Create form letters by using the Data Merge Manager

 

This topic describes creating and printing form letters by using the Data Merge Manager. To complete the basic process, you:

 

Step 1   Create a main document for form letters

Step 2   Locate or create a data source

Step 3   Complete the letter and add fields

Step 4   Preview the data (optional)

Step 5   Merge the data to create the form letters

 

Step 1:   Create a main document for form letters

1. Do one of the following:

   ¥  Open an existing letter.

   ¥  Create a new letter.

2. On the Tools menu, click Data Merge Manager.

3. Click Create under Main Document, and then click Form Letters.

 

Step 2:   Locate or create a data source

Do one of the following:

¥  To use data from the Office Address Book

   1. Click Get Data under Data Source, and then click Office Address Book.

¥  To use data from a FileMaker Pro database

   1. Click Get Data under Data Source and then click FileMaker Pro.

   2. Locate and select the FileMaker Pro database you want to use, and then click Choose.

   3. In the FileMaker Pro Import Wizard, select the fields you want to import and then click Finish.

      For more information about using a FileMaker Pro database with data merge, see Import a file from FileMaker Pro.

¥  To use data from another existing data source, such as a Word document or Microsoft Excel worksheet

   1. Click Get Data under Data Source, and then click Open Data Source.

   2. Locate and select the Word document, Excel worksheet, or other list, and then click Open.

¥  To create a new data source

   1. Click Get Data under Data Source and then click New Data Source.

      For more information about creating a new data merge data source, see Create a new data merge data source in Word.

 

Step 3:   Complete the letter and add fields

1. In the main document, type the text that you want to appear in each letter.

2. Insert merge fields where you want to merge data from the data source.

   To insert a merge field, under Merge Field, drag the field names that you want into the main document. An insertion point appears to indicate the location. For more information see Tips on inserting merge fields.

   To insert a Word field, under Word Field, drag the field names that you want into the main document. For more information, see Overview of using Word fields to customize merged documents.

3. After you complete the main document and insert all of the merge fields, click Save As on the File menu. Name the document, and then click Save.

 

Step 4:   Preview the data (optional)

Before you print your form letters, you can preview them to make sure that they appear the way you want them to. You can also change the layout and formatting while you are previewing your form letters.

1. With the main document in the active window, click View Merged Data  under Preview.

2.

   Word displays information from the first data record in place of the merge fields.

To view information from another data record, click the arrow buttons, or type a record number in the Go To Record box .

Tip   To print the main document merged with the currently displayed data, click Print  on the Standard toolbar.

 

Step 5:   Merge the data to create the form letters

1. If you want to specify the order in which data is merged, or merge only part of the data, you can sort data records or select data records to merge.

2. If you want to merge one record or a range of records, do one of the following:

   ¥  To merge one record, display the desired record under Preview. Click Merge Data Range under Merge, and then click Current Record.

   ¥  To merge a range of records, click Merge Data Range under Merge, and then click Custom. Click From and enter the starting record. Click To and enter the ending record.

3. Do one of the following:

   ¥  To send merged information directly to a printer, click Merge to Printer  under Merge.

   ¥  To store merged information in a new document, click Merge to New Document  under Merge.

   ¥  To send the merged form letters as e-mail messages, click Merge to E-Mail    under Merge. For more information, see Distribute merged documents as e-mail messages.

 

From: Microsoft Office Help