Mail merge is a feature that allows users to generate multiple personalized documents from a main document and a data source. The main document contains text and graphics that are identical for each merged document, while the data source provides unique information like names and addresses to populate each document. When the main document and data source are merged, it produces individualized documents like letters, emails, labels, or envelopes customized for each recipient listed in the data source. Common data sources used include Excel worksheets, Access databases, and other database files.

1. Electronic Grade
Reporting Tool
Using
Mail Merge

2. Mail Merge
- A feature supported by many word
processors that enables you to generate form
letters.
- Mail merge is used to create multiple documents
at once. These documents have identical layout,
formatting, text, and graphics.

3. The Big Three
Name Addr Sal
Main Document
(Word)
Source Data
(Excel)
Merged Document
(Word)
+ =

4. This document contains text and graphics (a
logo or an image, for example) that are
identical for each version of the merged
document. An example of identical content is
the return address on the envelope or in the
body of a letter or an email message.
The Main Document

5. date
____________
____________
____________
Salutation:
Body ________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
____________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
Closing,
______________

6. Main Document
- Each document has the same kind of information, yet
some of the content is unique. For example, in letters to
your recipients, you can personalize each letter to address
each recipient by name. The unique information in each
letter comes from entries in a data source.

7. The Data Source
This document contains the data that is
used to fill in information in your main
document. For example, your mailing
list contains the addresses to be
printed on the labels or envelopes.

8. The Data Source
Firstname Lastname City State Zip
Sue Goble Anytown MI 48888
Lynn Little Perfect MI 44444
Missy Prissy Pleasant MI 41234

9. The Data Source
•MS Word can use the following types
of files as mail merge data sources:
- MS Excel workbook
- MS Access database
- Files from other databases.

10. Merged Document
This document is a combination of the main
document and the mailing list. Information is
pulled from your mailing list and inserted in
your main document, resulting in the merged
document—the letter, email, labels, or
envelopes—personalized for different people
on the mailing list.

11. date
Sue Goble
Anytown, MI
48888
Salutation:
Body ________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
____________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
Closing,
______________
date
Lynn Little
Perfect, MI
44444
Salutation:
Body ________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
____________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
Closing,
______________
date
Missy Prissy
Pleasant, MI
41234
Salutation:
Body ________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
____________________________________
_______________________________________
__________________________________
Closing,
______________

12. Demonstration