European Computer Driving
Licence
Module 3 – Word Processing
Chapter 3.8 – Mail Merge
What is mail merge?
Z Mail merge is very useful if
you want to send the same
letter to a number of different
people
Z Names and address can be
inserted from a database or
spreadsheet file
Z The end result will look like
each letter has been
individually typed!
Z You can use the address list
to create envelopes or labels
Creating the letters
Z There are six steps involved in setting
up a mail merge
,
,
,
,
,
,
Step 1 – Select the type of document
Step 2 – Set up and display the document
Step 3 – Select Recipients
Step 4 – Writing the letter
Step 5 – Previewing the letters
Step 6 – Completing the merge
Step 1 – Select the type of
document
Z Open the document to be
used for the mail merge
Z From the main menu, select
Tools, Letters and Mailings,
Mail Merge (Mail Merge
wizard in XP)
Z Make sure you select Letters
Z Click on Next: Starting
document
Z You will now be taken to Step
2
Step 2 – Setting up your letter
Z You should already have the
document open that you want
to work on
Z Select Use current document
Z Click on Next: Select
Recipients to move on to
step 3
Step 3 –Selecting recipients
Z You now have the choice of
using an existing data file
such as a database table or a
spreadsheet.
Z Select Use existing list to
use an existing data file
Z Browse to the location that
contains the data file
Z The data will appear in a Mail
Merge Recipients box as
described at the end of
step 3
Step 3 – Creating a new list
Z To create a new list select
Type a new list option and
click on Create
Z The New Address data form
will appear
Z To remove fields you don’t
need click on the Customise
button
Z Click on the field name and
click on Delete
Z You can also rename Zip
Code to Post Code
Z Click OK
Step 3 – Creating a new list
Z Now that you’re back in the
New Address list box click on
New Entry
Z Type in the data required and
use the Tab key to move from
one text box to the next
Z When you have typed in your
first address entry click on
New Entry
Z When you’ve typed in the
final entry, click Close
Step 3 – Creating a new list
Z The Save Address List box
will appear
Z Unless you choose
otherwise, the address list
will be saved as an Access
database in a folder called
My Data Sources inside My
Documents
Z Click in the file name box and
type in a name
Z Click on the Save button
Step 3 – Creating a new list
Z Mail Merge recipients
window will appear
,
,
,
Proofread to make sure the
information is accurate!
If you need to make any
changes, click in the row
required then click on the
Edit button
Make any changes and click
OK
Z The Mail Merge recipients
window will appear again –
click OK
Z At the bottom of the task
pane click on Next: Write
your letter
Step 4 – Write your letter
Z You now need to insert the
names and addresses from
your data file into the letter
Z Highlight the existing name
and address and delete
Z Click on Address Block in
the Task Pane
Z The Insert Address Block
window will appear
Z Choose a suitable format for
the recipient's name and set
the other options – click OK
Step 4 – Write your letter
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Highlight the first line of the letter
(eg Dear Mrs Coates)
Click on Greeting line in the Task
pane
Select the Greeting line format
that uses the first name then click
OK
Press the Enter key so that there
is a clear line space between the
Greeting line and the first
paragraph of the letter
Click Next: Preview your letters
at the bottom of the Task pane
Step 5 – Previewing the letters
Z You should see a preview of
the first of your letters with
the Address Block and
Greeting line
Z Click on the Arrow button
next to the right of Recipient
1 to preview the other letters
Z Click Next: Complete the
merge to move to the final
part
Step 6 – Completing the merge (1)
Z Click on Edit Individual
Letters
Z In the Merge to New
Document dialogue box
select All and click OK
Z A new document
automatically appears with
the file name Letters1
Z You must first edit your
individual letters to make
sure the layout is correct
Step 6 – Completing the merge (2)
Z Click on the first letter just
before Postcode and press
Enter
Z Repeat with the other letters
Z Click on File, Save As and
give the final merged
document a file name, click
on Save
Z You can then print out the
final mail merge!
Z Close all open documents
and save any changes
Creating mailing labels
Z You can now use the same
data source to create labels
rather than letters
Z Click New Blank Document
icon
Z Select Tools, Letters and
Mailings, Mail Merge
Z Select the labels option
before clicking on Next:
Starting document
Setting up the labels document
Z Select Change document
layout and click on Label
Options
Z In the Label products text
box, select Avery A4 and A5
sizes
Z In the Product Number
section, scroll down and click
on L7159 (or the product
number of the labels you will
be using)
Z Click OK
Selecting Recipients
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
A grid of label outlines will show on
screen
Click on Next: Select Recipients
To use the data file you have
already created, select Use an
existing list and click on Browse
The Select Data Source window
will appear
Double-click on the file required (eg
TanzaniaTrip.mdb)
The Mail Merge Recipients
window will appear – click OK
Click Next: Arrange your labels
Manually inserting data fields
Z Rather than using the
Address block you can insert
fields manually
Z Click More Items
Z The Insert Merge Field
dialogue box appears
Z Click each of the fields
required followed by Insert
Z The Cancel button will
change to Close - click on
Close to return to your labels
Updating Labels
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Your fields have no spacing
between them
Move the insertion point to
between Title and First Name
and press the spacebar
Insert a space between First
Name and Last Name
Press the Enter key after Last
Name and the rest of the fields
Click on Update labels to
ensure that the labels all have
the same format
Previewing and Printing
Z Click Next: Preview your
labels
Z The labels will appear on
screen
Z Click on Next: Complete
the merge
Z In the final Task Pane click
on Edit Individual labels
Z In the Merge to new
documents window, select
All, click OK
Z A new document appears on
screen
Z Save the document using a
sensible file name (eg
TanzaniaLabels), load the
labels sheet into the printer
and click on the print icon