02/04/2024
Tip # MS Word # Mail Merge Function #
This article describes how to use the Mail Merge feature to create form letters in Microsoft Word.
The following procedure describes how to create a form letter, attach it to a data source, format it, and merge the documents.
Start a mail merge
Start a mail merge. To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running.
Microsoft Office Word 2007
On the Mailings tab, click Start Mail Merge, and then click Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard.
Select document type
1. In the Mail Merge task pane, click Letters. This will allow you to send letters to a group of people and personalize the results of the letter that each person receives.
2. Click Next: Starting document.
Select the starting document
1. Click one of the following options:
o Use the current document: Use the currently open document as your main document.
o Start from a template: Select one of the ready-to-use mail merge templates.
o Start from existing document: Open an existing document to use as your mail merge main document.
2. In the Mail Merge task pane, click Next: Select recipients.
Select recipients
When you open or create a data source by using the Mail Merge Wizard, you are telling Word to use a specific set of variable information for your merge. Use one of the following methods to attach the main document to the data source.
Method 1: Use an existing data source
To use an existing data source, follow these steps:
1. In the Mail Merge task pane, click Use an existing list.
2. In the Use an existing list section, click Browse.
3. In the Select Data Source dialog box, select the file that contains the variable information that you want to use, and then click Open.
Note If the data source is not listed in the list of files, select the appropriate drive and folder. If necessary, select the appropriate option in the All Data Sources list. Select the file, and then click Open.
Word displays the Ma