Microsoft Word: Mail Merge Tutorial

Mail Merge in Microsoft Word

• Mail Merge is a tool that enables the creation of various documents using data from a list, database, or spreadsheet.
• It requires a Word document and a recipient list, typically an Excel workbook.

History of Mail Merge

• The origins of mail merge date back to the early word processors in personal computers, circa 1980.
• WordStar was perhaps the earliest to provide this feature, originally via an ancillary program called Mail Merge.
• WordPerfect and Microsoft Word also offered this capacity later on.

Advantages of Mail Merge

• Saves time
• Improves accuracy
• Personalizes documents
• Simplifies mass mailings
• Creates professional-looking documents

Disadvantages of Mail Merge

• Complex setup
• Limited customization options
• Risk of errors
• Privacy concerns

Steps to Use Mail Merge

• Open an existing Word document or create a new one.
• Add placeholders (e.g., «AddressBlock» and Greeting line) in the document.
• Preview the letters to make sure the information from the recipient list appears correctly.
• Insert recipient data using the Mail Merge Wizard.
• Print the letters.

Using the Mail Merge Wizard

• Choose the type of document to create (e.g., Letters).
• Select the current document or use an existing file as the recipient list.
• Browse to select the file and choose the worksheet containing the list.
• Control which recipients are included in the merge.
• Write the letter and insert recipient data using placeholders (e.g., Address block).
• Preview and print the letters.