MAIL MERGE USING MS WORD 97

Transcription

1 MAIL MERGE USING MS WORD 97 What is a Mail Merge? A mail merge allows the user to mass-produce documents such as letters and/or memoranda so that they appear personalized. Mail merge may also be used to create mailing lists for envelopes or labels. A mail merge consists of three documents: 1. Main document A fill-in-the-blanks form letter that contains information that does not change (referred to as common text ), but also includes merge field codes where variable information will be merged. Envelopes and labels are also set up as Main documents. 2. Data Source document Records that contain the variable information, i.e., merge field codes, such as title, first name, last name, school, address, city, state, postal code, phone number, etc. 3. Merge document The resulting document that the user may choose either to print or open as a new document when the merge is complete. I. Creating the Main Document (Form Letter) The following instructions apply to a standard business letter but the user also may apply the concepts to a memorandum. It is suggested that the user prepare a draft copy of the letter or memorandum in order to anticipate the merge field codes that will need to be set up later in the Data Source. All formatting, margins, spacing, paper size, etc. should be included in the Main document. As a scenario for this mail merge, the following form letter will be used to notify staff of a meeting. A. In a new Microsoft Word document window, set up the page format and font style/size. B. Type the common text starting with the date. C. After inserting the date, press the Enter key 8 times. D. Do not type an inside address or salutation that will be taken care of shortly. E. Type the common text starting with the body (first paragraph) through the end of the letter. F. Press the F7 function key to start the spell check. Make any required corrections and close the spelling and grammar check when completed. G. Even though a spell check has been completed, it is a good practice that the user read through the copy to determine that it is error-free. H. Leave the new, unnamed document on the screen and continue. Do not save yet. II. III. Setting up the Mail Merge A. At the Menu bar, click on Tools and then click on Mail Merge. The Mail Merge Helper dialog box opens. B. At #1 Main Document, click on Create, then click on Form Letters. A Microsoft Word prompt appears alerting the user to use the Active Window or New Main Document. Since you already have an active (open) document, select Active Window. C. The Mail Merge Helper dialog box appears. You have taken care of #1. Continue. Creating the Data Source A. At #2 Data Source, click on Get Data and then click on Create Data Source. The Create Data Source dialog box opens. Read the 2 descriptive paragraphs at the top of the dialog box. B. To add or remove field names: (Note: The box below provides examples only, do not type).! Add click in the Field name text box, type in a Field name (no spaces between words, e.g., LocationCode) then click on the Add command button. The Field name is added to the list.! Remove In the Field names in header row list, click on an unwanted field name and then click on the Remove Field Name command button. The Field name is removed from the list. Mail Merge FAQ Page 1 of 5

2 C. Let s create the data source. The only Field names needed for the Main document are: Title, FirstName, LastName, Address1, City, State, Postal Code. D. To remove unnecessary field names, click on a field name, e.g., JobTitle, and then click the Remove Field Name command button. E. Proceed to remove the following field names: Company, Address2 F. Click on the down scroll arrow in the Field names in header row: box until you see the following field names: Country, HomePhone, WorkPhone. G. Click on and remove these 3 field names. H. Click <OK>. The Create Data Source dialog box closes and the Save As dialog box appears. IV. Saving the Data Source A. At the File name textbox, type Staff Meeting DS. Note: It is suggested that you add DS as part of the file name so that when you see this file name listed in a long list of files, you will recognize this as a data source document to be used in a mail merge. B. Notice that the data source will be saved in the My Documents folder unless you specify a different drive or folder. C. Press the Enter key or click on the Save command button. D. A Microsoft Word prompt appears alerting the user that the data source contains no data records. E. To add records, click on the Edit Data Source button. A Data Form dialog box opens for Record 1. V. Adding Records to the Data Source A. Notice that the Data Form includes the Field names previously selected. B. The insertion point (cursor) is in the Title field. C. Type in the Title (Mr., Ms., etc.) and press the Tab key to move cursor to the next field FirstName. D. Proceed to type the information for the remaining fields in Record 1 using the Tab key to move to the next field.! Note: Pressing the Tab key once moves the cursor forward one field; pressing Shift+Tab returns the cursor to the previous field.! Do not type spaces or punctuation at the end of the data they will be inserted in the Main document.! The 4 red arrows at the bottom left of the Data Form dialog box allow you to go to a different record, e.g., first, previous, next, last.! The white box, between the 4 red arrows, displays the number of the current record. D. Click on the Add New command button to advance to the Data Form for Record 2; type in the information for that record. E. Click on the Add New command button to advance to the next Data Form Record. F. Proceed to type information for all records. G. Click on the First Record arrow button. Review the information for accuracy. Corrections may be made on the Data Form. H. Click on the Next Record arrow button. Review the information for all records. I. Click on OK at end of the last record. If you accidentally pressed the Enter key, a new record was created. Press the Delete command button at the blank record and then click on OK. J. The Main document appears along with a Merge toolbar. It is usually placed below the Formatting toolbar. Locate it on your screen as you will be using it. VI. Inserting Field names into the Main Document A. Move the mouse pointer along the Merge toolbar and read the tooltips that appears describing the various buttons. B. Press the Ctrl + Home keys to assure the cursor is at the beginning of the document on the same line as the date. C. Press the End key to move the cursor to the end of the date line. Mail Merge FAQ Page 2 of 5

3 D. Press the down arrow key 4 times to set up the Inside Address area of the Main document. E. At the Merge toolbar, click on the Insert Merge Field button. A drop-down list displays the field names previously selected. F. At the pop-up menu, click on Title. It is inserted into the main document. G. Press the spacebar once; click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on FirstName. H. Press the spacebar once; click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on LastName. I. Press the Enter key to move the cursor to the beginning of the next line. J. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on Address1; then press the Enter key. K. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on City. L. Type a comma and press the spacebar once. M. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on State. N. Press the spacebar twice. O. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on PostalCode. P. Press the down arrow key twice. Q. Type the word Dear R. Press the spacebar once. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on Title. S. Press the spacebar once. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on LastName. T. Type a colon. U. If required, adjust any line spacing needed between the date, inside address, salutation, and body of the letter. VII. VIII. Previewing the Mail Merge A. At the Merge toolbar, click on View Merged Data button <<ABC>>. The resulting screens are not the actual merge only a preview of the merge. B. At the Merge toolbar, click on the Next Record arrow to view the next and following letters. C. Continue to click on the Next Record arrow until you view to the last record. Performing the Mail Merge A. At the Merge toolbar, click on the Mail Merge Helper button. B. At #3 of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click on the Merge button. C. At the Merge dialog box, click on the Merge button. D. The letters are merged. Note the title bar reads: Microsoft Word - Form Letters1. E. Print the letters. F. Close the document on screen (Form Letters1). G. A Microsoft Word prompt asks if you want to save the changes to Form Letters1. This is your choice. H. If you choose to save the merged document (Form Letters1), it is suggested that you include mrg as part of the file name so that you will recognize this as a merged document when looking at the contents of a directory, e.g., staff meeting mrg. I. When you close the above document, the mail merge main document appears on screen as Microsoft Word Document1. Note the document number may be different on your screen depending on the number of documents you have created since launching MS Word on this day. For purposes of these and following instructions, Document1 will be used. J. A Microsoft Word prompt appears in front of the main document alerting you that this document is attached to a data source file which has not been saved. K. Click Yes to save the data source file. L. Click No at the prompt to save changes made to Document1. Mail Merge FAQ Page 3 of 5

4 CREATING LABELS TO BE USED IN A MAIL MERGE The following instructions apply to setting up mailing labels that will result in 30 labels per page (3 columns, 10 rows). For a different type of label size, refer to section I, K-O below on how to select a specific label size. I. Setting up the Label Main Document (Mailing Labels) A. In a new Microsoft document window, click on Tools. B. At the pop-up menu, click on Mail Merge. C. At #1 of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click on Create and then click on Mailing Labels. D. At the Microsoft Word prompt, click on Active Window. E. At #2 of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click on Get Data. F. Since you already created the Data Source, click on Open Data Source. G. The Open Data Source dialog box appears. H. If the desired data source (DS) is not already selected (highlighted), locate the file name. I. Double click on the icon preceding the DS file name. J. At the Microsoft Word prompt, click on Set Up Main Document. K. The Label Options dialog box opens. If your label type is not the same as used in this example (# x 10 = 30 labels). Find the product or stock number indicated on the box of labels that you plan to use. L. At the Label Options dialog box, scroll through the Product number list and M. Click on the label size desired, e.g., 5160 Address. N. At the Label Options dialog box, note the Printer information setting for Tray. If the selected option is not what you want, click on the Tray drop arrow to select either, Default tray, Auto Select, Manual feed, etc. O. Click OK at the Label Options dialog box, to accept the selected settings. P. The Create Labels dialog box opens which includes an Insert Merge Field button. II. Inserting Field Names into the Mailing Label A. At the Create Labels dialog box, click on the Insert Merge Field button. B. At the pop-up menu, click on Title. It is inserted into the mailing label. C. Press the spacebar once; click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on FirstName. D. Press the spacebar once; click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on LastName. E. Press the Enter key to move the cursor to the beginning of the next line. F. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on Address1; then press the Enter key. G. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on City. H. Type a comma and press the spacebar once. I. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on State. J. Press the spacebar twice. Click on the Insert Merge Field button and click on PostalCode. K. Click on OK to close the Create Labels dialog box. L. At #3 of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click on the Merge button. M. At the Merge dialog box, click on Merge. N. The labels are merged. Note the title bar reads: Microsoft Word - Labels1. O. Print the labels. P. Close the Labels1 document. Q. It is your choice whether or not to save the merged labels. R. If you choose to save the merged labels, it is suggested that you include the word labels as part of the file name so that you will recognize this as a labels document when looking at the contents of a directory, e.g., staff meeting labels. Continue. Mail Merge FAQ Page 4 of 5

5 III. Closing/Saving the Label Form A. After closing the labels document, a Microsoft Word Document1 appears. It is suggested that you save this form document to be used as a Main Document for future mailing label merges. B. Close the document. Again, it is your choice whether or not to save. C. If you decide to save, a suggested file name is: Labels MD. It is recommended that you include MD as part of the file name so that when looking at the contents of a folder (directory), you will recognize this as a main document to be used in a mail merge. # # # Mail Merge FAQ Page 5 of 5