How to add mail merge fields
Mail merge fields are placeholders in a document that are replaced with data from a data source, such as a spreadsheet or database, when the document is merged. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to add mail merge fields in popular document editors:
Microsoft Word
- Open your document in Microsoft Word.
- Go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon.
- Click on "Select Recipients" and choose your data source (e.g., a spreadsheet or database).
- Click on "Finish & Merge" and then "Edit Individual Documents" to open the merge document.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert a mail merge field.
- Go to the "Insert" tab in the ribbon and click on "Quick Parts" > "Field".
- In the "Field names" box, select the field you want to insert (e.g., "First Name", "Last Name", etc.).
- Click "OK" to insert the field.
Google Docs
- Open your document in Google Docs.
- Go to the "Tools" menu and select "Mail merge".
- Choose your data source (e.g., a Google Sheets spreadsheet).
- Click on "Merge" to open the merge document.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert a mail merge field.
- Type
{{
followed by the field name (e.g.,{{First Name}}
) and}}
. - Press Enter to insert the field.
LibreOffice
- Open your document in LibreOffice.
- Go to the "Tools" menu and select "Mail Merge".
- Choose your data source (e.g., a LibreOffice Calc spreadsheet).
- Click on "Next" to open the merge document.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert a mail merge field.
- Go to the "Insert" menu and select "Field" > "Merge Field".
- In the "Field names" box, select the field you want to insert (e.g., "First Name", "Last Name", etc.).
- Click "OK" to insert the field.
Other document editors
The process may vary slightly depending on the document editor you're using. Here are some general tips:
- In Apple Pages, go to "Tools" > "Mail Merge" and follow the prompts.
- In OpenOffice, go to "Tools" > "Mail Merge" and follow the prompts.
- In Microsoft Publisher, go to "Mailings" > "Select Recipients" and follow the prompts.
Tips and best practices
- Make sure to save your document as a template (.dotx or.dotm) to preserve the mail merge fields.
- Use a consistent naming convention for your mail merge fields to avoid confusion.
- Test your mail merge document with a small sample data set before sending it to a large audience.
- Consider using a mail merge software like Mail Merge Pro or DocRpt to simplify the process and add more features.