Learning to use Mail Merge in Word can be tricky if you only rely on Microsoft's automated help. In this article we will tell you a much easier way starting from the implementation of creating an address book in Excel. going through the creation of the mail merge in Word and also explaining how to add more details and refine everything. This simple process will save you hours of battling with labels and, in the future, you won't have to write all your addresses by hand!
Note: This procedure works with Office 2003; with different versions the steps to follow may be different.
Steps
Step 1. Create an address book in Excel by entering names and addresses into an Excel sheet like so:
Step 2. In the first row you have to insert the labels, the "titles" of the columns
From the second line on, you can enter the actual data
- Enter the names in column A.
- Enter the surnames in column B.
- Enter the street in column C.
- Enter the city in column D.
- Enter the status in column E.
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Enter the post code in column F.
- # Save the file and remember where you saved it and under what name.
- # Close Excel.
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 3 Step 3. Open Word choose Tools> Letters> Print to Merge
If you don't see the panel on the right go to View> Panel. The panel on the right should appear
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 4 Step 4. Select the Labels item in the right panel
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 5 Step 5. Click Label Options and choose your label from the list
Click ok after choosing.
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 6 Step 6. Click on "Select recipients"
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 7 Step 7. Click on "Browse" and navigate through your folders until you find the file you created with Excel
Open the document and a dialog box will appear. All recipients should already be automatically selected, if by chance they are not, select them and then click "Ok".
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 8 Step 8. Click on "Arrange Labels"
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 9 Step 9. Click on "More" and select and enter the fields you want
Click on each single field (Name, Surname, Address, Postcode, City, State - for the address in Italian form) and then enter them one by one. Don't worry if they all appear on the same line for now, you'll fix them later. Once you have entered the fields you can separate them by adding spaces or by going to a new line. After entering all the fields click on "Ok". If you have forgotten to insert any fields positioned with the cursor where you want to insert the forgotten field, click on "Other", select and insert the new field and then click on close, once you have finished your entries and are satisfied that you have all the fields you need.
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 10 Step 10. Add spaces and wrap so the label looks right
Don't worry if the fields are checked and they turn gray and don't worry if the space you type turns gray, it will still be added in the label.
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 11 Step 11. Move the address to the right with paragraph indent
Usually this gives the label a better look but, of course, it depends on the size of your label and sometimes it might not fit!
When you are satisfied with how your label looks, click on "Update all labels". You should see that the fields are copied, formatted, in all the labels on your sheet
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 12 Step 12. Click on "Preview"
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 13 Step 13. If you are satisfied with the preview click on "Complete mail merge"
At this point you can edit the individual labels or the entire print by clicking on "Edit single labels". in the window that appears I suggest you to select "All" and then click on "Ok" so you will have access to all the labels spread over several pages.
Save before doing anything else
Mail Merge Address Labels Using Excel and Word Step 14 Step 14. You can also use online tools to create mail merge
The advantage is that these online tools are usually easier and faster to use.
