How to Mail Merge

How do I start a mail merge?
You can use the Mail Merge Helper to create form letters, mailing labels, envelopes, or catalogs. The Mail Merge Helper guides you through organizing the address data, merging it into a generic document, and printing the resulting personalized documents.

Open or create a main document, which contains the generic information that you want to repeat in each form letter, mailing label, envelope, or catalog.
Open or create a data source, which contains the data that varies in the merged documents — for example, the name and address of each recipient of a form letter. The data source can be an existing spreadsheet, database, or text file, or a Word table that you create by using the Mail Merge Helper.
In the main document, insert merge fields, which are placeholders that tell Microsoft Word where to insert data from the data source.
Merge data from the data source into the main document. Each row (or record) in the data source produces an individual form letter, mailing label, envelope, or catalog item. You can send the merged documents directly to a printer, or to e-mail addresses or fax numbers. Or you can collect the merged documents into a new document so you can review and print them later.
Note If you’re sending mail to U.S. addresses, and you’re using one of the following versions of Microsoft Office (Small Business, Professional, or Premium), then you can use Direct Mail Manager to create form letters, mailing labels, and envelopes for a direct mailing, take advantage of U.S. Postal Service bulk mail discounts, and find out about services that can print and deliver a mailing for you. For more information, see Direct Mail Manager Help.

What types of data sources can I use?
You can use just about any type of data source that you want, including a Word table, Microsoft Outlook contact list, Excel worksheet, Microsoft Access database, or ASCII text file. If you haven't already stored information in a data source, Word guides you step by step through setting up a Word table that contains your names, addresses, and other data. Learn about mail-merge data sources.

How do I customize a mail merge?
To customize a mail merge, you can specify which data to merge, preview the merged documents, and fine-tune the results. For example, you can target specific customers, such as those in specific postal code areas. Or you can have Word prompt you to enter a client’s appointment date and time.

Creating form letters

Step 1: Open or create the main document
Do one of the following:
Open an existing letter.

Create a new letter.

On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
Under Main document, click Create, and then click Form Letters.
Click Active Window.
The active document becomes the main document.

Step 2: Open or create the data source
In the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, do one of the following:
Create a new data source. Use this method if you haven't already stored the names, addresses, and other data in a data source, and want to store the data in a Word table.

Use data in an existing data source. Under Data source, click Get Data, and then click Open Data Source. Select a Microsoft Word document, or a worksheet, database, or other list, and then click Open. Click Edit Main Document.

Use addresses from an electronic address book. Under Data source, click Get Data, and then click Use Address Book. Select an address book, and then click OK. Click Edit Main Document.

Step 3: Edit the main document and insert merge fields
In the main document, type the text that you want to appear in every form letter.
Insert merge fields where you want to merge names, addresses, and other data from the data source. To insert a merge field, click in the main document, click Insert Merge Field on the Mail Merge toolbar, and then click the field name you want.
After you complete the main document and insert all of the merge fields, click Save As on the File menu. Name the document, and then click Save.

Step 4: Merge the data into the main document
On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
If you want to specify the order in which data is merged, or to merge only part of the data, then you can sort and select data records to merge.
If you want to see how the merged data will appear, then you can preview the merged documents.
In the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click Merge under Merge the data with the document.
If you want to check the data source for errors before you merge, click Check Errors. Choose an option, and then click OK.
Do one of the following:
Send the merged letters directly to a printer. In the Merge to box, click Printer, and then click Merge.

Store the merged letters in a new document, so you can review, edit, and print them later.

Distribute the merged letters to e-mail addresses or fax numbers.

Create a new Word data source
Make sure you've already set up the main document.
If you don't see the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click in the main document, and then click Mail Merge on the Tools menu.
Under Data source, click Get Data, and then click Create Data Source.
In the Field names in header row box, specify the data fields that you want to include in the data source:
To delete a data field, click the field name in the Field names in header row box, and then click Remove Field Name.

To add a data field, type a new field name in the Field name box, and then click Add Field Name.

To change the order of the data fields, click a field name in the Field names in header row box, and then click one of the arrow buttons.

When you finish specifying the data fields, click OK.
Locate the folder that you want to save the data source in, type a file name, and then click Save.
Click Edit Data Source.
In the Data Form dialog box, fill in the information for each data record:
To fill in a record, type information for a data field, and then press ENTER to move to the next field. If you don't want to include information for a particular field, press ENTER to skip the field. Don't type spaces in the box.

To start a new data record, click Add New.

When you finish entering data records, save the data source by clicking View Source, and then clicking Save on the Standard toolbar.
To return to the main document, click Mail Merge Main Document on the Database toolbar.

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