-
Select
Use the current document
.
Selecting a starting document
-
Click
Next: Select recipients
to move to Step 3.
Step 3:
Now you'll need an address list so Word can automatically place each address into the document. The list can be in an existing file, such as an
Excel workbook
, or you can
type a new address list
from within the Mail Merge Wizard.
-
From the
Mail Merge
task pane, select
Use an existing list
, then click
Browse
.
Browsing for a data source
-
Locate your file in the dialog box (you may have to navigate to a different folder), then click
Open
.
Choosing a file
-
If the address list is in an Excel workbook, select the
worksheet
that contains the list, then click
OK
.
Selecting a table
-
In the
Mail Merge Recipients
dialog box, you can
check
or
uncheck
each recipient to control which ones are used in the merge. When you're done, click
OK
to close the dialog box.
Use check boxes to include or exclude recipients
-
From the
Mail Merge
task pane, click
Next: Write your letter
to move to Step 4.
If you don't have an existing address list, you can click the
Type a new list
button and click
Create
. You can then type your address list.
Step 4:
Now you're ready to write your letter. When it's printed, each copy of the letter will basically be the same, except the
recipient data
—like the
name
and
address
—will be different on each one. You'll need to add
placeholders
for the recipient data so Mail Merge knows exactly where to add the data. If you're using Mail Merge with an existing letter, make sure the file is open.
To insert recipient data:
-
Place the insertion point in the document where you want the information to appear.
-
Select
Address block
,
Greeting line
,
Electronic postage
, or
More items
from the task pane.
Inserting an address block
-
Depending on your selection, a dialog box may appear with various options. Select the desired options, then click
OK
.
Adjusting the address block formatting
-
A placeholder appears in your document (for example:
«AddressBlock»
).
-
Repeat these steps each time you need to enter information from your data record.
-
From the
Mail Merge
task pane, click
Next: Preview your letters
to move to Step 5.
For some letters, you'll only need to add an
Address block
and
Greeting line
. Sometimes, however, you may want to place
recipient data
within the body of the letter to further
personalize it
.
Step 5:
-
Preview the letters to make sure information from the recipient list appears correctly in the letter. You can use the left and right scroll arrows to view each document.
Previewing the letters
-
Click
Next: Complete the merge
to move to Step 6.
Step 6:
-
Click
Print
to print the letters.
Printing the letters
-
The
Merge to Printer
dialog box opens. Click
All
, then click
OK
.
The Merge to Printer dialog box
-
The
Print
dialog box will appear. Adjust the print settings if needed, then click
OK
.
The Print dialog box
Challenge!
-
Open an
existing Word document
. If you want, you can use this
example
.
-
Download the
recipient list
.
-
Use the
Mail Merge Wizard
to merge the
letter
with the
recipient list
.
-
Place an
Address Block
at the top of the page and a
Greeting line
above the body of the letter.
-
Print
the document.