Microsoft Word: Mail Merge Basics

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Microsoft Word Mail Merge Basics

• Presenter Jolanta Soltis

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Objectives

• Define a mail merge
• Discuss the parts of a mail merge
• Discuss common mail merge terminology
• Describe the three steps used to complete a mail
  merge
• Discuss some common mail merge issues

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Mail Merge
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Parts of a Mail Merge

• Main document
• Data source
• Header source (optional)
• Results

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Common Terminology

• Field
• A piece of information about a record specific
• Record
• An associated collection of fields
• Delimiter
• A character used to separate fields and records
• Header row
• The row that contains the field names

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Example
Field
Header Row
Delimiter
Record
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The Main Document Contains

• Boilerplate text
• Form letter
• Invoice
• A standard format for printing
• Envelope
• Label
• Fields
• Placeholders for the data from your data source

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Types of Main Documents

• Form letters
• Mailing labels
• Envelopes
• Catalog

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The Data Source

• Contains the text and graphics that vary for each
  merged document
• Contains records and fields
• Requirements
• Records in the data source must contain the same
  number of fields as the header row
• The header row must be the first row or paragraph
  (if a separate header source is not used)
• Field data must be entered exactly as you want it
  to be printed

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Types of Data Sources

• Word document
• Excel spreadsheet
• Databases
• Microsoft Access
• dBASE
• Microsoft FoxPro
• Others
• Address books
• Text files

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Header Source (optional)

• Consists of a row of field names
• Used in addition to a data source
• Identifies the fields of data in the data source
• For example, if you can't add or edit a header
  record in the data source (because the data
  source is read-only), you can use a separate
  header source that contains the field names you
  want to use.

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Results of Mail Merge

• Word XP can merge to
• New document
• Printer
• Fax (if faxing software is installed)
• E-mail (if e-mail software is installed)

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Getting Started

• To activate the Mail Merge click Mail Merge
  Wizard on the Tools/Letters and Mailings menu.

Mail Merge Task Pane
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Using the Mail Merge

• Open or create the main document.
• Attach an existing or new data source.
• Edit the main document.
• Perform the merge.

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Step 1. Open or create the main document.
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Step 2. Select Recipients
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Type a New List

• The Create Data Source dialog box lets you
• Remove unwanted field names
• Add new field names
• Change the order of field names

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New Address List Dialog Box
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Step 3. Set Up the Main Document
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Preview the Merge Result

• After you set up your mail-merge main document
  and attach it to a data source, you can see a
  preview of the merge result.

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Step 4.Complete the Merge
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Help Resources

• Microsoft Word Help
• Ask the Office Assistant!

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Help Resources (cont.)Mail Merge Troubleshooter
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Online Help Available

• Word Mail Merge Resource Center
• http//support.microsoft.com/support/word/usage/ma
  ilmerge/default.asp
• http//support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scidkb
  en-us287561

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