1 Mail Merge in Word 2011 for Mac Introduction to Mail Merge Relationship between the Data Source and the Main Document Use the Mail Merge feature to create and manage a small database (Data Source) to populate preset fields in a Main Document (correspondence: letters and memos, mailing labels, reports, etc.) Combine the Data Source and the Main Document into a final Merged Document or file of documents. Main Document Data Source Merged Document The Mail Merge function requires two files: a Data Source document and a Main Document. Mail Merge creates a third document or set of documents in a file which is the finished product of the merge. The Data Source file contains information about persons, places or things. The information is formatted in a Word table, and records are created to organize the individual pieces of information. Another name for Data Source is Recipients List. The Main Document file includes text along with merge fields placed where you ll want the data from the data source to be merged into. Mail Merge Manager Use the Mail Merge Manager to get started quickly and easily in developing your Mail Merge files. 1. Select the Mail Merge Manager from the Tools menu.
2 2. A floating Mail Merge Manager window appears. Click on any of the numbered choices to access the sub-menu.
3 3. From the Mail Merge Manager window you may create or designate a Main Document, and a Data Source, as well as manage the merge process. Creating a Main Document 1. From the Mail Merge Manager window, click on Select Document and select Create New. You may choose from the following choices: Form Letters Labels Envelopes Catalog Select Restore to Normal Window if you would like to restore your working document from a mail merge document. 2. Enter the desired text into the body of the Main Document. 3. From the Mail Merge Manager window, select Insert Placeholders, and click on Contacts to access a list of your current Data Source fields names (called Placeholders). From this list drag and drop field names into your Main Document. Please note there will be no Placeholders available for selection until you have designated a Recipeints List (created a Data Source). Drag and Drop desired Placeholders (Data Source: Field Names) into the Main Document from this window. Drag and Drop desired Placeholders (Conditional commands) into the Main Document from this window.
4 4. You may also insert Conditional commands into your Main Document. Drag and drop desired command into the text of your Main Document. Choose from the following Conditional commands: Ask: Inserts Default bookmark text based on Prompt specified. Merge Record #: Inserts merge record number into the Main Document. Next Record if : Directs merge process to skip to next if a field name meets customized specifications. IE: a field name is blank, equal to, less than etc. Fill-in : Inserts customizable Default fill-in text when prompted. Merge Sequence #: Inserts a merge sequence number into the Main Document. Set Bookmark: Inserts a Bookmark ( a unique field: IE: months, seasons, dates, etc) and corresponding Value. If Then Else : Inserts text based on data in specified field. IE: Inserts Dear Sir if the data in the field name: Title is Mr. Next Record: merges the next record into the current merge document. Skip Record if : Insert to skip specified records. Comparison based on Field names. Creating a Data Source 1. Click on the Select Recipients List and select Get List to access any of the following options: 1. New Data Source : Opens Data Form window where you can populate the default field names in the Data Source. 2. Open Data Source : Opens previously saved Data Source file. Most common Data Source files are either Word tables or Excel spreadsheets. 3. Office Address Book : Select to designate as Data Source file. 4. Apple Address Book : Select to designate as Data Source file. 5. FileMaker Pro : Select to designate as Data Source file. 6. Header Source: Select to import data field names from the header of other file types (typically Excel). Field names are added directly into Contacts under Placeholders in the Mail Merge Manager window. Drag and drop your Placeholders (field names) into the Main Document from here. 2. Select New Data Source, to create a new file to hold the information that will populate your Main Document. 3. From the Create Data Source window you may modify (add or remove) desired Field names in your Data Sources header row. This will be covered on page 5 under Customizing Field Names for your Data Source. Click OK to open Data Form window to populate your Data Source with data. 4. Populate each field in the Data Form window with the appropriate data.
5 5. Use the buttons to the right to help you navigate in the Data Form window. Choose from the following functions: Select OK when you are finished adding all of your data to the Data Form window. Select Add New to add a new record to the Data Form window. Select Delete to delete the current record. Select Restore to recall a recently deleted record. Select Find to search your records from the Data Form window. Select View Source to view your Data Source document. Customizing Field Names for your Data Source Notes about Field Names: Before typing your actual data information, you may edit the Field names (i.e. name, address, phone number, ). Field names can be up to 40 characters long, they cannot contain spaces or hyphens, and must start with a letter. 1. Click on the Select Recipients List and select Get List to access any of the following options: 2. Select New Data Source : 3. From the Create Data Source window you may modify Field names (Placeholders).
6 Select Remove Field Name to remove a field from the data Select Add Placeholder to add new field names. Adds custom field name typed into Placeholder list. Change the order of fields by selecting the field name from the list, Field names in header row. Select either up or down directional arrows to change the order of the fields in the data source file. Click OK when all field names have been added or modified. Adding Records to the Data Source file from Mail Merge Manager: Choose Edit Data Source from the Mail Merge Manager window, or open the Data Source file at any time to add, modify or delete records. Click on the Edit Data Source button to access the Data Form window. Edit Data Source Merging Merge the Data Source document with the Main Document to produce the desired merged output. 1. Select Complete Merge from the Mail Merge Manager window. 2. Select either All or type in record numbers in the From and To fields to indicate which records you would like to merge. 3. Choose from one of the three icons: Merge to Printer, Merge to New Document or Generate e-mail messages. Exporting and Importing Data from other Sources Export and import data from others sources, such as FileMaker or Access, into Word and use as a Data Source merge file. From FileMaker Pro 4.0: 1. Open the FileMaker Pro database you want to export. 2. Select from the File menu, Import/Export, Export Records.
7 3. In the Save As dialog, name the file with a.mer at the end of the file name, for example, data.dbf 4. Click on the Save As Type pulldown menu and select Merge (*.MER). 5. Click on the Save button. 6. From the Export Field Order dialog, click on the Move All button to copy all fields for the export, or select individual field names and chose to Move them individually. 7. Click on the Export button. 8. Quit FileMaker Pro. 9. Open the Main Document window in Word 2011. 10. Open the Mail Merge Manager window (Tools menu, Mail Merge Manager) and click on the Get List under Select Recipients List and then select Open Data Source. 11. Locate the exported.mer data file and double click on it to import it into Word and have it act as the Data Source file in the merge (choose to view All Files *.* under the Enable pulldown if you don t see the exported file in the list). Select Open.