Using Mail Merge with Word Form Letter 1. A form letter is one in which the body of the letter stays the same but specific information is inserted for/about several different individuals. You have probably gotten one like that in the past. 2. You can use a word processing program (Word) or a desktop publishing program (Publisher) to create the form letter. You can use a spreadsheet (Excel) or a database (Access) for your data source file. In a database you can merge from a table or a query. Microsoft Word 3. Open your business letterhead in Microsoft Word. From the Mailings tab, click the Start Mail Merge command and select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard from the drop-down menu. The Mail Merge pane appears on the right side and will guide you through the six main steps to complete a merge. The following example demonstrates how to create a form letter and merge the letter with a recipient list. Step 1: Choose the type of document you want to create. In our example, we'll select Letters. Then click Next: Starting document beneath Step 1 of 6. 1
Step 2: Select Use the current document, then click Next: Select recipients beneath Step 2 of 6. 2
Step 3: Now you'll need an address list so Word can automatically place each address into the document. The list can be in an existing file, such as an Excel workbook or Access database, or you can type a new address list from within the Mail Merge Wizard. 1. From the Mail Merge task pane, select Use an existing list, then click Browse... underneath Use an existing list to select the file. 2. Locate your file (Bookstore database), select it and click Open. 3. Select the desired table or query (Sales by Customer query) and click OK. 3
4. In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, you can check or uncheck each box to control which recipients are included in the merge. By default, all recipients should be selected. We want all recipients, so click OK. From the Mail Merge task pane, click Next: Write your letter from beneath Step 3 of 6. If you don't have an existing address list, you can click the Type a new list button and click Create. You can then type your address list. 4
Step 4: When the letter is printed, each copy of the letter will basically be the same; only the recipient data (such as the name and address) will be different. You'll need to add placeholders for the recipient data so Mail Merge knows exactly where to add the data. To insert recipient data: 1. Place the insertion point in the document below your letterhead. 2. Begin the form letter by typing in the current date and hitting your Enter key four times. 3. Then insert the placeholders for the inside address. The address of our customers. 4. Choose one of the four placeholder options: Address block, Greeting line, Electronic postage, or More items. Click on More items. 5. The Insert Merge Field dialog box appears with various options. Select First Name and click Insert. 5
6. A placeholder («First_Name») will appear in your document where the insertion point was located. Click the Close button and hit the spacebar to add a space between the First Name and Last Name placeholders. Click More items, select Last Name, and click Insert. Click the Close button and hold down the Shift key and hit the Enter key to go to the next line. 7. Repeat the previous steps to add the «Address» placeholder. Click the Close button and hit Shift Enter to go to the next line. 8. Add the «City» placeholder. Click the Close button and type in a comma and space before adding the «State» placeholder. Click the Close button and type in two spaces and add the «Zip Code» placeholder. When you are done it should look like the graphic below. 9. Hit your Enter key two times and type in the greeting Dear ; then a space, then the («First_Name») placeholder; followed by a comma. 10. Hit your Enter key once and begin typing your letter in block style format. 11. Be sure to type in the dollar sign and insert the SumOfTotal Sale placeholder in the appropriate location in the first paragraph. 6
12. Hit your Enter key two more times and type in your complimentary close (Sincerely) followed by a comma. 13. Hit your Enter key four times and type in your name. Hit your Enter key once and type in the name of your business. 14. When you are done it should look like the graphic below. 7
15. Click Next: Preview your letters under Step 4 of 6. 8
Step 5: 1. Preview the letters to make sure the information from the recipient list appears correctly in the letter. You can use the left and right scroll arrows to view each document. 2. Your first letter should look like the example below. 9
3. Show your teacher your letters. 10
Step 6: If you wanted to actually print out the form letters you would follow the remaining steps. For our purposes we will not be printing them out. 1. Click Next: Complete the merge under Step 5 of 6. 2. Click Print... to print the letters. 11
3. The Print dialog box will appear. Adjust the print settings if needed, then click OK. The letters will be printed. Any letter or document that needs to be sent to multiple recipients is a good candidate for a mail merge. 12