Creating a Mail Merge With Microsoft Word 2003

Creating a mail merge with Microsoft Word can be anexisting list that is already saved in a spreadsheet, use
efficient and fast way to save time when a massa list from outlook, or type a new list. Since we've
mailing is in the works. Can you imagine manually typingalready put our contacts in an excel spreadsheet,
five hundred different addresses on letterhead orselect the Use an existing list radio button and then
labels when just a few simple clicks will do? That's theclick Browse to grab the list.
beauty of a mail merge. To get started, it is a good10. In the Select a DataSource dialog box choose
idea to first create a spreadsheet in a program likeMicrosoft Excel in the Files of type DropDown box.
Microsoft Excel with fields consisting of First Name,11. To find your Excel document use the Look in
Last Name, Address, City, State, Zip, etc... so thedropdown box at the top and choose the appropriate
records can be easily imported to the mail merge.folder. Click on the file once it has been found and
Once you have the spreadsheet completed you areselect Open. A new dialog box named Select Table
ready to begin the merge process.will appear and the sheet that the contacts are saved
1. Open up Microsoft Word or create a new Wordunder will need to be selected. In our excel document,
document if the program is already open.we saved the contacts under Sheet1, which is the
2. Click Tools on the menu at the top of the screendefault option, so make sure Sheet1 is selected and
and choose Letters and Mailings.click OK. Doing this will open the Mail Merge Recipients
3. From the fly out menu select Mail Merge. The Mailbox, which lists every contact that we have included in
Merge menu will appear on the right hand side of yourour excel document. All of the contacts are selected
screen allowing you to choose which type of mergeby default and to deselect one, simply click its adjacent
will be performed. For our example, let's create somecheckbox next to the name of the contact and it will
labels.not be included in the merge. Click OK once the
4. Click the Label radio button. We have nowselections have been made.
completed step one of six as indicated at the bottom12. You should now see a screen with the words Next
of the screen.Record appearing in every label, except the first one.
5. Click Next: Starting Document to proceed to theMove on to Step 4 by clicking Next: Arrange your
next step in the mail merge process.labels.
6. Step two allows us to choose how the labels will be13. From the Arrange you labels page we can
set up. We can either change the document layout,rearrange wording and insert salutations. To insert a
which allows you to choose mail merge templates orsalutation choose Address Block.
start from an existing document. If you are not sure14. From the Insert Address Block menu, you can
which step to choose, clicking on the options radiochoose from a variety of different formats to insert
button will generate a description of each choice tothe contact's name. Let's choose, Joshua Randall, Jr.,
help you along in the process. For our example we willthe second option, and click OK.
choose the first option: Change document layout.15. The word Address Block now appears in the upper
7. Before we proceed to the next step, we need toleft hand corner and the labels are ready to be
change the label size. To do this, click on Label Optionsupdated. Click Update all labels and click Next to
under the Change document layout heading. Frompreview your labels.
here you can change different label options such as16. You will now see the first page of labels. Move on
the tray the labels will be printed to, the type of labelsto Step 6 by choosing Next: Complete the Merge.
that are being used and the dimensions of the labels.17. If you have more than one page of labels to be
For our example, we are going to assume we haveprinted, click Edit Individual Labels.
Avery labels and are going to choose Avery Standard18. Make sure All is selected under Merge Records,
from the Label Products dropdown box and 5160-and click OK.
Address from the Product Number box. (Note: You will19. The labels are now ready to be printed. From the
find these dimensions on the front of your labelsame screen, select Print and the Merge to Printer
package). Click OK once you have made the changes.dialog box opens. If all the labels are to printed, make
Your blank document is now filled with gray linessure All is selected and click OK.
emulating labels and the cursor is in its default position;20. The Print dialog box opens and you can choose
the first label in the upper left hand corner.your printer. Make sure the labels are properly
8. Move on to the next step by clicking Next: Selectpositioned in the printer and click on OK to print your
recipients, at the bottom of the screen.labels.
9. To select recipients for your labels you can use an