Microsoft Word Mail Merge

Creating Mail Merge Documents Using

Various Data Sources

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Define Mail Merge terminology and apply knowledge in functional applications.

• Demonstrate using Word’s Mail Merge Helper.

• Produce five Mail Merge documents using five different data source (Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, and Text).

Why use the mail merge feature?

• Merging is a timesaving tool that generates unique, multiple versions of a main document.

• Mail merge feature creates form letters, reports, envelopes, and labels with ease.

How do you create a mail merge?

• Create the main document (letter or form).

• Create the data source (list of information).

• Merge the two documents. The end result is a new document or multiple documents that contains text of main document as well as the information from the data source file.

Basic Concept of Mail Merging:

Dear:

The following is a breakdown of ‘s test scores for the first semester.

Dear Dr. Black:

The following is a breakdown of Isabella’s test scores for the first semester.

Dear Mr. Brady:

The following is a breakdown of Sean’s test scores for the first semester.

Marlena Black

Bo Brady

Abe Carver

Dear Mr. Carver:

The following is a breakdown of Isac’s test scores for the first semester.

Important Terms:

Term Definition

Main Document Contains the standard parts of the document. This information will remain constant in all documents. Also known as the primary file.

Data Source Contains the variable information.

Data Field Types of information included in the data source. For example, StudName, GradeLevel, HomeRm.

Header Row The first line in the data source table which describes the data residing in that column.

Data Record Complete set of fields for one item or person. This is one horizontal row in the data source table.

Mail Merge Helper A “helping hand”.

Merge Fields Indicates to Word as to what data to retrieve from the data source.

Resources

• Word and the Writing Process Tutorial

• Tutorial by Matthew Dull and MaryAnn Deatrick

• How to Mail Merge