sbcusd training program mail merge · section 1 – overview of the mail merge feature mail merge...

SBCUSD

Training Program

Mail Merge

MS Word

Certificates, Letters, Envelopes,

Labels, Forms,

Email Messages

Information Technology Department

Revised – 12/28/2017

MS Word – Merging Data

SBCUSD – Information Technology Department of 14

Table of Contents

Section 1 – Overview of the Mail Merge Feature.................................................................................... 5

Section 2 – Merging into a Document ..................................................................................................... 6

Step 1: Prepare data in Excel for the mail merge ................................................................................. 6

Step 2: Prepare your certificate, letter, labels, etc. to use in the mail merge ....................................... 6

Step 3: Start the Mail Merge ................................................................................................................ 6

Checking the template for errors.......................................................................................................... 7

Completing the merge .......................................................................................................................... 8

Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts .................................................................................................................. 8

Section 3 – Merging into an Email Message ........................................................................................... 9

Setting up the email message (Main Document) ................................................................................. 9

Connect the email message to your Outlook Contacts (Data Source) ................................................. 9

Insert merge fields into the email text (Main Document) .................................................................. 10

Section 4 – Merging into Mailing Labels .............................................................................................. 12

Completing the merge ........................................................................................................................ 13

Section 5 – Troubleshooting Mail Merge Issues ................................................................................... 14



Section 1 – Overview of the Mail Merge Feature

Mail merge is used to create multiple documents at once. These documents have identical layout,

formatting, text, and graphics. Only specific sections of each document varies and is personalized. The

documents Word can create with mail merge include bulk certificates, labels, letters, envelopes,

and emails. There are three documents involved in the mail merge process:

Your main document

Your data source

Your merged document

Every mail merge project has two main components:

Main document – This is usually a certificate, form letter, labels, or envelopes. It can also be

an electronic form or an email. You usually create your main documents in MS Word.

In Word, type the body of your letter.

Include the date, time, location of the event.

Include all details that are the same for all the recipients.

Data Source – The most important step in the mail merge process is to set up and prepare your

data. You'll use your Excel spreadsheet as the data source for the recipient list.

The Data Source is usually created in an Excel file The main document can be a certificate,

envelope, letter, form, labels, and more

All Mail Merge functions are done using the Mailing Ribbon



Section 2 – Merging into a Document Step 1: Prepare data in Excel for the mail merge

The most important step in the mail merge process is to set up and prepare your data. You'll use your

Excel spreadsheet as the data source for the recipient list.

Here are some tips to prepare your Excel data for a mail merge. Make sure:

Column names in your spreadsheet match the field names you want to insert in your mail merge.

For example, to address readers by their first name in your document, you'll need separate columns

for first and last names.

All data to be merged is present in the first sheet of your spreadsheet.

Data entries with percentages, currencies, and postal codes are correctly formatted in the

spreadsheet so that Word can properly read their values (text is recommended).

The Excel spreadsheet to be used in the mail merge is stored on your local machine.

Changes or additions to your spreadsheet are completed before it's connected to your mail merge

document in Word.

Step 2: Prepare your certificate, letter, labels, etc. to use in the mail merge

1. Type the letter or certificate in Word, with the

information typed out leaving space for your form

fields.

a. Labels and envelopes, you use a blank Word

page, see Step 3.

2. Save it to your computer and leave it open.

You can use a Word Template instead of creating

your own.

Step 3: Start the Mail Merge

1. Click on the Mailings ribbon.

2. Click on the Start Mail Merge button.

3. Select the kind of merge you want.

a. Use Letters for letters and certificates.

b. Use Labels or Envelopes for same.

i. You do not create anything for labels or envelopes before the merge.

4. Click on the Select Recipients button.

5. Select the Use existing list option from the drop-down list.

6. Navigate to the drive and folder where the data source is stored (e.g., Excel file).



7. Select the data source file name and then click the Open button.

8. At the Select Table dialog box, make sure the sheet with

your data is selected.

a. Your data source should have column headings.

b. Make sure “First row of data contains column

headers” is checked.

9. Click on the OK button.

Your Mailings buttons are now active and your Excel file is connected to the mail merge

document.

Note: You can limit who receives this document by selecting the Edit Recipient List button.

Uncheck the box next to the name. You can also sort or filter the list.

10. Click in the document where you want the first merge field to appear (this is in RED in the

letter example above).

11. Click the Insert Merge Field button and select the field you want inserted.

You must manually put in the spacing, commas, periods, tabs, etc.

E.g., after inserting first name, use your space bar before entering the last name.

12. Repeat the Insert Merge Field steps until all merge fields are completed.

13. Use the SAVE AS command to save this as your template so that the merge fields and the

connection to your data source (Excel file) are not lost.

a. Every time you use this Mail Merge Document, you have your new information in

the same named Excel file (e.g., you overwrite the existing file when you have new

data).

Checking the template for errors

1. Click on the Preview Results button.

The data from the first row of the Excel file replaces the merge fields.

2. Click the Next Record/Prev Record buttons to view additional rows of data to

make sure you have set everything up correctly.

3. Click on the Preview Results button again so that the merge fields appear again.

This will only show one page at a time; you will not see that you have multiple pages from here.

The number of pages will show once you complete the merge.

Labels – DO NOT COMPLETE THE MERGE. See Section 4 to complete your labels.

Mailings Ribbon



Completing the merge

1. Click on the Finish and Merge button.

2. Select the Edit individual documents options on the drop-down list.

3. Click the All option and then click the OK button.

Your merged document will now appear with all the information from your data source

(Excel listing).

4. Save the batch of merged documents with a different name from the merged template you saved

earlier. This file contains the completed information.

In order to change something on the letter, certificate, labels, etc. you would have to go to each one

and make the change(s). It is better if you go back to the saved template you created earlier, make

the change(s) and then redo the Finish and Merge.

Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts

To reuse your template with the merge fields you saved and the same data source file,

never change the name of this template or the data source file.

E.g., name your new Excel file with the same name and in the same folder as the one

you used for the original from year to year.

If you link to the incorrect data source, go back to the Start Mail Merge and select

Normal Word Document.

Do not rename the mail merge template file or Excel file.

Do not move the Excel file from its original location. If you do (or if someone else

does), you will get a lot of error messages when you open the Word main document. Click

through all the error messages and reconnect the Data Source (Excel) using the Select

Recipients button.

Do not rename the column headings within the Excel file. Once the Excel file is connected

to the main document, it only knows the column headings that were present when you

connected it to the main document.

Use the Edit Recipient list button to deselect recipients that you do not want to receive the

letter.



Section 3 – Merging into an Email Message

This section will instruct you how to insert merge fields at the location within the main document

(e.g., email message) where you want information from the data source (Excel file) to appear when

you finish the merge.

Setting up the email message (Main Document)

1. Start with a blank new Word screen.

2. Type the message you want to send via email.

3. Click on the Mailings tab. The Mailings ribbon appears.

4. Click on the Start Mail Merge button and select Email Messages from the drop-down list.

Connect the email message to your Outlook Contacts (Data Source) The steps that follow will show you how to connect the data source (Outlook Contacts) to the

main document (e.g., Outlook email message).

1. Click on the Select Recipients button on the Mailing ribbon and select Choose from Outlook

Contacts from the drop-down list.

2. At the Select Contacts dialog box, select

Contacts and then click the OK button.

You may have to experiment a bit if you have

more than one list, however if you look at the

Count column, you will see how many

contacts are in each list. Do not select a list

that has a count of zero.



3. From the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, place a check next to each contact that you want to

receive your email message.

To remove a check mark, click the checkmark that you want to remove.

To add a checkmark, click a blank check box next to a name.

To remove or add ALL checkmarks, click the checkmark or blank check box next to the Last

column heading.

To find specific contacts, click on the Find recipient link and enter a partial name.

You may click the individual column headings to sort the list

4. Click the OK button when done.

Insert merge fields into the email text (Main Document)

If you want to personalize the mass email, insert merge fields within the email text. This step is

optional.

1. Make sure you have connected the data source to the main document. Refer to the section on the

previous page.

If the buttons on the Mailings ribbon are grayed out, you have not connected the main

document with the data source.

2. Position the insertion point within the email text where you want data from the

Excel file to appear, and then click on the Insert Merge Field button

(Mailings ribbon).

3. Select the appropriate field name from the list (e.g., Name). If necessary, insert a space and comma between fields, and enter key at the end of

fields so that the fields are placed properly.

4. Repeat Step 2 and 3 until all the merge fields are placed in the email text

correctly.

Within this dialog box, you can click on the Sort or Filter link to change the order or hide names that you do not want to merge to. You can find duplicates.



5. Click on the Preview Results button (Mailings ribbon) to hide the merge codes and analyze the

data that is coming in from the Excel file.

Click the Next/Prev record buttons to view additional names.

Click on the Preview Results button again to redisplay the merge codes.

6. Save the form letter so that the codes and the connection to the Excel file are not lost.

7. Click the Finish & Merge button (Mailings tab).

8. Click on Send Email Messages.

9. At the Merge to E-mail dialog box, verify that Email_Address appears in the To: field.

10. At the Merge to E-mail dialog box, enter the subject of the email in the Subject line: field.

11. Click the OK button to

The data source must have an email

address in one of the fields for

Email_Address to appear in the To:

field. If there is no email address in

the data source, the merge will not

work.

This is the appropriate Field name



Section 4 – Merging into Mailing Labels

This section will instruct you how to insert merge fields in the first label within the main document

where you want information from the data source (Excel file) to appear when you finish the merge and

how to copy the codes to the remaining labels on the page.

If 5160 Easy Peel Address Labels does not appear on the list, make sure Avery US Letter

appears in the Label Vendors field.

If the label gridlines are missing, click on the Table Tools - Layout tab and then select View

Gridlines (left side of ribbon).

The screen will look like the example below after you have completed the steps in Section 2.

1. If necessary, type: To the Parent/Guardian of: and then press the [Enter] key. This will advance

your insertion point to the next line.

To increase the available space on the label:

2. Click above the first column to highlight all the columns.

Drag the left indent marker to the left just a bit.

3. Click on the first line of the first label.

Select the Paragraph Settings launcher>

Indents and Spacing tab, Spacing > Before, 6pt is

normal but make it what you want.

4. Click on the Update Labels button (Mailings ribbon) and the remaining labels fill with the text

and codes you entered on the first label.

5. Click on the Preview Results button (Mailings ribbon) to hide the merge codes and analyze the

data that is coming in from the Excel file. If it looks good, click the Preview Results button again

so that the merge codes reappear.



When previewing, the Field names should show the information from your Excel file.

6. Use the SAVE AS command to save this as your template so that the merge fields and the

connection to your data source (Excel file) are not lost.

a. Every time you use this Mail Merge Document, you have your new information in

the same named Excel file (e.g., you overwrite the existing file when you have new

data).

Completing the merge

1. Click on the Finish and Merge button.

2. Select the Edit individual documents options on the drop-down list.

3. Click the All option and then click the OK button.

Your merged document will now appear with all the information from your data source

(Excel listing).

4. Save the batch of merged documents with a different name from the merged template you saved

earlier. This file contains the completed information.

In order to change something on the letter, certificate, labels, etc. you would have to go to each one

and make the change(s). It is better if you go back to the saved template you created earlier, make

the change(s) and then redo the Finish and Merge.

Test printing the labels

1. Give the print command selecting the Current Page option. Do not insert the labels yet!

2. Place the test sheet of labels on top of a sheet of labels and hold it up in front of a bright light.

3. Analyze the boundaries of each label and make sure the text on each label doesn’t appear off the

label.

4. If text looks like it will print outside the label edges, close the merged labels and do not save. Then

use one or more of the following format options to adjust your labels before you merge them

again:



Section 5 – Troubleshooting Mail Merge Issues

The information in this section will help you troubleshoot merge issues should they occur.

Troubleshooting:

If you see an error that repeats on every letter, correct the error in the Word (main document).

If you see an error on only some of the letters, correct the error within the Excel (data source).

Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts

Do not rename the mail merge template file or Excel file.

Do not move the Excel file from its original location. If you do (or if someone else does),

you will get a lot of error messages when you open the Word main document. To fix, click

through all the error messages and reconnect the Data Source (Excel) using the Select

Recipients button.

Do not rename the column headings within the Excel file. Once the Excel file is connected

to the main document, it only knows the column headings that were present when you

connected it to the main document.

Use the Edit Recipient list button to deselect recipients that you do not want to receive the

letter.

Cited: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Mail-merge-using-an-Excel-spreadsheet-858c7d7f-5cc0-4ba1-9a7b-

0a948fa3d7d3 12/21/2017

Mailings Ribbon

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Mail-merge-using-an-Excel-spreadsheet-858c7d7f-5cc0-4ba1-9a7b-0a948fa3d7d3

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Mail-merge-using-an-Excel-spreadsheet-858c7d7f-5cc0-4ba1-9a7b-0a948fa3d7d3

sbcusd training program mail merge · section 1 – overview of the mail merge feature mail merge...

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