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Mail Merge

Database Notes

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28 views12 pages

Mail Merge

Database Notes

Uploaded by

csecclassnrmss
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mail MERGE

Mail merge is a process to create personalized letters


and pre-addressed envelopes or mailing labels for mass
mailings from a form letter. The feature is usually
employed on a word processing document which
contains fixed text (which is the same in each output
document) and variables (which act as placeholders
that are replaced by text from the data source)

Steps in Mail Merge Process

Step 1: Prepare your main document

Step 2: Set up your mailing list

Step 3: Link your mailing list to your main document

Step 4: Add personalized content to your letter

Step 5: Preview and print the letters

Step 6: Save your personalized letter


There are three files involved in creating and printing
letters using the mail merge process:

 Your main document


This document contains text and graphics (a logo or
image, for example) that are identical for each version of
the merged document. The body of the letter is an
example of identical content.
 Your mailing list
This is the data source that is used to populate
information in the letter. Your mailing list has names, for
example, and your main document is the letter that will
be addressed to the names in your list.
 Your merged document
This document is a combination of the main document
and the mailing list. Mail merge pulls information from
the mailing list and puts it in your main document,
resulting in a personalized letter for each person.
Step 1: Prepare your main document
1. On the Mailings tab, in the Start Mail Merge group,
choose Start Mail Merge > Letters.

2. In Word, type the body of the letter (example follows)


you want to send to everyone.
Step 2: Set up your mailing list
Tips
 If you don’t have a mailing list, you can create one during mail
merge. Before you start the mail merge process, collect all of
your data records, and add them to your data source.
 If you're using an Excel spreadsheet, make sure the column
for ZIP Codes or postal codes is formatted as text so that you
don't lose any zeros.
Step 3: Link your mailing list to your main
document
Now you're ready to open the data source for your
mailing list and link it to your letter.

1. On the Mailings tab, in the Start Mail Merge group,


choose Select Recipients, and then choose an option.

2. Do one of the following:


o If you don’t have a mailing list, choose Type a New

List and create one.

or

o If your mailing list is in an Excel spreadsheet, an Access


database, or another type of data file, choose Use an
Existing List. Then browse to your list and choose Open.
3. Choose File > Save as.
4. In the File name box, type a file name, and then
choose Save.
EDIT RECIPIENT LIST
1. Choose Edit Recipient List.

2. In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, select the


check box next to the name of each person who you
want to receive your email message.

In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, there are


options to refine the recipient list. The two most
frequently used options are to sort and to filter the list
to make it easier to find names and addresses.
Step 4: Add personalized content to your
letter
Add content to your letter that’s different for each
person who receives it—for example, their name and
address. The best practice for adding these details is to
insert merge fields in your main document.

1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group,


choose Address Block.

2. In the Insert Address Block dialog box, choose a format


for the recipient's name as it will appear in the letter.
3. Choose OK.
NOTE: To view how an address will appear in the letter, under Preview, choose Preview Results.
Choose the Next or Previous record button to move through records in your data source.

4. In the Write & Insert group, choose Greeting Line.

5. In the Insert Greeting Line dialog box, choose the


format you want to use.
6. Choose OK to insert the merge field in the letter.

7. Choose File > Save to preserve the letter (example

follows) you're creating for the mail merge.


Verify merge field names

Make sure Word finds the names and addresses in your


mailing list.

1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group,


choose Match Fields.
TIP: Merge Fields also can be opened from the Insert Address Block dialog box you used to add an
address block to the main document.

2. In the Match Fields dialog box, verify that the record


fields that appear in the list match the names of column
headings for records in your mailing list data source.
Step 5. Preview and print the letters
1. Choose Preview Results, and then choose
the Next or Previous record button to make sure
the names and addresses in the body of your letter
look right.
TIP: To go to the start of the list, choose the First record button, and to go to the end of the list,
choose the Last record button.

2. Choose Finish & Merge > Print Documents.


Step 6: Save your personalized letter
When you save the mail merge document, it stays
connected to your mailing list so that you can use it for
your next bulk mailing.

To reuse your mail merge document

 Open the mail merge document and choose Yes when


Word prompts you to keep the connection.

To change addresses in mail merge document

 Open the mail merge document and choose Edit


Recipient List to sort, filter, and choose specific
addresses

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