Office - Quick Reference for Mail Merges

Owned by Davis, Rem
Last updated: Oct 13, 2023 by Taitt, Latoya
5 min read

Action

Mail Merge is a feature of Microsoft Office where a document (like labels, a letter, or an email message) can pull in values from a structured source (like a spreadsheet or a database) to automatically generate customized versions for each recipient in the structured source. It can be cumbersome to set up, but for larger jobs may be useful for form letters, mailing labels, and more.

Instructions


Using the Task Pane

  1. Get started
    On the Tools menu, point to Letters and Mailings, and then click Mail Merge to open the Mail Merge task pane.
  2. Choose a document type
    In the task pane, click the document type you want to create. Click Next: Starting document at the bottom of the task pane to move to the next step.
  3. Open the main document
    Choose your starting document by clicking an option in the task pane.
    • If you're creating letters, e-mail messages, faxes, or a directory, you can start with the open document, with a template on your computer or from Office Online, or from an existing document you created previously.
    • If you're creating envelopes or labels, you can choose the envelope or label size and style you want, or open an existing envelope or label document you created previously.Click Next: Select recipients at the bottom of the task pane.
  4. Connect to a data file
    Click one of the options in the task pane to:
    • Connect to a data file on your computer or on a server that already exists. You'll have to browse to locate the file, and then choose the worksheet or table within the file that you want to use.
    • Connect to your Outlook Contacts file. You'll have to choose the contact list folder you want to use.
    • Create a new data file from scratch. You'll type information in the New Address List dialog box to create a mailing database (.mdb) file.
  5. Choose the records you want to use in the merge
    After you connect to or create the data file, the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box opens. Use the column headings, check boxes, and buttons to sort and choose the data file records you want to use in the merge.
    Click Next: Write your letter at the bottom of the task pane.
  6. Add content and fields to the main document
    Type, insert, or paste into the main document the content that you want to appear in each merged copy.
    In the task pane, click the:
    • Address block link to add an address block field.
    • Greeting line link to add a greeting line field.
    • More items link to add a field representing any column from your data file.Tip    To add pictures to merged labels, with the main document open, on the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click From File. In the Insert Picture dialog box, locate the picture you want to use, and then click Insert. On the Format menu, click Picture. On the Layout tab, click Square, and then click OK. Insert the Address block field to the right of the picture. In the task pane, click Update all labels to add the picture and address block fields to the other labels on the sheet.
  7. Preview
    Use the buttons and links in the task pane to preview the merged documents. If you see errors, click Previous at the bottom of the task pane to return to the previous step and fix the problems.
  8. Complete the merge
    Click a link in the task pane to:
    • Print the merged documents.
    • Electronically send the merged documents, if they are e-mail messages or faxes.
    • For letter, envelope, or label document types, create a comprehensive document that contains all the merged documents, one document per page.

Using the Toolbar (more advanced)

  1. Get started
    On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Mail Merge to display the Mail Merge toolbar.

  2. Choose a document type
    Click the Main document setup button. Click the document type you want to create, and then click OK.

    If you click Envelope or Label, an Options dialog box opens where you can choose the size and style you want. If you want to start with an envelope or label document that you created previously, click Cancel to close the Options dialog box and open the document.
  3. Open the main document
    • If you want to start with the open document, just go on to the next step.
    • If you want to start with an existing document, open that document.
    • If you want to start with a template, on the File menu, click New. In the New Document task pane, under Templates, click a link to locate the template you want to use.

  4. Connect to a data file
    Click the Open Data Source button on the toolbar. In the Open Data Source dialog box, locate the data file that you want to connect to.

    If you want to use your Outlook Contacts as the data file for the merge, open the Mail Merge task pane by pointing to Letters and Mailings on the Tools menu, and then clicking Mail Merge. Advance through the task pane steps until you come to the Select recipients step. Click the Select from Outlook contacts option.
  5. Choose the records you want to use in the merge
    Click the Mail Merge Recipients button on the toolbar. In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, use the column headings, check boxes, and buttons to sort and choose the data file records you want to use in the merge.
  6. Add content and fields to the main document
    Type, insert, or paste into the main document the content that you want to appear in each merged copy.
    To add fields:
    • Click the Insert Address Block button to add an address.
    • Click the Insert Greeting Line button to add a greeting.
    • Click the Insert Merge Fields button to add a field representing any column from your data file.
    • Click the Insert Word Field button to insert one of the Word fields most frequently used in mail merge.
    • On the Insert menu, click Field to insert any Word field.
  7. Preview
    Use various previewing buttons on the Mail Merge toolbar:
    • To see the first merged document, click the View Merged Data button.
    • To page through the merged documents, click the Next Record button.
    • To preview a specific merged document, type the record number in the Go to Record box, and then press ENTER.
  8. Complete the merge
    Use various buttons on the Mail Merge toolbar.
    • To print the merged documents, click the Merge to Printer button.
    • To transmit the merged documents electronically, click the Merge to E-mail button or Merge to Fax button.
    • To create a new comprehensive document that contains all the merged documents, one document per page, click the Merge to New Document button.


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