How to do mail merge in word 2012

Mail merge is a powerful feature in Microsoft Word that allows you to combine a main document with a data source, such as an Excel spreadsheet or a database, to create multiple personalized documents. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do a mail merge in Word 2012:

Step 1: Prepare your data source

• Open your data source, such as an Excel spreadsheet or a database.
• Make sure your data is organized in a table format, with each row representing a single record and each column representing a field (e.g., name, address, phone number, etc.).
• Save your data source file.

Step 2: Create a new Word document

• Open Microsoft Word 2012 and create a new document.
• Type in the main content of your document, such as a letter or a report. This will be the template for your mail merge.

Step 3: Set up the mail merge

• Go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon.
• Click on "Select Recipients" and then "Use an Existing List" to select your data source file.
• Choose the file type (e.g., Excel, CSV, etc.) and select the file.
• Click "OK" to import the data into Word.

Step 4: Insert merge fields

• Place your cursor where you want to insert a merge field (e.g., a name or address).
• Go to the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
• Click on "Quick Parts" and then "Field" to insert a merge field.
• Select the field you want to insert (e.g., "First Name", "Last Name", etc.).
• Click "OK" to insert the merge field.

Step 5: Preview and edit the merge

• Go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon.
• Click on "Preview Results" to see how the merge will look with the data.
• Make any necessary edits to the merge fields or the main document.

Step 6: Merge the documents

• Go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon.
• Click on "Finish & Merge" to merge the documents.
• Choose the output format (e.g., PDF, Word document, etc.).
• Select the location where you want to save the merged documents.

Tips and Variations

• You can use multiple data sources and merge them into a single document.
• You can use conditional formatting to change the appearance of the merge fields based on certain conditions.
• You can use formulas to perform calculations and insert the results into the merge fields.
• You can save your mail merge as a template for future use.