Mail Merge

Intro To IT: Chapter 6

Ala Mohamed Wahra
4/24/2009
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What is a Mail Merge?

Mail merge is a software function from the Microsoft Office Word software. It is used in the
production of multiple (in large amounts) documents from a single document. From the word
merge, it means letters combined together to be sent to different people. In the process of mail
merge, only one text is to written and it is going to be the same in each letter, but some
variables that has to be changed from a letter to another. For example recipient address, time
& date, gender, contact no, e-mail, first name, and etc. This helps to create personalized letters
and pre-addressed envelopes or mailing labels for mass mailings.
What are the advantages of mail merge?
• It is easy to use and time saver.
• Easy Mail Merge is fully integrated with Microsoft Outlook. It supports a various sources
such as Outlook Contacts, Outlook distribution lists or any other mail merge fields
stored in regular Windows CSV files.
• It helps to personalize your letters in the case you forgot the form of writing your letter.
How to make a mail merge document?
In our case, we are going to use the Microsoft Office Word 2007 software. Before we start
writing mail merge we must know first what kind of letter we are going to write and which people
are going to receive these documents or letters. After we indentify our purpose then we can
start, first click on Start and then click on the Microsoft Office Word icon.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

24/3/2009
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Let’s say that you suppose to write a letter. These letters are going to some customers
informing them about meeting them in your company. Then you must setup the document to
mail merge format. To do this, click on “Mailing” which is found in the menu bar and select
“Start Mail Merge” and choose “Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard”.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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There will be a menu shown on the right side of the document. This menu will help to step the
document that you are going to write your letter. There are six steps and the first one is what
document type. For our example it is a letter and click next at the bottom of the menu.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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The second step is to select starting document and off course you should choose the current
document and click next.

The third step is to select recipients, the people who are going to receive your letters. For now,
you don’t have any recipients recorded in your data source. Therefore we have got to create a
new list. By choosing “Type a new List” and click below on “Create”.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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Once clicked on “Create”, a small window will show up on the screen. In that window you will
recode all the recipients’ details e.g. name, phone number, gender, and others. Also other
details that you may want to include in you document for different recipients. For example, time
& date of the meeting, venue of the meeting, and etc. This is the most important of the whole
setup progress.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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Before recording, you must identify the different types of information that you to include, just
click on “Customize Columns” another small window will show up to help you to add or remove
or even to rename the information that you want to enter. For our case you are going to use
Title, First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Address, City, Country, Zip code, Time, Date,
Phone Number, and Venue.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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Click “ok” and start filling the information. After you fill the information just click “ok” again
choose to where you want to save these details. Clicks save and this window below will come
up, click “Ok” to go to the next step. Here an example of the information:
First Last Company Post Phone
Title Address City Country Time Date Venue
name name name code number

Internation 22, Fatah Lebano 9:00 5/4/200 +253- Marketin

Mr. Ali Dakik 3564 Beirut
al exports Road n am 9 8716327 g office

ARR 25, +256-

Amir Kampal Ugand 9:00 6/4/200 Marketin
Dr. Najwa Medical Kampala 6464 53637272
a a a am 9 g office
Service Road 98

67,
Miss Hann Hong Hong 2:00 7/4/200 +465- Meeting
Chao HSBC Beach 4648
. a Kong Kong pm 9 235425 Room
Street

National 34,
Qasi Ahme 2:00 8/4/200 +43- Meeting
Mr. Bank of Isfahan 4658 Tehran Iran
m d pm 9 463728 Room
Iran Street

12, New
Jame 4658 2:00 9/4/200 +453- Meeting
Mr. Bond AIG Manhatta York USA
s 7 pm 9 463798 Room
n Town City

Below is the actual entries:

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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After that keep going to the last step and start writing the letter. Make sure to leave some space
for the variables that you going to use for your mail merge.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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Now you finished writing your letter, now you have got to show the details that you have
recorded earlier. Just by going to menu bar and click “Mailing” and choose “ insert merge fields”
so you place the merge fields in the right places.

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Now you have got to get the fields in the right places as follows:

To make sure that the fields are put in the correct manner click on “Preview Results”

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

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To insert a greeting line click on “Greeting Line” to choose:

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Once u done with this, review your document and do the spelling and grammar review for any
correction. And lastly click on “Finish and Merge” to make your letters and to be ready for
sending to your recipients.

Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

24/3/2009
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Ala Mohamed Wahra DIM/F/09/01/0012

24/3/2009