Using Mail Merge in Microsoft Word 2000

One of the most frequently asked questions in or previous set of Microsoft Word 2000 trainings was how to use the Mail Merge feature in Word. While the basics are fairly simple, it can get very complicated very quickly. In this month's article I will take you through how to merge addresses onto mailing labels and envelopes using Excel and Access. Next month I will show you how to personalize letters and insert text, based on outside data.

It's called a "mail merge" because you are merging two things: a Word document and an outside data base. The Word document can be blank, and in this example, it will be. The outside data source is simply your list of addresses. It cannot be blank; it is the source you are using to get everyone's address. Excel and Access are easy ways to store addresses; an Outlook address book works well too. While I won't go through the steps for using Outlook in this article, it is a similar process, just choose Use address book when asked to Get data.

If you are using versions of Word previous to Word 2000, the following steps may vary slightly:

Mailing Labels using Excel or Access:

Open a blank document in Microsoft Word. Go to the Tools menu. Highlight Mail Merge. The Mail Merge Helper will appear. Under the heading "Main Document" there will be a button highlighted that says Create. Click it. A list of 4 options will scroll down from it: Form letter, Mailing Labels, Envelopes, and Catalog. Choose Mailing labels. It will ask you to choose the Active Window or a New Main Document. Choose Active Window. Now, under the "Data Source" heading, there will be a button that says Get Data. Click it. Highlight Open data source. Browse to the folder where your address file is at and select the file (Note: you will probably have to change the "files of types" dropdown at the bottom of the dialog box to the kind of file your addresses is--Excel or Access--before you can select it.) A box will show up asking for "named or cell range," with the answer "entire spreadsheet" already typed in. If you are using Access a list of tables will appear below it. You can type in a cell range (for Excel), choose a table (for Access), or use the entire spreadsheet simply by clicking OK (if you are using an Excel address book that has multiple sheets, you might want to "cut and paste" the addresses you want into a single sheet first, to make your life much easier).

A Set up main document button appears. Click it. A "Choose label" dialog box appears. Here you will be asked what kind of labels you want to use. Choose the label type first (e.g. - Avery Standard), then the label number (e.g. - 5160 Address). If you don't know the label number, look on the labels - it will be printed on there. Click OK. The "Create labels" dialog box appears. Click the Insert Merge Fields button. A list of all the fields in your address book will drop down (a field is a category of information, like last name, or zip code). Highlight each field that you want to include on your labels. Be sure and put in all appropriate spaces, line breaks, and punctuation. Click OK. A mock-up of your mailing labels should appear, with field names like <<lastname>> and <<zip>>. If it doesn't appear, you should bring it up by clicking the Edit button in the upper "Main Document" section of the Mail Merge Helper (it's to the right of the Create button), and highlighting the document name.

If you are happy with the mock-up, click the Merge button in the Mail Merge helper. One last dialog box will appear, asking you if you want to merge to a new document. You do. Click the Merge button, and your mailing labels will be created. Save the file, or just print it for a one-time use.

If you are not happy with the mock-up of the labels, click the Edit button under the "Main Document" heading on the Mail Merge Helper (again, to the right of the Create button). Once you have edited it to your satisfaction, go to the Tools menu and choose Mail Merge to get the Helper back on the screen. Click Merge, then Merge again in the next dialog box, and you are done!

Envelopes Using Excel or Access
Printing envelopes using Mail Merge is almost the same as printing mailing labels. The only difference is that instead of a "Choose labels" dialog box, you'll get a "Choose envelopes" dialog box. Under the "Envelopes options" tab, choose the envelope size, and, if desired, the font and spacing of the address. Under the "printing options" tab, choose the feed method of your printer (how you feed the envelopes into your printer). You'll get the "Insert Fields" dialog box next, use the steps described up above to finish.

Again, if you are using versions of Word previous to Word 2000, the steps may vary slightly. If you have any questions about this process, or want me to walk you through it, please don't hesitate to call me at 719-549-2045, or email me at jeffrey.wood@colostate.edu.