Creating Mail Merge Letters in Word 2007

Using Mail Merge in Microsoft Word 2007 will merge data from a data source with your document. It's perfect for letters, catalogs, labels and more. Here's how to get started with this timesaving feature.

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Starting Your Mail Merge Document

Click Start Mail Merge on the Mailings ribbon and select the type of document you’d like to create.

For example, you can select letters, envelopes, or labels. Or, select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard for more help creating your document.

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Selecting Recipients for Mail Merge Letters

Click Select Recipients on the Mailings ribbon to add recipients to the mailing.

You can opt to create a new database of recipients. You can also opt to use an existing list or Outlook contacts.

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Adding Recipients to Your Mail Merge Database

In the New Address List box, begin entering your contacts.

You can use the Tab key to move between fields. Each set of fields is referred to as an entry. To add additional recipients, click the New Entry button. To delete an entry, select it and click Delete Entry. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

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Adding and Deleting Mail Merge Fields

You may wish to delete or add fields types to your mail merge document.

You can do that easily. Just click the Customize Columns button. The Customize Columns dialog box opens. Then, click Add, Delete or Rename to alter the field types. You can also use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to rearrange the order of the fields. When you're done, click OK.

Once you've added all your recipients, click OK on the New Address List dialog box. Name the data source and click Save.

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Inserting a Merge Field in Your Document

To insert a field into your document, click Insert Merge Field on the Mailings ribbon. Select the field you would like to insert. The field name appears where you have the cursor located in your document.

You can edit and format the text surrounding the field. Formats applied to the field will carry over to your finished document. You can continue to add fields to your document.

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Previewing Your Mail Merge Letters

Before you print your letters, you should review them to check for errors. In particular, pay attention to spacing and punctuation surrounding the fields. You will also want to make sure you have inserted the correct fields in the correct places.

To preview the letters, click Preview Results on the Mailings ribbon. Use the arrows to navigate through the letters.

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Correcting Errors in Mail Merge Fields

You may notice an error in the data for one of your documents. You cannot alter this data in the merge document. Instead, you'll need to fix it in the data source.

To do this, click Edit Recipient List on the Mailings ribbon. In the box that opens, you can alter the data for any of your recipients. You can also limit the recipients. Simply uncheck the box next to recipients' names to omit them from the merge operation. When you're done, click OK.

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Finalizing Your Mail Merge Documents

After you've reviewed your documents, you're ready to finalize them by completing the merge. Click the Finish & Merge button on the Mailings ribbon.

You can opt to edit individual documents, print the documents, or email them. If you opt to print or email your documents, you'll be prompted to enter a range. You can opt to print all, one, or a set of contiguous letters. Word will walk you through the process for each.