microsoft word 2010 - illustrated unit h: merging word documents

Microsoft Word 2010 - Illustrated

Unit H: Merging Word Documents

Objectives

• Understand mail merge• Create a main document• Design a data source• Enter and edit records

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Objectives (continued)

• Add merge fields• Merge data• Create labels• Sort and filter records


Understanding Mail Merge

• With mail merge you merge a standard Word document with a file that contains customized information for many individuals or items• The standard document is the main

document• The file with the unique data is the data

source• Use Mail Merge task pane or the

commands on the Mailings tab


• Main document contains boilerplate text and merge fields• Boilerplate text appears in every

version of the merged document• A merge field indicates where the data

from each record should be inserted when you perform the merge


Understanding Mail Merge (continued)

• A data source contains data fields and data records• A data field is a category of information

• E.g., last name, city, postal code• The names of the data fields are called field

names

• A data record is a complete set of related information for an individual or item

• E.g., one person’s name and address


Understanding Mail Merge (continued)


Data record

Field name

Data source document

Main document

Merged documentMerge fields

Boilerplate text

Customized information

Creating a Main Document


• The Mail Merge task pane walks you through the steps to perform a merge• Click the Mailings tab, click

the Start Mail Merge button, then click Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard

• Step 1: Select document type (e.g. letters)

Creating a Main Document (continued)• Step 2: Select starting

document (the main document)• Create from scratch• Save an existing

document as a main document

• Use a mail merge template


Creating a Main Document (continued)• Using a mail merge template:

• If you are creating letters or faxes, you can use a mail merge template to start your main document

• To use a template, click the Start from a template option button in the Step 2 of 6 Mail Merge task pane, then click Select template

• Select Template dialog box opens


Designing a Data Source

• Step 3: Identify the data source• Data source file contains the

information used to customize each version of the merge document

• You can use an existing data source, use a list of Microsoft Outlook contacts, or create a new data source

• To create one, you determine the fields to include and then add the records


Designing a Data Source (continued)


• Use the New Address List dialog box to design a new data source and enter records

• Add and remove fieldsEnter data

for first record

Column headings are field names

Click to modify fields



• Use the Customize Address List dialog box to add, delete, rename, and reorder the fields in the data source

Fields in the data source


• Merge a main document with an Outlook contact list• Click the Select from Outlook contacts

option button in the Step 3 of 6 Mail Merge task pane

• Then, click Choose Contacts Folder to open the Choose Profile dialog box

• Select a profile to open the Select Contacts dialog box


Entering and Editing Records

• Each record includes the complete set of information for each individual or item you include in the data source


Data for first record

Add a new record

Entering and Editing Records (continued)


• Use the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box to sort and filter records, and to select the recipients to include in the mail merge

Click to include all records in the merge

Records

Entering and Editing Records (continued)


• Use the Edit Data Source dialog box to edit and remove fields and recordsType edits directly in the record

Click to delete the selected record

Search for a record

Adding Merge Fields


• Step 4: Write your letter• Write or edit the boilerplate text and

insert merge fields• Chevrons (<< and >>) surround a

merge field to distinguish it

Adding Merge Fields (continued)

• Merge fields are placeholders for text that is inserted when main document and data source are merged• Names must correspond to the fields

names in data source• Use Mail Merge task pane or Address

Block, Greeting Line, and Insert Merge Field buttons in the Write & Insert Fields group (Mailings tab)



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Merge fields



• Use the Insert Address Block dialog box to specify the fields to include in an address block

Formats for the

recipient’s name

Adding Merge Fields (continued)• Matching fields:

• Merge fields inserted in main document must correspond with field names in associated data source

• If using Address Block merge field, you must make sure that the default address field names correspond with the field names used in the data source

• Use Match Fields dialog box


Merging Data

• Step 5: Preview your letters• Before merging, preview merged data

for accuracy• Use the task pane or the Preview

Results button (Preview Results group, Mailings tab)

• Step 6: Complete the merge• Choose between merging to a new file

or to a printer


Merging Data (continued)


Data from the data source

replaces the merge fields

Next Recipient

button

Go to Record text box

Creating Labels

• Use Mail Merge task pane or commands on Mailings tab to create labels or print envelopes for a mailing• Select a standard label or envelope

size to use as the main document• Select a data source, then insert merge

fields in the main document


Creating Labels (continued)


• Click Labels in the Start Mail Merge group to open the Label Options dialog box• Select a label size, vendor, and type,

and specify the type of printer you will use


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Label product

numbers

Label brand

Click to create labels with

custom measurements

Click to preview or adjust the

label measurements

Description of selected

label product



Table format matches layout of

labels


• Printing individual envelopes and labels:• Use Mail Merge or

commands in Create group on Mailings tab

• Use the Envelopes and Labels dialog box


Sorting and Filtering Records

• Sorting records determines the order in which the records are merged

• Filtering pulls out the records that meet specific criteria and includes only those records in the merge


Sorting and Filtering Records (continued)• Use the Mail Merge Recipients dialog

box to sort and filter a data source


Click a column heading to sort

the records

Click a column heading list

arrow to filter the records

Sorting and Filtering Records (continued)


Labels are sorted first by zip code, and then by last

name

Sorting and Filtering Records (continued)

• Inserting individual merge fields:• Click the Insert Merge Field list arrow in

the Write & Insert Fields group then select the field name

• Or, click the Insert Merge Field button to open the Insert Merge Field dialog box


Summary

• Perform a mail merge by merging a main document with a data source• The main document contains the

standard information• The data source contains the

customized information• Mail Merge task pane walks you

through the mail merge process


Summary (continued)

• Create a main document and insert merge fields

• Design a data source and enter records• Sort and filter records

• Preview and complete a merge• Create mailing labels and print

envelopes
