What is mail merge with example

Mail merge is a process in which a document, such as a letter or an email, is automatically generated with personalized information for each recipient. This is achieved by using a template document and a data source, such as a spreadsheet or a database, that contains the information to be inserted into the document.

Here's an example of how mail merge works:

Template Document:

Let's say you want to send a personalized welcome letter to new customers. You create a template document with the following fields:

The template document looks like this:

Dear [Name],

Welcome to our company! We are thrilled to have you on board. Our team is excited to work with you and provide you with the best service possible.

Our address is [Address], [City], [State] [Zip].

Please feel free to contact us at [phone number] or [email address] if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Data Source:

You have a spreadsheet or database that contains the information for each new customer, including their name, address, city, state, zip, and welcome message. The data source looks like this:

Name Address City State Zip Welcome Message
John Smith 123 Main St Anytown CA 12345 Thank you for choosing us!
Jane Doe 456 Elm St Othertown NY 67890 We're excited to work with you!
Bob Johnson 789 Oak St Thistown FL 34567 Welcome to our team!

Mail Merge Process:

You use a mail merge software or tool to combine the template document with the data source. The software replaces the fields in the template document with the corresponding information from the data source, creating a unique document for each recipient.

The resulting documents look like this:

John Smith's Welcome Letter:

Dear John Smith,

Welcome to our company! We are thrilled to have you on board. Our team is excited to work with you and provide you with the best service possible.

Our address is 123 Main St, Anytown, CA 12345.

Please feel free to contact us at [phone number] or [email address] if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Jane Doe's Welcome Letter:

Dear Jane Doe,

Welcome to our company! We are thrilled to have you on board. Our team is excited to work with you and provide you with the best service possible.

Our address is 456 Elm St, Othertown, NY 67890.

Please feel free to contact us at [phone number] or [email address] if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Bob Johnson's Welcome Letter:

Dear Bob Johnson,

Welcome to our company! We are thrilled to have you on board. Our team is excited to work with you and provide you with the best service possible.

Our address is 789 Oak St, Thistown, FL 34567.

Please feel free to contact us at [phone number] or [email address] if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, [Your Name]

In this example, the mail merge process has created three unique documents, each with the personalized information of the corresponding customer. This saves time and effort, as you don't have to manually create each document individually.