Hyperlink in mail merge

The joys of mail merge!

To create a hyperlink in a mail merge document, you'll need to use a combination of Microsoft Word and a mail merge field. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Prerequisites:

1. You have a mail merge document set up in Microsoft Word.
2. You have a data source (e.g., an Excel spreadsheet or a database) that contains the information you want to merge into the document.

Step 1: Create a mail merge field

In your mail merge document, insert a field where you want the hyperlink to appear. You can do this by:

• Going to the "Insert" menu and selecting "Field" (or press Alt + F9).
• In the "Field names" box, select "Merge Field" and then choose the field you want to insert (e.g., "Email Address").
• Click "OK" to insert the field.

Step 2: Format the mail merge field as a hyperlink

Select the mail merge field you just inserted and go to the "Home" tab in the ribbon.

• Click on the "Hyperlink" button in the "Links" group.
• In the "Insert Hyperlink" dialog box, enter the URL you want to link to (e.g., a website or an email address).
• Make sure the "Text to display" field is empty, as we'll fill it in later.
• Click "OK" to apply the hyperlink.

Step 3: Update the mail merge document

Go to the "Mailings" tab in the ribbon and click on "Update" (or press F9).

Step 4: Fill in the hyperlink text

In the updated document, select the mail merge field that now contains the hyperlink. Right-click on it and select "Edit Hyperlink" (or press F2).

• In the "Edit Hyperlink" dialog box, enter the text you want to display as the hyperlink (e.g., "Visit our website").
• Click "OK" to apply the changes.

Step 5: Save and test the document

Save your mail merge document and test it by previewing or printing the merged document. The hyperlink should now be active and clickable.

Tips and variations:

• You can use a combination of mail merge fields and static text to create a more complex hyperlink.
• If you're using a database as your data source, you may need to use a different syntax for the hyperlink (e.g., =HYPERLINK([Email Address])).
• To create a hyperlink that opens an email client with a pre-filled email address, use the mailto protocol (e.g., mailto:[Email Address]).