Mail Merge

Mail Merge

Mail Merge is a useful tool that allows you to produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, name tags, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet. When performing a Mail Merge, you will need a Word document (you can start with an existing one or create a new one) and a recipient list, which is typically an Access Database.

Creating the data source

1. Create a new document and type the letter to be sent to the multiple recipients.

2. To create multiple letters using Mail Merge Wizard, select Tool → Mail Merge Wizard, as shown. A window will appear.

3. Select Step1, ‘Select Starting document → Use the current document → Next’. Click on the Next button move to the next step.

4. In Step 2, select the Document type → Letter → Next 

5. In Step 3, click on the button “Select Address List”. The “Select Address List” window will open, which will allow you to create the recipient list.

Click on the Create button. After clicking on the

6. Create button a New Address List window willClick on the Create button. After clicking on the Create button a New Address List window will appear. In this window under the Address Information section you can enter the information of the recipient.

7. If you want to fill the data of the recipient as per the default fields, then enter the data.

8. If you wish to customise the fields of recipient information, click on Customise button. A 'Customise Address List' window will appear. Now you can add, delete or rename any field name. You can also change the order of appearance of the fields using up/down arrow button.

(a) Add (for a new field)

(b) Delete (to delete an unnecessary field)

(c) Rename (to change the name of the field)

After customising the fields, enter the data in the new format.

9. After entering the data of first recipient, click on the New button to enter the information of the next recipient. After entering the information of the entire recipient, click on the OK button to close the list.

10. After clicking OK button, the Save As dialog box will appear, which will allow to save the list of recipient in .CSV format (say MyList.csv)

11. After saving the list a window will appear, which will display the various recipient list created till now. You can select any of the created list till now. Select the required list and click on OK button from any of the list to send the letter.

12. After clicking on OK button, you will move to Step 3 of Mail Merge Wizard, a window Insert Address Block will appear, which will show you the address block.

13. Click on Next button, you will move to Step 4 of Mail Merge Wizard. A Create Salutation window will appear, to set the salutations for male and female recipients. A way of distinguishing one group from another is defined by choosing from the offered Field names, for example, Gender and by entering the Field value, for example, Female.

14. Click on Next button, you will move to last Step 5 of Mail Merge Wizard. An Adjust layout window will appear to set the layout of the recipient address on the page. You can set the top and left margin. Click on Finish button to merge the letter with the recipients address.

15. In the next step, the Writer will display the document with the Mail Merge Toolbar below the standard toolbar.

16. Now click on Edit Individual Documents button to merge the letter with the address of the recipients. Here you can verify all letters of the recipients before printing.

17. You can use the other options on the Mail Merge toolbar, such as

(a) to exclude some of the recipient check on the checkbox of Exclude recipient.

(b) to save the merged document, click on the Save Merged Documents button.

(c) to print the merged document, click on the Print Merged Documents button.

(d) to send the letters by email, click on the Send Email Messages button.