How To Perform a Mail Merge in Microsoft Word

Mail Merge is used to send the same documents to different recipients. Here, we learn about how to perform a mail merge letter, envelope and email.

1. Creating a Table of Recipients in New Document.

    

   Click Table menu, select Insert submenu, then click Table.
   
   Number of columns: 7
   
   Number of rows: 4
   
   

   Click OK.

   Enter the sample data as follows, then Save As, for example, data_recipients.doc

   

2. Creating a Letter in New Document:
   Click Tools menu, select Letters and Mailings submenu. Select Mail Merge.

   Select document type: click Letters option

   Click Next: Starting Document link (see red-rectangle in the screenshot below).

   

   In Select Starting Document section, select Use the current document option.

   

   Click Next: Select Recipients link (see red-rectangle in the screenshot below).

   

3. In Select recipients section, click Use an existing list option.

   In Use an existing list section: click Browse link, then select data of recipients. For example, E:/My Documents/data_recipients.doc. Click OK.
   
   

   Click Next: Write your letter link.

4. Write your letter:

   When you have written it, click More Items link (see red-rectangle in the screenshot below).

   

   In Insert Merge Field window, double-click Title of Courtesy field, click Close button.

   

   Press spacebar once to give a space between Title of Courtesy and Last Name.

   Click More Items link again.

   In Insert Merge Field window, double-click Last Name, click Close button.

   Finish your letter, then save as Invitation.doc

   Click Preview Your Letters link.

5. Preview your letters:

   Click >> button to see next recipients or Click << button to see previous recipients.
   
   

   To exclude a recipient, for example, click >> button to find Dr Smith's letter (see pink rectangle in the screenshot above) then click Exclude this recipient (see red rectangle in the screenshot above).

   To edit a recipient, click Edit Recipient List link (see black rectangle in the screenshot above).

   In Mail Merge Recipients window, click Edit button to edit a recipient. In here, you can also exclude a recipient -- for example, uncheck the first (left) box of Anne Fuller (see red rectangle in the screenshot below).

   Click Select All to include all recipients.
   

   Click OK.

   Click Complete the merge link.

6. Print documents:

   In Merge section, you can choose Merge to Printer (click Print link) or Merge to New Document (click Edit Individual Letters link).

   

   In Merge to printer or Merge to New Document window, Print Records section, select All, Current Record or From...... To ...... then click OK.

7. Creating an Envelope in New Document:

   Repeat Step 2, only in Select document type: click Envelopes option.

   In Change Document Layout section: click Envelope Options link.

   

   In Envelope Options tab, Envelope size section. For example, select size 14 (5 x 11 1/2in).

   Click Font button under either Delivery Address or Return Address. For example, select font: Arial, font size:12.
   
   

   In Printing Options tab, Feed Method, for example, select face down option (see the screenshot below).

   

   Click OK.

8. Repeat Step 3 for Select Recipients:

   If there isn’t your name or company's name printed on the envelope, click Sender box then type sender name and address (see the screenshot below).

   
   Click Next: Arrange your envelope link.

9. In Arrange Your Envelope section:

   Click Recipient box (see the screenshot below).

   Click Address Block (see red-rectangle in the screenshot below), click OK (see blue rectangle in the screenshot below).

   

   Repeat Step 5-6 for Preview Your Envelope and Print Envelope.

10. Creating an Email in New Document:

    Repeat Step 2, only in Select document type: click email messages option.

    Repeat Step 3-5 for Select Recipients, Write E-Mail Message and Preview E-Mail Message sections. For example, you can write the same message with your letter.

11. Sending Emails:
    In Complete the merge section, click Electronic Mail link

    In Merge to E-mail window, Message Options section,
    To: choose Email.

    Subject line: (for example) Business Seminar.

    Mail format: Plain text.

    Send records: (for example) All.

    Click OK.

    Make sure your internet-connection is online, then click Send button.

    

    Go to your email program (I'm using Outlook Express). Click Tools menu, select Send and Receive submenu, click Send All.
    
    

Note: If you open the mail merge document, for example, Invitation.doc, it will display the message as follows. Click Yes if you want to use the same data of recipients (data_recipients.doc) and place it automatically in the document.