How to make mail merge in ms word 2013

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 make a mail merge in MS Word 2013:

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 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 2013 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], etc.) 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".
• Browse to your data source file and select it.
• Click "Open" to import the data into Word.

Step 4: Match the data fields

• In the "Mailings" tab, click on "Match Fields" to match the fields in your data source with the placeholders in your document.
• Select the data field that corresponds to each placeholder in your document.

Step 5: Preview and merge

• Click on "Preview Results" to see how your merged document will look.
• If everything looks correct, click on "Finish & Merge" to create the merged documents.
• Choose to save the merged documents as a new file or to print them.

Tips and Variations

• You can use different data sources, such as a database or a CSV file.
• You can also use Word's built-in data sources, such as the "Address List" or "Phone List".
• To merge multiple documents at once, use the "Merge to New Document" option.
• To merge to an existing document, use the "Merge to Existing Document" option.
• You can also use mail merge to create envelopes, labels, and other types of documents.

Common Issues and Solutions

• If you encounter errors during the mail merge process, check that your data source file is correctly formatted and that the field names match the placeholders in your document.
• If you're using an Excel spreadsheet as your data source, make sure that the columns are correctly labeled and that the data is organized in a table format.
• If you're having trouble matching fields, try using the "Match Fields" wizard to help you match the fields automatically.