how to do a mail merge in word and excel 2007

Before you begin the mail merge process, look at the data and get an idea of the fields (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Product) you’re likely to use in the merge process. The first choice, “Letters,” is the most common, but you can also create labels, envelopes, email messages, and even a directory you can use for an employee roster, a product listing, a course catalog, or something else that fits your needs. Go to the “Mailings” tab and then click “Start Mail Merge” to see your choices. My boss reminds me of this Stephen Covey phrase whenever she sees my puzzled look indicating “I don’t know where to start.” Word gives you a range of choices for the type of merge document you want to create. If you start from scratch, you can use the mail merge wizard to guide you through the process, step by step. If you start with a template, you can use the fields that are already in place when you merge your data. You can use one of Word’s mail merge templates. Key things to keep in mind before doing a mail merge: Then you just add some placeholders for the information that is unique to each version. Using mail merge, all you have to do is create one document that contains the information that is the same in each version. Lucky for you, Word’s mail merge wizard makes the task fairly easy.

You don’t want to create each letter, label or message individually, typing each name and address one at a time, do you? Of course not that would take hours. The basic content is the same in all the letters, messages or faxes, but each contains information that is specific to the individual recipient, such as name, address, and job title.

A set of form letters, e-mail messages or faxes.

The return address is the same on all the labels or envelopes, but the destination address is unique on each one. Your company logo and the text about the product will appear in each letter, but the address and greeting line will be different in each letter.

A letter that announces a new product.

Whether you’re tasked with sending holiday cards or distributing 200 promotional letters announcing a new service or product, learning how to use the mail merge function can save you time (and frustration). You can use mail merge whenever you want to create a set of documents that are essentially the same but each contains unique elements. Outlook and Excel can provide your contact database or list data, and Word is where it all comes together. The truth is, a mail merge can encompass all of the above or just Microsoft Word. If you even know what mail merge is, you’re probably not sure if it’s an Outlook, Excel or Word function. OK, so maybe this one is not so much of a secret as some of the other tips and tricks in this series, but you have to admit there’s something mysterious about this tool.

How to do a mail merge in word and excel 2007