How to print letters using mail merge

Mail merge is a powerful feature in Microsoft Word that allows you to combine a main document with a data source to create multiple personalized documents. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to print letters using mail merge:

Prerequisites:

  1. Microsoft Word 2010 or later version
  2. A data source (e.g., an Excel spreadsheet, a CSV file, or a database)
  3. A main document (e.g., a letter template)

Step 1: Prepare your data source

  1. Create a data source with the information you want to use for your letters. For example, if you're sending letters to customers, your data source might include columns for name, address, and order details.
  2. Save your data source in a format that can be read by Microsoft Word, such as an Excel spreadsheet or a CSV file.

Step 2: Create a main document

  1. Open Microsoft Word and create a new document or open an existing one that you want to use as a template for your letters.
  2. Design your letter template with placeholders for the information you want to merge from your data source. For example, you might use the following placeholders:
    • &[Name] for the customer's name
    • &[Address] for the customer's address
    • &[Order Details] for the order details
  3. Save your main document as a Word document (.docx).

Step 3: Set up the mail merge

  1. Open your main document and go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon.
  2. Click on "Select Recipients" and then "Use an Existing List" to select your data source file (e.g., an Excel spreadsheet or a CSV file).
  3. Choose the data source file and select the fields you want to use for your mail merge. For example, you might select the "Name", "Address", and "Order Details" fields.
  4. Click "OK" to set up the mail merge.

Step 4: Merge the data

  1. Go back to the "Mailings" tab and click on "Merge" to start the mail merge process.
  2. Microsoft Word will create a new document for each record in your data source, replacing the placeholders with the actual data.
  3. You can preview each merged document by clicking on the "Preview Results" button.

Step 5: Print the letters

  1. Once you're satisfied with the merged documents, you can print them by clicking on the "Print" button or by using the "Print" option in the "File" menu.
  2. You can also save the merged documents as individual files or as a single file with multiple pages.

Tips and Variations: