SIU Medical Library / Department of Information and Communication Sciences MICROSOFT WORD: MAIL MERGE MICROSOFT WORD 2010 OVERVIEW Mail Merge allows you to automatically merge a list of variable information, such as addresses, with standard text to create form letters, mailing labels and other types of documents. Use Mail Merge to create form letters, mailing labels, envelopes, directories, and mass e-mail and fax distributions. To complete the basic process: 1. Open or create a main document. In a mail-merge operation in Word, the main document contains the text and graphics that are the same for each version of the merged document, such as the return address or salutation in a form letter. 2. Open or create a data source. The data source file contains the information to be merged into a document such as the list of names and addresses you want to use in a mail merge. You must connect to the data source before you can use the information in it. 3. Add or customize merge fields. A merge field is a placeholder that you insert in the main document. Word will insert the city name stored in the City data field into the main document. 4. Merge data from the data source into the main document to create a new, merged document. IMPORTANT Save the main document with the placeholders or merge fields. The merge toolbar is displayed in this document. The document with the merged data is NOT the main document. If you need to make a form letter, envelopes and mailing labels, you can use the same data source for all three. However, you will create and save a new main document for each. (one for the letter, one for the labels, and one for the envelopes) DATA SOURCE The data file can be in a variety of formats, including: Microsoft Office Outlook Contacts lists. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 worksheets. Microsoft Office Word 2007 tables. Microsoft Office Access 2007 database tables. Text files in which tabs or commas separate the columns, and paragraph returns separate the rows. In a data file, information is organized into columns and rows. Each column represents a category, such as first name, last name, company, or street address. Each row, except for the first row, represents one complete record or set of data. The first row is special. Called the Header row, it contains the column names. For the best results, set up your data file so that each column represents the smallest possible category. For example, use separate columns for first and last names rather than just a name column. Use separate columns for each element in an address, such as street number, city, state, and postal code. This gives you the most flexibility when you arrange fields in the main document.
CREATE A FORM LETTER STEP 1: CLICK THE MAILINGS TAB STEP 2: CLICK START MAIL MERGE AND CHOOSE LETTERS STEP 3: SELECT RECIPIENTS IF CREATING A NEW LIST, Chose Type New List Use the TAB key to move from cell to cell. TO CUSTOMIZE THE FIELDS Use the Customize Columns button at the bottom of the window to customize the address list. 2
The resulting window lists the Field Names provided. Customize by adding, deleting or renaming fields. To change the order of the fields, select the field name and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons. STEP 4: INSERT MERGE FIELDS AND WRITE LETTER TO INSERT AN ADDRESS BLOCK: Click the Address Block button on the Write & Insert Fields section of the ribbon to insert an address block into your letter. Choose the desired format for the address block and click OK Use the Match Fields button to match your field names with the required fields to correct problems. This may be necessary if you created the address list in another program, such as Excel. 3
TO INSERT A GREETING LINE: Click the Greeting Line button on the Write & Insert Fields section of the ribbon to insert a greeting line into your document. CHOOSE A FORMAT FOR THE GREETING LINE AND CLICK OK VIEW YOUR MERGED DATA Click the Preview Results button on the ribbon to replace the merge fields with data from your recipient list. 4
STEP 5: COMPLETE THE MAIL MERGE Click the finish & merge button on the preview results section of the ribbon. Recommended: Choose Edit Individual Documents rather than sending directly to the printer. CREATING ENVELOPES STEP 1: CLICK THE MAILINGS TAB STEP 2: CLICK START MAIL MERGE AND CHOOSE ENVELOPES Options include: envelope size delivery address font return address font. 5
STEP 3: SELECT RECIPIENTS Type a New List as described above in Creating a Form Letter or use and existing list. STEP 4: INSERT AN ADDRESS BLOCK TO INSERT AN ADDRESS BLOCK: Click below the center of the envelope. You should see a rectangle with a dashed border. NOTE: If you choose the Home Tab and click the Show/Hide button it will be easier to see where the address block should go.. With the Mailings tab selected, click the Address Block button on the Write & Insert Fields section of the ribbon. Choose a format for the address block and click OK Use the Match Fields button to match your field names with the required fields to correct problems. This may be necessary if you created the address list in another program, such as Excel 6
VIEW YOUR MERGED DATA Click the Preview Results button on the ribbon to replace the merge fields with data from your recipient list. STEP 5: COMPLETE THE MAIL MERGE Click the finish & merge button on the preview results section of the ribbon. Recommended: Choose Edit Individual Documents rather than sending directly to the printer. CREATING MAILING LABELS STEP 1: CLICK THE MAILINGS TAB STEP 2: CLICK START MAIL MERGE AND CHOOSE LABELS 7
Select the label vendor and product number for the type of labels you are using. OR choose the New Label button and enter the dimensions for your label. STEP 3: SELECT RECIPIENTS Type a New List as described above in Creating a Form Letter. OR use an existing list STEP 4: INSERT AN ADDRESS BLOCK With the Mailings tab selected, click the Address Block button on the Write & Insert Fields section of the ribbon. Choose a format for the address block and click OK Use the Match Fields button to match your field names with the required fields to correct problems. This may be necessary if you created the address list in another program, such as Excel 8
STEP 5: UPDATE THE LABEL Click the Update Labels button on the Mailings tab. This step updates all the labels in the document with an address block to use the information from the recipient list. STEP 5: COMPLETE THE MAIL MERGE Click the finish & merge button on the preview results section of the ribbon. You may merge to a new document (recommended), send directly to the printer or directly to email. Merging to a new document will allow you to check it before printing and to edit individual letters in the document if desired. HELPFUL TIP If you have more than one merge document open at a time you Word will not allow you to edit the data source document containing the addresses. CPG 1/29/2015 9