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Mail
merge is a quick way to generate a single standardized letter or other
document that can be personalized and sent to many people. For example, if
you wanted to send multiple submissions of a book to several publishers or
agents, mail merge allows you to use
the same cover letter and automatically personalize it to incorporate the
details of
each individual contact.
1.
Creating a Main
Document
Word
97 and 2000
-
Click
Tools, Mail Merge... Click Create and select the type of document you
will create. To work through this example, select Form letter under
Step 1.
-
Choose
whether to remain in the current document or start a new document.
Word 2002 and 2003
-
Click
Tools, Letters and Mailings, Mail Merge... The Mail Merge Task Pane
will open.
-
Under
“Step 1 of 6”, Select the type of document you wish to create.
-
Click
Next: Starting document
-
Under
“Step 2 of 6”, choose whether you wish to use the current
document, an existing document, or a template, to create your Starting
Document.
-
Click
Next: Select recipients
2.
Creating a
Recipient List (or Data Source)
Word
97 and 2000
-
Move
to Step 2 and click Get Data
-
Once
you’ve set up a database of contacts you will be able to use that
file again by selecting Open Data Source. For the first time, though,
or for a new set of contacts, click Create Data Source. You can also
use your email program’s Address Book as a Data Source.
-
The
Create Data Source dialog box lists a number of commonly used fields
including FirstName, LastName, Address1, etc. (Note that there are no
spaces in these field headings – if you add any of your own remember
to leave out the spaces.) The information you enter in these fields
will be cross-referenced with the field headings you insert later in
your main document.
-
You
can remove any fields you are unlikely to use as this will save the
amount of tabbing between empty fields you will need to do.
-
Click
OK. The Save dialog box will appear to prompt you to save the database
before you create it. Once saved you will be prompted to choose either
Edit Data Source or Edit Main Document according to your preference.
For this example, select Edit Data Source.
-
In
the Data Form dialog box fill in the details of your first contact.
Click Add New to fill in the details of the next contact, and continue
until you’ve captured the details of each contact. Click OK.
Word 2002 and 2003
-
Under
“Step 3 of 6”, choose whether you wish to use an existing list of
recipients (data source), type a new list, or use your Outlook
contacts. Click Browse if you have an existing list and wish to search
for it. Click Create if you’ve selected Type a new list.
-
The
Create List dialog box is a form in which you fill out the details of
the contacts or recipients. Each of the headings (First Name, Address
Line 1) is called a field which will be cross-referenced with the field headings that
you insert in your main document.
-
Once
you have filled out your recipients’ list, save it under your Data
Sources folder (this is a default location for data source documents
– but you can change the location if you prefer). If you don’t
need to edit the document further, click OK to continue.
-
Click
Next: Write your letter
3.
Editing the Main
Document
-
In
your blank document that you’ve selected for your Form Letter, begin
setting out your letter as normal until you reach the sections you
would like to personalize, like the address and salutation. If your
Mail Merge Toolbar has not automatically appeared, access it on the
View, Toolbars menu.
-
Click
the Insert Merge Fields button (Word 2002/03) or drop-down box (Word 97/2000)
on the Mail Merge Toolbar. Select the field you wish to insert, for
example Name, Address. A placeholder will appear containing the field
heading enclosed in double brackets, eg <<FirstName>>.
-
If
the Insert Merge Field button or drop-down box is not present on the
Toolbar, click the down arrow called Toolbar Options at the end of the
Toolbar. Click Add or Remove Buttons. Click on the check box to select
the Insert Merge Field button.
4.
Merging the Main Document
with the Recipient List (or Data Source)
Word
97 and 2000
-
Once
your letter is complete, click either Tools, Mail Merge and Merge
under Step 3, or click the Merge to New Document icon on the Mail
Merge Toolbar. A new document will be created with each personalized
letter on a new page ready for printing.
Word 2002 and 2003
Or
-
Under
“Step 4 of 6” in the Task Pane,
click Next: Preview your letters.
Use the arrows in the Task Pane to move between your letters and check
that they are correct.
-
Under
“Step 5 of 6”, click Next: Complete the merge.
copyright © Elsa Neal 2005 (Please contact the
for permission to reprint this article.)
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