Doing a mail merge

Mail merge! A classic task in Microsoft Word.

A mail merge is a process of combining a document (the "main document") with a data source (such as an Excel spreadsheet or a database) to create multiple personalized documents. This is useful for tasks like sending personalized letters, invoices, or emails to a large number of recipients.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you do a mail merge in Microsoft Word:

Preparation

  1. Create a data source: Collect the data you want to use for the mail merge in an Excel spreadsheet, CSV file, or database. Make sure the data is organized in a table with columns for each field you want to use (e.g., name, address, phone number).
  2. Create a main document: Open Microsoft Word and create a new document. This will be the template for your mail merge.

Setting up the mail merge

  1. Go to the Mailings tab: In the Word ribbon, click on the "Mailings" tab.
  2. Select "Start Mail Merge": Click on the "Start Mail Merge" button in the "Create" group.
  3. Choose a document type: Select the type of document you want to create (e.g., letters, envelopes, labels).
  4. Select a data source: Choose the data source you created earlier (e.g., Excel spreadsheet, CSV file).

Merging the data

  1. Insert merge fields: In your main document, insert merge fields (e.g., [[Name]], [[Address]]) where you want the data to appear.
  2. Match fields: Match the fields in your data source with the merge fields in your main document.
  3. Preview the merge: Click on the "Preview Results" button to see how the merge will look.

Finalizing the merge

  1. Merge the documents: Click on the "Finish & Merge" button to create the merged documents.
  2. Save the merged documents: Choose a location to save the merged documents (e.g., a folder on your computer).

Tips and variations: