Microsoft Office Illustrated Merging Word Documents

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Understand mail mergeUnderstand mail merge Create a main documentCreate a main document Design a data sourceDesign a data source Enter and edit recordsEnter and edit records Objectives

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Add merge fieldsAdd merge fields Merge dataMerge data Create labelsCreate labels Sort and filter recordsSort and filter records Objectives (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Understanding Mail Merge With mail merge you merge a standard Word document with a file that contains customized information for many individuals or itemsWith mail merge you merge a standard Word document with a file that contains customized information for many individuals or items The standard document is the main documentThe standard document is the main document The file with the unique data is the data sourceThe file with the unique data is the data source Use Mail Merge task pane or the commands on the Mailings tabUse Mail Merge task pane or the commands on the Mailings tab

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Main document contains boilerplate text and merge fieldsMain document contains boilerplate text and merge fields Boilerplate text appears in every version of the merged documentBoilerplate text appears in every version of the merged document A merge field indicates where the data from each record should be inserted when you perform the mergeA merge field indicates where the data from each record should be inserted when you perform the merge Understanding Mail Merge (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated A data source contains data fields and data recordsA data source contains data fields and data records A data field is a category of informationA data field is a category of information E.g., last name, City, postal codeE.g., last name, City, postal code The names of the data fields are called field namesThe names of the data fields are called field names A data record is complete set of related information for an individual or an itemA data record is complete set of related information for an individual or an item E.g., one person’s name and addressE.g., one person’s name and address Understanding Mail Merge (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Merge fields inserted in main document must correspond with field names in associated data sourceMerge fields inserted in main document must correspond with field names in associated data source Understanding Mail Merge (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated

Creating a Main Document The first step in a mail merge is to create the main documentThe first step in a mail merge is to create the main document Create from scratchCreate from scratch Save an existing document as a main documentSave an existing document as a main document Use a mail merge templateUse a mail merge template Use the Mail Merge task paneUse the Mail Merge task pane

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Creating a Main Document (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Creating a Main Document (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Using a mail merge template:Using a mail merge template: If you are creating a letter, fax, or directory, you can use a mail merge template to start your main documentIf you are creating a letter, fax, or directory, you can use a mail merge template to start your main document To use a template, click the Start from a template option button in the Step 2 of 6 Mail Merge task pane, then click Select templateTo use a template, click the Start from a template option button in the Step 2 of 6 Mail Merge task pane, then click Select template Select Template dialog box opensSelect Template dialog box opens Creating a Main Document (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Designing a Data Source Next step in the mail merge process is to identify the data sourceNext step in the mail merge process is to identify the data source Data source file contains the information used to customize each version of the merge documentData source file contains the information used to customize each version of the merge document You can use an existing data source or create a new oneYou can use an existing data source or create a new one To create one, you determine the fields to include and then add the recordsTo create one, you determine the fields to include and then add the records

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Designing a Data Source (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Designing a Data Source (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Merging with an Outlook data source:Merging with an Outlook data source: You can merge a main document with an Outlook contact listYou can merge a main document with an Outlook contact list Click the Select from Outlook contacts option button in the Step 3 of 6 Mail Merge task paneClick the Select from Outlook contacts option button in the Step 3 of 6 Mail Merge task pane Then, click Choose Contacts Folder to open the Choose Profile dialog boxThen, click Choose Contacts Folder to open the Choose Profile dialog box Designing a Data Source (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Entering and Editing Records Each record includes the complete set of information for each individual or item you include in the data sourceEach record includes the complete set of information for each individual or item you include in the data source

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Entering and Editing Records (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Entering and Editing Records (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Adding Merge Fields Merge fields are placeholders for text that is inserted when main document and data source are mergedMerge fields are placeholders for text that is inserted when main document and data source are merged Names must correspond to the fields names in data sourceNames must correspond to the fields names in data source Use Mail Merge task pane or Address Block, Greeting Line, and Insert Merge Field buttons in the Write & Insert Fields group (Mailings tab)Use Mail Merge task pane or Address Block, Greeting Line, and Insert Merge Field buttons in the Write & Insert Fields group (Mailings tab)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Adding Merge Fields (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Adding Merge Fields (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Adding Merge Fields (continued) Matching fields:Matching fields: Merge fields inserted in main document must correspond with filed names in associated data sourceMerge fields inserted in main document must correspond with filed names in associated data source If using Address Block merge field, you must make sure that the default address field names correspond with the field names used in the data sourceIf using Address Block merge field, you must make sure that the default address field names correspond with the field names used in the data source Use Match Fields dialog boxUse Match Fields dialog box

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Merging Data Before merging, preview merged data for accuracyBefore merging, preview merged data for accuracy Use the task pane or the Preview Results button (Preview Results group, Mailings tab)Use the task pane or the Preview Results button (Preview Results group, Mailings tab) When merging, choose between merging to a new file or to a printerWhen merging, choose between merging to a new file or to a printer

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Merging Data (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated

Creating Labels Use Mail Merge task pane or commands on Mailings tab to create labels or print envelopes for a mailingUse Mail Merge task pane or commands on Mailings tab to create labels or print envelopes for a mailing Select a standard label or envelope size to use as the main documentSelect a standard label or envelope size to use as the main document Select a data source, then insert merge fields in the main documentSelect a data source, then insert merge fields in the main document

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Creating Labels (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Creating Labels (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Creating Labels (continued) Printing individual envelopes and labels:Printing individual envelopes and labels: Use Mail Merge or commands in Create group on Mailings tabUse Mail Merge or commands in Create group on Mailings tab

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Sorting and Filtering Records Sorting records determines the order in which the records are mergedSorting records determines the order in which the records are merged Filtering pulls out the records that meet specific criteria and includes only those records in the mergeFiltering pulls out the records that meet specific criteria and includes only those records in the merge

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Sorting and Filtering Records (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Sorting and Filtering Records (continued)

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Sorting and Filtering Records (continued) Inserting individual merge fields:Inserting individual merge fields: Include proper punctuation, spacing, and blank lines between merge fields in main document if you want them to appear in merged documentInclude proper punctuation, spacing, and blank lines between merge fields in main document if you want them to appear in merged document >, > > >, > >

Microsoft Office 2007 – Illustrated Summary Perform a mail merge by merging a main document with a data sourcePerform a mail merge by merging a main document with a data source The main document contains the standard informationThe main document contains the standard information The data source contains the customized informationThe data source contains the customized information Mail Merge task pane walks you through the mail merge processMail Merge task pane walks you through the mail merge process