HIGHER
ADMINISTRATION
MAIL MERGE
South Lanarkshire Council
Administration
Higher
Mail Merge
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CONTENTS
BEFORE MAIL MERGING
3
MAIL MERGE EXAMPLE
5
MAILING LABELS USING THE MAIL MERGE WIZARD
8
MAILING LABELS USING MS ACCESS
14
PRACTICE MATERIAL 1
18
PRACTICE MATERIAL 2
21
FIX FOR AMERICAN DATE FORMAT
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Mail Merge
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BEFORE MAIL MERGING
Always follow the instructions below before you mail merge an Access file
with a Word Document.
Before you mail merge you must export the Access data you wish to merge to a
text file.
1
Open the table or query which contains the information you wish to merge.
2 Go to the File Menu and select Save As/Export, as shown below:
Export here.
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3 The following window will appear on your screen. Your My Documents will
appear at the top of this window. You do not need to change the filename but
you must go to the Save as type at the bottom of your screen and select
Microsoft Word Merge as shown below:
Choose Microsoft Word Merge here.
Click Export All.
4 Now click Export in the top right hand corner of the screen. This file will now be
saved in your My Documents. You can merge data from this file to a word
document. Your file type will look like this icon:
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MAIL MERGE EXAMPLE
1
Double-click on RM Explorer which you will find on your desktop. Now click on
Files & Folders, then Shared Documents. Copy the folder called Higher Mail
Merge to your My Documents.
2
You are now going to carry out a mail merge exercise using the files already
saved for you in the Mail Merge folder you have just copied to your My
Documents. When finished you should print a copy of your master page,
showing the fields inserted and a copy of the other letters in your mail merge.
3
Open the draft letter saved in the Mail Merge folder i.e. filename MAIL MERGE
LETTER. Go to the View menu, select toolbars and then select Mail Merge.
The Mail Merge toolbar will appear at the top of your screen. It looks like this:
Click as shown above and open My Documents. Find the database file in the
Higher mail merge folder i.e. filename MAIL MERGE you copied from Learning
Resources earlier and open the file.
4
Now place your cursor 2LS below the date and select as shown above to Insert
Merge Fields. A window will open on your screen as follows:
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5
Select each field name in turn clicking Insert after each field. The fields will be
entered in a long row. Now adjust the spacing between the fields and at the
end of each line as appropriate. There are other fields you should insert in your
letter at the appropriate places e.g. Holiday Destinations. Make sure you
enter your initials to complete the reference on the letter. Your letter should
now look like this:
6
Print a copy of this master document showing the field names. Go to the File
menu and select Print to print this master document.
7
To view the actual data inserted in the letter. Click as follows:
in the Mail Merge Toolbar. You should now be able to see the details taken
from the first record of your database on your screen.
8
You can move through the letters within your mail merge by clicking on the
arrows in the mail merge toolbar as shown below:
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You should now merge your draft letter with the letterhead saved in the mail
merge folder you copied earlier. Your final letters should always be printed on
any letterhead available. To do this open the letterhead file saved i.e. MAIL
MERGE LETTERHEAD, go to the Edit menu and select Select All, go to the
Edit menu again and select Copy. Close this file and return to your draft letter.
Place your cursor at the top of the page (3LS above the reference) and go to
the Edit menu again. This time select Paste and your letterhead will appear at
the top of your letter.
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Now print all of the letters in your mail merge by clicking on the icon shown
below. You will find this in your mail merge toolbar also.
When you click the above icon you will be given the opportunity to print all your
letters or to specify which ones. Print them all on this occasion.
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MAILING LABELS USING THE MAIL MERGE WIZARD
We are now going to create Mailing Labels using our database and the mail merge
wizard.
1
Open a blank Microsoft Word document.
2
Key your name and Label Exercise 1 in a footer.
3
Save the document as Label Merge.
4
Move the mouse to the Tools menu and drag down to Letters and Mailings
and then select Mail Merge Wizard as shown below.
5
The following task pane will appear at the right hand side of the screen as
shown below.
Select Labels.
Click on Next.
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6
The next task pane will appear.
Check that Change
document layout is
selected.
Click on Label Options.
The following window will appear offering different label options as shown
below.
Select Avery
Standard here.
Scroll down to 5160 Address.
Click OK.
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Now click on Next at the bottom of the Wizard task pane.
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We are now going to select the records that we want to create the labels
with.
Ensure that Use an existing
list is selected.
Now click on Browse and select
the Mail Merge Database from
the Higher Mail Merge Folder.
Select Next.
8
The next task pane will appear allowing you to select the fields to insert into
the labels.
Click on More items.
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The Insert merge field box should now be on your screen.
Double click on First
Name, Surname, Address,
Town and Postcode. Then
close the window.
Arrange the fields appropriately by inserting spaces and returns for new
lines.
Your word document should now look this:
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At the bottom of the task pane on your screen under the heading Replicate
Labels we can select to copy the layout we have set up for record 1 to all
other records automatically.
Click on Update all
labels.
Click on Next.
Check that your labels are laid out correctly.
9
If we were printing pages of labels we could preview them all here by
clicking on the >> box.
Click on Next.
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The last step is to print the labels.
Click on Print.
Your printout should look like this:
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Save the labels by clicking on the save icon and close the document.
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MAILING LABELS USING MS ACCESS
MS Access has a design feature in Reports that can be used to design Mailing
Labels. It produces the same result as creating them in Word therefore it is your
preference which package you use for this task.
1 Open up the Mail Merge database.
2 Select the Reports tab and your screen should be the same as below:
3 Click on the New tab ands select Label Wizard as shown below:
Select Label Wizard
from the list.
Select the table you
want to use to create
the labels i.e. Mail
Merge.
Click OK.
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4 The next window will appear asking about the size of the labels for this
exercise. We will accept the default as shown below:
Click Next.
5 The next window in the wizard is asking about font and colour for the text of our
labels. If you wanted to change the text font, size and colour click on the arrow
and select the appropriate one from the list. For this example just click on Next.
Click Next.
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6 Now we have to insert the fields that we require in our label.
Select the fields you wish to
insert in the label by clicking
on the arrow to transfer them
over to the label.
Remember and insert a space
between First Name and
Surname and press enter to
obtain a new line.
Click Next.
7 The next window asks if you want to sort our labels in any order for this
example, just click Next.
Click Next.
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8 Now you are asked to name the Report, key in Labels in Access as shown
below.
Click Finish.
9 Your completed labels should look like the screen below. Save the report and
print one copy of the labels.
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PRACTICE MATERIAL 1
1
Create a database file using the following field titles:
Title
First Name
Surname
Street
Town
Postcode
Position
Date of Interview
Time of Interview
Format fields appropriately
Key in the data exactly as shown below.
2
Miss Julie Brown
25 High Street
Stirling
FK7 8JR
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
0900 hours
Mr George Smith
The Glebe
Dunblane
FK16 4TS
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
0930 hours
Mrs Helen Crawford
3 Stuart Street
Paisley
PM8 3JS
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
1000 hours
Mrs Betty Cornwell
445 Craig Road
Cumbernauld
GM1 3FT
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
1030 hours
Mr Brian Bloomingdale
89 Stoddart Road
Uddingston
ML6 9AW
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
1100 hours
Miss Anne Farini
15 High Street
Hamilton
ML8 6HY
Administration Assistant
22 April 2004
1130 hours
Save the database file using the filename Mail Merge 1.
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3
Key in a letterhead as shown below - display attractively. You may wish
to include a suitable graphic of your choice.
GLORIOUS MARKETING PLC
John’s Loan
GLASGOW
GL8 4FA
Tel: 0141 220 144
Fax: 0141 220 145
4
Save the letterhead using the filename LHPMEX1.
5
Prepare the draft letter shown below using the correct reference and
today’s date. Remember draft letters should not be prepared on
letterhead paper.
Dear
Further to your application for the post of we invite you for an interview
on at hours. On arrival you should report to the main reception.
Should you be unable to attend please contact me at the address given
above as soon as possible.
We look forward to meeting you.
Yours
Lyndsie Jenkins
Human Resources Manager
6
Save the letter using the filename LTPMEX1.
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7
Now insert the merged fields from the database. (See Page 23 for a fix
for the American Date Format.) Print a copy of your master page on
plain paper and a copy of each letter in your mail merge on the
letterhead you prepared earlier. Submit copies of all your work to your
teacher for marking.
8
Now create mailing labels on a sheet of A4 paper and using the
database above. Print the labels remembering to insert a footer on the
bottom of the page. Submit the labels for marking.
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PRACTICE MATERIAL 2
1 Open the database Mail Merge 2.
2 Query the database to find all the Heads of Departments, these are indicated
by a * after their Surname.
3 Save the Query as QPMEX2.
4 Key in a letterhead as shown below - display attractively. You may wish to
include a suitable graphic of your choice.
ICT BOOKS GALORE
High Street
EDINBURGH
EH12 7MN
Telephone: 0131 556 5598
E-mail: ictbooksgalore@compserve.com
5 Save the letterhead using the filename LHPMEX2.
6 Prepare the draft letter shown below using the correct reference and today’s
date. Remember draft letters should not be prepared on letterhead paper.
Dear
We write to inform you that you have been successful in gaining a
place on our forthcoming seminar The Future For ICT. The
seminar will be held within our offices at the above address on
Monday 24 May at 9.30 am.
As well as guest speakers who include some of the authors of our
latest books there will be great discounts on any books ordered
on the day.
We look forward to seeing you.
Yours
Paul Henderson
Events Co-ordinator
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5 Save the letter using the filename LTPMEX2.
6 Now merge this letter with your query, remember you will have to go back and
save the Query as an Export. Print a copy of your master page on plain paper
and a copy of each letter in your mail merge on the letterhead you prepared
earlier. Submit copies of all your work to your teacher for marking.
7 Now create mailing labels for the section heads.
8 Use the filename MLPMEX2 and print one copy of these and submit to your
teacher.
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FIX FOR AMERICAN DATE FORMAT
 Open the letter.
 Insert the merge field.
You will see this:
 Click on the Date of Interview field and hold down the Alt key and press F9. You
will see this:
 Change to:
 Hold down the Alt key and press F9
Your date should now take this format:
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