Mail Merge with Microsoft Word

Mail merge denotes the generation of multiple documents to different recipients from a standard template. The template is a standard Microsoft Word document and the recipient details are typically sourced from a spreadsheet.

Example

Sales Manager sending out promotional details to all the Dealers listing out the events planned for the dealership area. Sending out wedding invitations to family and friends is another example.

Steps

There are two simple steps for doing a mail merge:

• Creating the data source. Using a spreadsheet to create one is shown below.
• Using Microsoft Word to generate a mail merge document.

Creating the Data Source (Spreadsheet)

• Open a blank spreadsheet.
• Enter the names and addresses of the recipients as shown in the image below.

• Save the completed spreadsheet. The data source is now complete.

Generate Mail Merge

• Open Microsoft Word. The example given is for Word 2003. Click here for Word 2007
• Select Tools > Letters and Mailing > Mail Merge from the menu. Mail Merge window appears to the right and will guide you through this process.

• Select document type: Select the type of document you are working on. For this example, select ‘Letters’.
• Click ‘Next Starting document’

• Select starting document: How do you want to set up your letters? For this example, select ‘Use the current document’. Click ‘Next:Select Recipients’ at the bottom.

• Select Recipients: You can select recipients from an existing list, from Outlook contacts, or type a new list. For this example, select ‘Use an existing list’ (we will use the spreadsheet created earlier).
• Click ‘Browse’ to select the data file. ‘Select Table’ window appears. Click ‘OK’.

• ‘Mail Merge Recipients’ window appears. You can sort this list, add or remove recipients from the mail merge etc. Click ‘OK’ button.
• Click ‘Next:Write your letter’ at the bottom.
• Write your letter: Sample steps are illustrated below:
• Enter the date
• Click ‘Address block’ to format the address style. ‘Insert Address Block’ window appears.

• Specify the style required and click .
• Press the ‘Enter’ button to start a new line.
• Click ‘Greeting line’ to format greeting style. ‘Greeting Line’ window appears.
• Format the style required and click .
• Press the ‘Enter’ button to start a new line.
• Type in the content required. You can also enter variables by clicking ‘More Items’. This is shown in the example below.
  
• Click ‘Next:Preview your letters’. The preview of the first recipient is displayed. Click the left or right arrow to browse other recipients.
  
• Click ‘Next:Complete the Merge’ – You can print the merged letters or make changes to individual letters as required.

Related posts:

1. Mail Merge using OpenOffice.org Writer