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Mail merge wizardry
This document provides instructions for using Microsoft Word's mail merge feature to create personalized mass mailings. It outlines the steps to create a data source with recipient information, compose a master document template, and then merge the data source fields into the document to create individualized letters or envelopes. The mail merge wizard guides the user through selecting the data file, mapping fields, previewing the merges, and completing the merge. With mail merge, users can efficiently personalize documents for fundraising, thank you letters, event invites, or alumni newsletters with minimal effort.
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Mail merge wizardry
- 1. Mail Merge wizardry Makingmass mailings easy with Microsoft Word’s mail merge wizard
- 2. Goals of thissession At the end of this session, you will… 1.Understand the basics of a mail-merge. 2.Be able to create a data source and document of your own. 3.Successfully merge the documents. 4.Feel like a mail merge wizard!
- 3. About me Susie Sargent AdvancementProfessional with 13 years of Microsoft Office experience.
- 4. Why I useMail Merges Susie Sargent Advancement Professional with 13 years of Microsoft Office experience.
- 5. Why I useMail Merges Susie Sargent Advancement Professional with 13 years of Microsoft Office experience. Advancement=Fundraising
- 6. Why I useMail Merges Susie Sargent Advancement Professional with 13 years of Microsoft Office experience. Asking for money, thanking donors for money, inviting donors to events, sending news to alumni, personalizing messages…
- 7. What is amail merge?
- 8. Getting Started: Word Document Opena new word document and begin composing your letter.
- 9. Composed: Word Document Whenyou finish composing the Word document (don’t forget to save!) now note what fields you need in your data source.
- 10. Data Source: Table Nowyou will open a new Word file (or Excel file, or database, etc.). I will go to insert->table, and draw a table with seven columns to map with the seven fields of variable info in my letter. I type in the headings.
- 11. Data Source: Table Fillin the data for each patron you wish to send a letter to…
- 12. Data Source: Table Whenyou finish your data list, save the document (don’t forget under what name and where it is saved!)
- 13. Merge Document Switch backto your letter. From the top dropdown menus, select Mailings->Start mail merge. Choose the option “Stepby-step mail merge wizard.” The wizard will open up in a pop up or to the right of your screen.
- 14. Merge Document Make surethe “Letters” radio button is selected, then click on Next: Starting document
- 15. Merge Document Make surethe “Use current document” radio button is selected, then click on -> Next: Select recipients
- 16. Merge Document Make surethe “Use an existing list” radio button is selected, then click on Browse to search for the data file we saved. Open the file.
- 17. Merge Document Make surethe “Use an existing list” radio button is selected, then click on Browse to search for the data file we saved. Open the file. Depending on your version of Microsoft Word, you may get this box, which gives you the option to select which records to include. Click OK.
- 18. Merge Document Click ->Next:Write your letter. Now, highlight the first field that you would like to replace. That would be “Mailing Name.” From the wizard, choose “More items” to select from. Click “Mailing_name” and Insert.
- 19. Merge Document Repeat thisfor other fields – Address, City, State and Zip, and so on from the “More items” selection. Note you may have to adjust the placement and spacing, as inserting these fields sometimes sets off the formatting.
- 20. Merge Document Select “Previewyour letters” from the wizard to see how they look. This gives you the opportunity to see if you need to go back a step and adjust spacing, or catch any errors.
- 21. Merge Document For example,I decide I want to call out the Title information with bold in the original document, so I select “Previous: Write your letter” from the wizard to go back and change the formatting.
- 22. Merge Document I makemy changes, and then I move forward to preview the merge with my changes. I am satisfied, so I’m ready to hit the “Next: Complete the merge” magic.
- 23.
- 24. MergeD Document Now, youcan immediately print your letters, or if you want to review them and/or save them for another time, choose the “Edit individual letters” option
- 25. Review your letters Now,you can immediately print your letters, or if you want to review them and/or save them for another time, choose the “Edit individual letters” option. This will open a new document – your merged letters!
- 26. Envelopes We’re not doneyet…unless you like hand-addressing your envelopes!a new Word document. 1. Start 2. What next?
- 27. Envelopes Select Envelopes insteadof Letters
- 28. Envelopes Click on “Envelopeoptions” to set the size of your envelope (#10 is the usual letter sized envelope
- 29. Envelopes Type in yourreturn address, as this will be the same on each envelope.
- 30. Envelopes Just like forthe letters, you will select “Use an existing list”. Browse to find the list you saved for the letters, and select OK.
- 31. Envelopes Just like theletters, you will arrange your merge fields on the envelope from the “More items…” selection. Then Next: Preview your envelopes
- 32. Envelopes Now you previewyour letters. When it looks good, select Next: Complete the merge
- 33.
- 34. Further Resources Microsoft OfficeSupport: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294683
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