Mail Merge Study Notes

5.1 INTRODUCTION

• Definition: A common word processing task is to produce periodic mailings sent to different individuals or agencies associated with a business or profession.

• Key Features of Mail Merge in Word:

  • Merge a list of names and addresses into a single letter for multiple recipients.

  • Create categories and include variable information fields in a single letter or generate labels.

  • Produce merged documents such as directory lists, invoices, print address lists, or print addresses on envelopes and mailing labels.

5.2 OBJECTIVES

• After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Create form letters, mailing labels, and envelopes.

  • Organize address data and merge it into a generic document while printing the resulting personalized documents.

  • Customize a mail merge.

5.3 TYPES OF DOCUMENTS IN MAIL MERGE

• Mail Merge requires three key types of documents:

  1. Main Document:

  • Description: The personalized document (e.g., standard letter, envelope, or mailing label) that contains text and graphics common to all versions of the merged document, such as the return address and body of the form letter.

  1. Data Source:

  • Description: A file that contains variable information (e.g., names and addresses) that changes with each version of the mail-merge document.

  • Example: A list of names and addresses intended for a form letter to clients.

  1. Merge Document:

  • Definition: The document produced when the main document is merged with the data source.

  • Uses: Can be viewed on screen, printed directly, or saved for later use.

  • Example: Insertion of a merge field like «City» in a letter to have Word insert the corresponding city name (e.g., “New Delhi”).

• Accessing Mail Merge in Word 2007:

  • Navigate to the ‘Mailings’ tab on the main tab bar to activate mailings features and tools, which include subtasks like “Create”, “Start Mail Merge”, “Write & Insert Fields”, “Preview Results” and “Finish & Merge”.

5.4 MAIL MERGE WIZARD

• Definition: The Mail Merge Wizard assists users through the mail merge process by allowing the creation and editing of a main document and data file, and merging the data fields with the main document.

• Steps to Use Mail Merge Wizard:

  1. Start Mail Merge:

  • Go to Mailings → Start Mail Merge and select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard option.

  1. Select Document Type:

  • Allows you to choose the type of main document (e.g., Letters, E-Mail Messages, Envelopes, Labels, Directory).

  • Most common usage: Letters.

  1. Select Starting Document:

  • Options:

    • Use the current document: Suitable if a drafted letter is already available.

    • Start from a Template: Choose to use a readily available template, adjustable per requirement.

    • Start from an existing document: Allows modifications to an existing mail merge document.

5.4.2 Selecting the Starting Document

• Selecting “Start from a Template” allows customization of a new letter.

• Ensure to leave spaces (6-7 lines) for merge fields later and do not type anything in those spaces.

• Example letter structure based on a form letter for student admission into the DIT programme, including spaces for personalized address fields.

5.4.3 CREATING A DATA SOURCE

• The third step involves selecting the recipient list or address data. If no existing database is available, a new data source must be created.

• Data Source Example Fields:

  • Name, Address1, Address2, City, State, PIN Code.

• Creating a Data Source using Mail Merge Wizard:

  1. Open a new or existing main document.

  2. Select “Type a new list” from the “Select Recipients” dialog.

  3. Enter data into the New Address List dialog box fields (e.g., Title, First Name, Last Name, etc.).

  4. Customize columns if necessary by clicking on the customize button in the New Address List dialog box.

  5. After specifying the required fields, click OK, then save the document as a .mdb file (Microsoft Database).

5.4.4 Editing Existing Data Records

• To edit existing data records in your data source:

  1. Open the data source file.

  2. Select “Use an existing list” in the Select Recipients dialog.

  3. Browse to open the desired data file (various formats allowed).

  4. Define how to distinguish between data fields and records.

  5. Click on Edit Recipient List to edit records as needed.

5.4.5 Creating a Data Source Using Word Table

• Method:

  1. Insert a table using Insert → Table command.

  2. Type the data field names on the top row and enter data records from the second row.

  3. Save the table as a Word document to complete the data source creation.

5.4.6 Using Excel Worksheet to Create a Data Source

1. Start Excel and open a worksheet.

2. Enter data field names in the top row and records in subsequent rows.

3. Upon completion, save the worksheet.

4. Copy the data to a new Word document via Paste to format into a table.

5.5 CREATING MAILING LABELS

• Reference an existing data source (address list) to create mailing labels through Mail Merge:

1. Create the Main Document:

   • Click New, select Mailings → Start Mail Merge and select Labels.

   • The Label Options dialog will appear for selection.

2. Open Data Source:

   • Click on Select Recipients to choose a new list or an existing one.

   • Browse to the data source file and load it.

3. Insert Merge Fields:

   • Use Write & Insert Fields to position fields on the labels document.

4. Preview and Print:

   • Click on Preview Results to check the layout;

   • Then use Finish & Merge to print the labels directly.

5.6 CREATING ENVELOPES

• Process: Merging an existing address list to envelopes to directly print addresses on them.

1. Create Main Document:

   • Select Mailings → Start Mail Merge and choose Envelopes.

   • Adjust options in the Envelope Options dialog.

2. Open Data Source:

   • Select existing address list and proceed to edit as necessary.

3. Insert Merge Fields:

   • Use Write & Insert Fields in the Mailings tab.

4. Preview and Merge Data:

   • Preview merged results and then finalize with Finish & Merge for printing.

5.7 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

• Recap of Mail Merge utility:

  • Can merge a list of names and addresses into single letters for various recipients.

  • Allows creation of categories with variable information fields and the production of merged documents such as directories and invoices.

5.8 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Define Main document, Data source, and Merge document.

2. Identify two features of Mail Merge.

3. Describe steps to create a main document for a form letter.

4. Describe steps involved in editing existing data records within Mail Merge.

5. Outline steps to create a data source using a Word table.

6. Explain how to utilize an Excel worksheet as a data source for Mail Merge.

5.9 FEEDBACK TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

1. Main document - The personalized document; Merge document - Produced after merging main and data source.

2. Mail Merge Helper or Word Table can be used to create a data source.

3. A new document or printer.

4. Internet connection required for electronic mailing.

5. False, True, False in response to statements regarding mail merge capabilities.