Mail Merge

The mail merge process involves the following steps:

1. Set up the main document. This can be a letter, envelope or e-mail. It contains content that is identical in each copy, such as the main body text of a letter. You only have to type this text once, regardless of how many letters you intend to print. 

2. Connect the main document to a data  source. Each recipient's information, for example address, will be unique in each letter. Recipient information must be kept in a data source. Examples of data sources are a Word table, an Excel worksheet, an Access database, contacts list in Outlook. The recipient information is listed in columns and rows which makes it possible to link specific information with fields in the main document.
The columns represents a type of information. Each column is identified by a column heading.  Each row represents one recipient's complete information. You can then add any column heading as a field in the main document.
Set up the recipient list so that each column represents the smallest possible piece of information. For example, use separate columns for First Name and Last Name rather than just a Name column. 

3. Add merge fields to the main document. After you connect to the recipient list, you can specify the information that you want to include in the main documents by using fields. Merge fields are the placeholders for the unique information that comes directly from a recipient list. Merge fields are surrounded by chevrons (<< >>).

4. Complete the merge. The set of finished documents consists of the unique letters that you print or send electronically. You can also generate a file that contains all the merged documents.  
The main document you used as a starting point remains a separate document. It is not automatically saved after the merge. If you save it Word remembers the recipient list you connected to it and when you open it again you can quickly complete a new mail merge.

Mail Merge Process

This can be completed quite easily using the Mailings ribbon. You don't need to use the Mail Merge Wizard.

Choose the Mailings category, Start Mail Merge or press Alt+M, S.
1. Main Document. Choose the main document type from the menu and press Space. Now type the main document or open an existing document.

2 Connect to data source. Choose the Mailings category, Select Recipients or press Alt+M, R. Choose new or existing list.

3. Insert Merge fields. Position the cursor in the document to insert the first merge field. Choose the Mailings category, Insert Merge Field or press Alt+M, I. Choose the merge field from the list and press Space.
Move the cursor to the next position and insert the next merge field.

4. Preview the Merge. Choose the Mailings category, Preview Results  or press Alt+M, P to preview the merged document

5. Complete the merge. Choose the Mailings category, Finish and Merge, or press Alt+M, F and then choose Edit individual documents to complete the merge, or Print to print the documents.

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