Microsoft Word 2004

Mail Merge: Using an Excel Database for Mail Merge

In addition to the features and functions of Excel that make your database useful, you can also use the database to merge information into Word for large mailings. This means that you will not have to duplicate information you already have in your Excel database to perform a mail merge.

These instructions assume that you have an understanding of the Word mail merge process.

WARNING: The field names of your Excel database must begin in the upper-left corner of your worksheet, cell A1 (the first row and column).

Navigating to your Excel data document is similar to selecting a Word data document.

Open a blank Word document
From the Tools menu, select Data Merge Manager
The Data Merge Manager appears.
In the Main Document section, from the Create pull-down list, select Form Letters
In the Data Source section, from the Get Data pull-down list, select Open Data Source...
The Choose a File dialog box appears.
Locate and select the Excel workbook you will use for your list
Click OPEN
The Open Workbook dialog box appears.
If your Excel workbook has multiple worksheets, from the Open Document in Workbook pull-down list, select the worksheet containing your data
Click OK
If you have not already done so, write your letter
To insert variable fields, from the Data Merge Manager, in the Merge Field section, click and drag the appropriate field to your main document
To preview your merged document, from the Data Merge Manager, in the Preview section, click VIEW MERGED DATA
A preview of your first recipient appears.
NOTE: For more information on editing the recipients' information, refer to Working with the Data Source.
To print the letters, from the Data Merge Manager, in the Merge section,
1. Click MERGE TO PRINTER?
  The Print dialog box appears.
2. Make the appropriate selections
3. Click PRINT
To save the merged letters as a separate file, from the Data Merge Manager, in the Merge section,
1. Click MERGE TO NEW DOCUMENT
  NOTES:
  The merged letters appear in a new, unsaved document.
  Each letter is separated by a section break.
2. Make any desired changes in the new document
3. Save the new document