Tip #1 - Mail Merge using Word

Here, I have looked at a common request: the ability to write a mailshot letter to all clients contained in a data source held in either Excel or Access. I've set out below the method to follow for Office 2003.
The easiest way to do this is to create a Mail Merge using Word. The following steps will take you through the stages...

Creating a Mail Merge

• Create the document which you wish to merge recipient information with.This can be a letter, envelope, label or email.

• From the main menu, choose Tools > Letters and Mailings > Mail Merge to open the Mail Merge pane:
  

• When creating a letter for mail merge, you can use the open document, create a new document from a template

OR open a different existing document.

• Any selection made will have a brief definition of what the selection will do in the mail merge.

• Once done, click Next: Select recipients to open the following wizard pane:
  

• An existing list, Outlook contact or a manual new list can be selected for the recipient data source.

• If using an existing list, click the Browse option to open the Select Data Source dialog box, where you can select the list of recipients to be used:

• Double click on the file to select it. If there are multiple pages, or tables within the dat a source, the Select Table dialog box will open, and you can select one or all tables available:
  

• Select the required table, and click OK.

• This will open the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box:
  

• Instructions at the top of the dialog box tell you how to sort the recipient information, and select recipients by criteria, like a position or city.

• Click the Refresh button to view the alterations made to the list.Any names which were not selected are removed from the list.

• Once done, click OK.

• This will return you to the Wizard pane.

• Click Next: Write your letter to open the following wizard pane:

• Extra recipient information can be added to the letter in this pane, from a Greeting line to Electronic postage.

• Click to place an insertion point on the document, where you want the item to appear.

• If inserting an Address block, the Insert Address Block dialog box will open, allowing you to select how you want the address or recipient name to appear:

  

• Make your selections and click OK.

• The Address block field must be inserted if you want the contact name to appear in the letter.

• The Address block field will appear in the document:

  

• Once done, click Next: Preview your letters to open the following dialog box:

• This pane allows you to view each letter with the recipient information viewable in the content of the letter. The recipient list can also be edited even further in this pane. Once done, click Next: Complete the merge to open the following dialog box:

• Choose to edit each letter to personalise, or simply print all letters.

• The Mail Merge function allows you to create mass amounts of the same document, for multiple people, with a minimum of time and an easy procedure.