What is mail merge in excel

Mail merge is a feature in Microsoft Excel that allows you to combine data from a spreadsheet with a document template to create multiple documents, such as letters, labels, or envelopes, with unique information for each recipient. This process is also known as "data-driven documents" or "variable data printing".

In a mail merge, you create a spreadsheet with the data you want to use in the documents, and then use a template document to merge the data with the template. The resulting documents will contain the unique information for each recipient, such as names, addresses, and other details.

Here's a general overview of the mail merge process in Excel:

  1. Create a data source: Set up a spreadsheet with the data you want to use in the mail merge. This can include columns for names, addresses, phone numbers, and other relevant information.
  2. Create a template document: Design a template document using a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, or a label maker program, such as Avery Label Maker. The template should include placeholders for the data that will be merged from the spreadsheet.
  3. Set up the mail merge: In Excel, go to the "Data" tab and click on "Mailings" > "Start Mail Merge" > "Step-by-Step Mail Merge Wizard". Follow the wizard's prompts to select the data source and template document.
  4. Map the data: Match the columns in the spreadsheet with the placeholders in the template document. This is known as "mapping" the data.
  5. Merge the data: Excel will merge the data from the spreadsheet with the template document, creating a new document for each recipient.
  6. Review and print: Review the merged documents to ensure they are accurate and complete. You can then print or save the documents as needed.

Mail merge is commonly used for tasks such as:

Mail merge is a powerful feature in Excel that can save time and increase efficiency when working with large datasets and complex documents.