Attach files to word mail merge

The joys of mail merge!

To attach files to a Word mail merge, you'll need to use a combination of Word's built-in features and some clever formatting. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:

Prerequisites:

1. You have a Word document with a mail merge field (e.g., First Name, Last Name, etc.).
2. You have a file (e.g., an image, PDF, or document) that you want to attach to the mail merge output.

Step 1: Prepare your file

1. Save your file in a location that's easily accessible (e.g., your desktop or a shared network drive).
2. Make sure the file is in a format that can be attached to an email (e.g., PDF, JPEG, DOCX).

Step 2: Create a mail merge field for the file

1. In your Word document, insert a new field by clicking on "Insert" > "Quick Parts" > "Field" (or press Alt + F9).
2. In the "Field names" dropdown, select "Merge Field" and then type a unique name for your file field (e.g., File_Attachment).
3. Click "OK" to insert the field.

Step 3: Format the file field

1. Select the file field you just inserted (it should be highlighted in a gray box).
2. Right-click on the field and select "Toggle Field Codes" (or press Alt + F9 again).
3. In the field code, add the following syntax: FILELINK "[Path to your file]" (replace [Path to your file] with the actual path to your file).
4. Close the field code editor by clicking "OK" or pressing Esc.

Step 4: Merge your document

1. Go to "Mailings" > "Finish & Merge" > "Edit Individual Documents" (or press Ctrl + Shift + E).
2. In the "Merge to New Document" dialog box, select "Edit Individual Documents" and click "OK".
3. Word will create a new document for each record in your data source.

Step 5: Attach the file

1. In each new document, the file field should be replaced with a link to the file.
2. Right-click on the link and select "Save Target As" (or press Ctrl + S).
3. Choose a location to save the file and click "Save".
4. The file will be attached to the email when you send it.

Tips and Variations:

• To attach multiple files, create multiple file fields and repeat the process.
• To attach files from a specific folder, use the FILELINK syntax with the folder path (e.g., FILELINK "C:\Path\To\Folder").
• To attach files based on specific conditions (e.g., only attach files for certain records), use conditional formatting and the IF function in your mail merge field.

By following these steps, you should be able to attach files to your Word mail merge output. Happy merging!