The document describes how to create personalized email messages using the mail merge feature in Microsoft Word. It discusses how to use the mail merge wizard to select a recipient list, insert recipient fields into the email template, preview the merged emails, and complete the mail merge process. The mail merge allows a user to send personalized emails or documents to multiple recipients by merging recipient information from a data source into the template.
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LESSON 3
Creating an Email Message Using Mail Merge
The mail merge feature allows you to send letters, documents or messages to many people
simultaneously. This feature also creates mailing labels and envelopes. In this lesson, you will
create a personalized email message using the Mail Merge feature inside Microsoft Word 2013.
L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:
• Define Mail Merge
• Use the Mail Merge Wizard
• Edit and send a merged document
CASE STUDY: WELCOME MESSAGE TO PARENTS
Joi Langston is ready to start another
year as a 4th grade teacher at Jesse
Owens Elementary School. Each year,
Joi sends a message to the parents of
her students to welcome everyone to
the new school year, review her
policies and expectations, and provide
contact information to each parent. The
messages are always personalized to
the parents and student. This has
become a best practice to help with
efficiency and communication with
parents during the school year.
(03-01) Complete Merged Parent Letter
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Concept 3-1 Introduction to Mail Merge
A mail merge allows you to send the same information to multiple
recipients at the same time. The most common use of mail merge is in
letters. You create one letter and personalize pieces of the content
based on the entries created in your data source. A data source is a file
that contains information to be merged into a document. If you are
creating an email, the fields in the data source are usually name and e-
mail address.
The mail merge feature can also be used to create the following:
• Letters
• E-Mail Messages
• Envelopes
• Labels
• Directory
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TIP! Using an existing document or letter in the mail merge process is
recommended.
DYS 3-1-1 MAIL MERGE OPTIONS
1. Start a blank Word Document
2. Select the Mailings Tab on the Ribbon.
3. Click the next to Start Mail Merge.
4. Select Letters and you will be taken to another blank word document.
5. Go back to the next to Start Mail Merge
6. Select E-mail Messages. The document should change to an email
setup.
7. Repeat these steps for Labels and Envelopes.
8. Close the document without saving.
(03-02)
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Concept 3-2 Using the Mail Merge Wizard
The mail merge wizard is designed to make it the entire process easier
on the user. The wizard walks you through step-by-step. The mail merge
wizard is located under the Mailings tab on the Microsoft Ribbon.
The mail merge process has four steps:
Start Mail Merge - this step prompts Word that you want to start the mail
merge process in a new document or current document. You will also
select your recipient list.
Your recipient list can be typed, selected from an existing list or pulled
from your Outlook contact list.
Write & Insert Fields – this step is where you write the message and
use the fields from the recipient list as placeholders in your document.
You should position the cursor in the document where you want the
merged field information to appear.
Preview Results – this step allows you to see a preview of each
individual message before you perform the final merge of information.
Finish – this step is where you merge all the information. Additionally,
you can print or edit the individual merged documents.
(03-03)
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DYS 3-2-1 START MAIL MERGE
To complete this portion of the assignment, you will need additional
documents located in the Lesson 03 folder. In this exercise, you will
complete the mail merge process using the Mail Merge wizard.
1. Open the document Email Message to Parents in the Lesson 03 folder.
2. Select the Mailings Tab.
3. Click next to Start Mail Merge.
4. Select E-mail Messages.
5. Click next to Select Recipients and select
Use an Existing List.
6. Select 4th Grade Parent List from the Lesson
03 documents.
7. Select Edit Recipient List to view the contact
information.
DYS 3-2-2 WRITE AND INSERT FIELDS
Once you have selected the document and recipient list, you must
organize the merged fields onto your document to make all the E-mail
messages unique to each parent.
1. Click next to Insert Merge Field. You
will see a list of all the fields in the data
source.
2. In the document Email Message to
Parents locate the PARENT NAME
PLACEHOLDER and select it.
3. Insert the Merged Fields in the following order:
Title (space) First_Name (space) Last_Name
see Figure 03-05
4. Select the first instance of STUDENT NAME
PLACEHOLDER and select it.
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(03-05)
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5. Insert the Merged Field Student_First_Name.
6. Repeat Step 5 and replace all the STUDENT NAME PLACEHOLDER with the
Merged Field Student_First_Name.
DYS 3-2-3 PREVIEW RESULTS
Now that you have completed the setup of your merged fields, you can
preview the messages before they are finalized.
1. In the Email Message to Parents document, Click Preview Results.
2. All the merged fields should now show an actual student name.
3. To review ALL students, click on the buttons.
TIP! You can also check for errors in this step. It is highly recommended that
you use this feature. It will save you time in the long run.
DYS 3-2-4 FINISH & MERGE
Mrs. Langston has completed the merge process and now she wants to
check each message for accuracy. In this section, you will practice
completing the merge process and editing the individual messages
before you send the email out to the parents.
1. Click next to Finish & Merge to view options.
2. Select Edit Individual Documents.
3. You will have 6 individual messages.
4. Save each message by the Child’s name in the
Lesson 03 folder. You should have a letter for
Myrick, Bernice, Laura, Emmanuel, Taylor and
Jonah.
5. Close all the documents.
(03-06)
(03-07)
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Concepts Review
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
1. The mail merge process is often used to send multiple documents to an individual.
2. The recipient list in the mail merge process is always typed as a new list.
3. The date source is an important component of mail merge.
4. Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook work together in the mail merge process.
5. The columns in the recipient list can be modified.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. You may use mail merge to complete which of the following tasks?
a. Tables
b. E-mail Messages
c. Charts
d. None of the above
2. Which item is not a part of the mail merge wizard process?
a. Selecting recipients
b. Previewing the documents before sending
c. Spell checking the document
d. Write merged fields
3. A data source is
a. A file to be used in Microsoft Outlook
b. A file that contains information to be merged into a document.
c. A file that stores the document properties
d. A file that allows users to save data in a chart.
4. What are the steps in the mail merge wizard process?
a. Start, Write, Merge, Finish
b. Start, Write, Insert, Preview, Finish
c. Start, Merge, Insert, Preview, Print
d. Start, Write, Preview, Merge, Finish
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REINFORCE YOUR SKILLS
RYS 3-1 BUILDING A DATA SOURCE
Mrs. Joi Langston would like to build a new recipient list for her tutoring
students. She wants to send out personalized reports and resources to
help each student. In this exercise, you will practice creating a data
source by typing a new list of recipients. You will also customize and re-
order columns.
1. Start a blank Word Document
2. Go to Mailings tab and Click Select Recipients
3. Select Type a New List.
4. In the New Address List Window, Select Customize Columns.
5. Delete all columns EXCEPT First Name, Last Name, and E-mail
Address.
6. ADD Grade and School as additional fields.
7. Add the students below in the New Address List Window. To begin the
entry of a new student, select New Entry.
8. Save the list as Tutoring Students in the Lesson 03 folder.
9. Close the document.
First Name Last Name E-mail Address Grade School
Margaret Smith Msmith9@gmail.com 5th
Eisenhower
James Mahonie mahoniej@yahoo.com 4th
Bass
Laura Holland Hollandl2@comcast.net 5th
Bass
Barbara Butler Bb2@gmail.com 4th
Jesse Owens
Anthony David Davida89@yahoo.com 4th
Jesse Owens
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APPLY YOUR SKILLS
AYS 3-1 Creating Mailing Labels
Jeremiah Robinson is working on invitations to his annual Labor Day
BBQ. He has received the 4th
grade parent list from Mrs. Langston so that
he can invite the classmates of his son Emmanuel. In this exercise, you
will reinforce your skills on using the mail merge wizard.
1. Start a blank Word Document
2. Go to Mailings tab and Start Mail Merge.
3. Select Labels.
4. Choose the label option listed below in Figure 03-08 and press OK.
TIP! Purchasing labels from any of the Label Vendors located in Microsoft Word
will produce the best results.
5. Select Recipient List and choose Use an Existing List.
6. Select 4th
Grade Parent List from the
Lesson 03 folder.
7. Setup Merged Fields as listed below in
Figure 03-09.
8. Select Update Mailing Labels to populate
the page of labels.
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03-08
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9. Select Preview Results and Click Check for Errors for accuracy. Leave
the default option on the Checking and Reporting Errors box.
10. Save your new document as Memorial Day Labels in the default
location.
11. Close the document.
CRITICAL THINKING
CT 3-1 Critical Thinking – Progress Reports
Mrs. Joi Langston is ready to send out progress reports to the parents of
her 4th
grade class. She would like to create a letter and address the
envelopes to each parent individually using her Parent List. Write a letter
to the parents that includes information about upcoming tests, the new
iPads the children will be using during their math and science courses.
You should also include individual information about each student’s
progress in Math, Science, History, and any outstanding assignments.
Please use the 4th
Grade Parent List inside the Lesson 03 folder as your
data source. Use Word’s spelling checker and grammar checker to check
the letter. Save the completed letter in the Lesson 03 folder as Progress
Reports