Microsoft Word 2007

Mail Merge: Using an Excel Table for Mail Merge

Tables (databases) created in Excel can have many uses, which include allowing you to use it to merge information into Word for large mailings. This ensures that you will not have to duplicate information you already have in your Excel table to perform a mail merge. This document provides an overview of creating a mail merge using information from an existing Excel table.

NOTES:
The Excel table must already exist for this option to work.
For more information about Word's Mail Merge process, refer to Mail Merge: An Overview.
For more information about creating Excel tables, refer to Creating Tables .

WARNING: In order for the merge to work correctly, the field names of your Excel table must begin in the top left corner of your worksheet, at cell A1.

To create a mail merge using data from an Excel table:

Open a blank Word document
From the Ribbon, select the Mailings command tab
In the Start Mail Merge group, click START MAIL MERGE » select the desired document type
EXAMPLE: Select Letters
In the Start Mail Merge group, click SELECT RECIPIENTS » select Use Existing List...

The Select Data Source dialog box appears.
Using the Look in pull-down list, find and select the desired Excel file
Click OPEN
The Select Table dialog box appears.
If your Excel workbook has multiple worksheets, select the worksheet containing your list of recipients
OPTIONAL: If the first row of your worksheet contains headings instead of information to be included in the merge, select First row of data contains column headers
Click OK
To select the recipients you want to include in your mail merge
1. In the Start Mail Merge group, click EDIT RECIPIENT LIST
  The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears.
2. Select the recipients
  NOTE: A recipient is selected if the checkbox beside their entry is selected.
3. Click OK
  NOTE: To edit the recipient information, refer to Working with the Recipients List.
In your document, type the message, leaving space for information to be added in the mail merge
To insert merge fields
1. Position the insertion point where you want to insert the variable information within your document
2. In the Write & Insert Fields group, click INSERT MERGE FIELD » select the desired field
  
  NOTES:
  Be sure to click the text of the INSERT MERGE FIELD button below the picture to access the drop-down list.
  The fields available to you will be the column headers of your Excel worksheet.
When finished, in the Preview Results group, click PREVIEW RESULTS
A preview of your first recipient's letter appears.
NOTE: For more information on editing the recipient information, refer to Working with the Recipients List.
OPTIONAL: To preview your document with other recipients' information, in the Preview Results group, click the arrows
To print the document
1. From the Finish group, click FINISH & MERGE » select Print Documents...
  
  The Merge to Printer dialog box appears.
2. To print documents for all of your records, select All
  To print a document for only the record displayed, select Current record
  To print documents for only certain records, type a range in the text boxes
3. Click OK
  The Print dialog box appears.
4. Make any necessary adjustments
  NOTE: Refer to Printing Options for Specific Pages for more information.
5. Click OK
To make changes to the documents
1. From the Finish group, click FINISH & MERGE » select Edit Individual Documents...
  
  The Merge to New Document dialog box appears.
2. To edit the documents for all of your records, select All
  To edit the document for only the record displayed, select Current record
  To edit the documents for only certain records, type a range in the text boxes
3. Click OK
4. Make the appropriate changes in the new document that appears
5. Save the document