How to mail merge in word 10

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 perform a mail merge in Word 2010:

Step 1: Prepare your data source

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

Step 2: Create a new Word document

• Open Microsoft Word 2010 and create a new document.
• Type in the main content of your document, such as a letter or a report.
• Use placeholders (e.g., [Name], [Address], [Phone Number]) to indicate where you want to insert the data from your data source.

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 data source file and click "Open".
• Word will create a new document with the data source linked to it.

Step 4: Map the fields

• Go to the "Write & Insert Fields" group in the "Mailings" tab.
• Click on "Insert Merge Field" to insert a field from your data source into your document.
• Select the field you want to insert (e.g., [Name]).
• Repeat this process for each field you want to insert.

Step 5: Preview and merge

• Go to the "Preview Results" group in the "Mailings" tab.
• Click on "Preview" to see how your document will look with the data inserted.
• If everything looks correct, click on "Finish & Merge" to merge the data with your document.
• Choose whether you want to print the merged documents or save them as individual files.

Tips and Variations

• You can use different data sources, such as a database or a text file.
• You can use conditional formatting to control the appearance of the merged documents.
• You can use formulas to perform calculations and insert the results into your document.
• You can use the "Merge to PDF" feature to save the merged documents as PDF files.