Table of contents

Merging files 1

SIMPLE MERGE 1

MERGING WITH AN EXCEL FILE 2

FILLING IN THE LETTER 2

STARTING THE MERGE 2

Using keywords 2

HAVING THE TEXT VARY ACCORDING TO A CONDITION 2

INSERTING VARIABLES WHEN MERGING 2

Sorting and applying a query when merging 2

SORTING THE RESULT OF THE MERGE 2

APPLYING A QUERY 2

ADVANCED QUERY 2
Creating labels 2

DEFINING A STANDARD LABEL AS THE MAIN DOCUMENT 2

DEFINING THE DATA SOURCE 2

COMPLETING THE MERGE 2

Word XP : Mail Merge

 Merging files

Merging files

In this chapter, you will learn how to:

ƒ Create a letter and a database
ƒ Combine this information to create a mailing
ƒ Send the result of the merge to a new document or to a printer

Merging consists in sending several people a personalized letter. You can

merge using an existing address list or create your address list when
merging.

SIMPLE MERGE

Creating the letter

ª In a blank document, choose the menu TOOLS, then LETTERS AND MAILING.
ª Then select MAIL MERGE WIZARD.
ª The MAIL MERGE TASK PANE appears.

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ª The program suggests by default to create a letter.

ª To accept this option and continue with the procedure, click the hyperlink
.

ª You will get a new pane where you have to choose to create the main
document by using the current document, by using a template or by using
an existing document.
Word XP : Mail Merge

ª By default Word suggest to use the current document. If you started from a
blank document to write a new letter or that the text you will use for the
merge is displayed on your screen, keep the default option and click the
hyperlink .

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 Merging files

Creating the address file

You can merge by using an existing file but we will start by creating an address file.

ª As your address file doesn’t exist, choose the option .

ª Click the hyperlink

ª A form appears for you to insert the data. This form contains the main
information you have to insert when creating an address file.

ª If you think there are too many fields or that a field is missing for some
information you might want to add, you can personalize the form.
Click the button.

ª If you want to delete a field, just select it and click the DELETE button.
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ª If you want to add a field, simply click the ADD button. A dialog box appears
for you to type the name of your new field.

ª You might want to move one of the fields to place the fields in the order you
want to use to insert the data.

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª To modify the place of a field, select it and click the MOVE UP or MOVE
DOWN button.

ª After having clicked the button, Word will take you back to
your form that has been adapted to your needs. You can start inserting the
various addresses.

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 Merging files

ª Press the ←
→ key or the ENTER key in order to move from one field to
another to insert the data. Click the NEW ENTRY button or press twice the
ENTER key at the end of the form to obtain a new blank form.

ª When you have finished inserting all the data, click the CLOSE button . A
dialog box will appear, allowing you to save your new address files.

Type a name next to FILE NAME and click the SAVE button.

ª After having clicked the SAVE button, a table will be displayed containing all
the addresses of your file.

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ª There is a column with check boxes where you can deactivate some
recipients in order not to send them the current mailing.

ª Click the button to go back to your letter or click the hyperlink

.

Writing the letter

ª Type your letter and format the text as you would do for a normal letter.
ª At the place where you want to insert the address, click the INSERT ADDRESS
BLOCK button on your toolbar MAIL MERGE.

ª A dialog box will be displayed where you can choose the format for the
address after the merge.

ª Click the button after having made your choice.

ª The field ADDRESS BLOCK will appear in your letter. Word XP : Mail Merge

ª The button allows you to see the result of the merge in the current
window for the current record. You can display another record by clicking
the triangles.

.
If you choose the field Address Block, you can note two details that you might not
like. By default the name of the company stands after the contact person and the

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 Merging files

postal code stands after the city. You can choose the fields you want to use and
the order you want by using the INSERT MERGE FIELD button.

ª Click the INSERT MERGE FIELD button to display the various data fields.

ª To choose a field in the list, double click the name of the field or select it
and click the INSERT button. The chosen field will automatically be inserted
at the place of your cursor.

ª Insert the fields in the order you want to use and presented as you want
them to appear after replacing them with the value.

The other buttons in the Mail Merge toolbar

You can go back to your database at any time by clicking the button.

ª The buttons show you the various records.

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª The button displays the result of the merge in the current window for
the record selected with the buttons. This also
enables you to print only the letter for the selected person.

ª With the button, you can modify the type of the main merge document.
If it is a letter, it can be turned into a document to make labels, envelopes, a
directory or to go back to a normal document.

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 Merging files

Starting the merge

ª To start the merge, either click the button to send the result of the
merge to a new document, click the button to send the result of the
merge to the printer or click the button to send the result by mail.

ª If you want to send the result of the merge to a document, the merge
document has a specific name and is not the same as the one that was
used as the basis for the merge.

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Exercise 1.
ƒ Create your address files according to the following
example.

TITLE NAME FIRST STREET PC CITY

NAME

Mr Bertrand Louis rue de la Gare 22 1000 BRUSSELS

Mrs Dupont Annie rue de la station 4 4000 LIEGE

Mr Fernando José rue des Violettes 6 5000 NAMUR

Miss Andrieu Anne rue des Marches 8 1000 BRUSSELS

ƒ
ƒ

Exercise 2.
ƒ Create the main document.
ƒ Insert the address with an indent.
ƒ Insert the automatic date.
ƒ Type the following text.
ƒ
TITLE
We invite you to our information session concerning our courses that will take place
next Monday at 5 pm in our offices.
Yours sincerely.

Exercise 3.
ƒ Merge it to a new document.
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 Merging files

MERGING WITH AN EXCEL FILE

Creating a letter

ª In a blank document, choose the menu TOOLS and select LETTERS AND
MAILING.

ª Then choose MAIL MERGE WIZARD.

ª The TASK PANE MAIL MERGE will be displayed.

ª The program suggests by default to create a letter.

ª To accept this option and carry on with the procedure, click the hyperlink
Word XP : Mail Merge
.

ª The next question you have to answer is wether you want to use the current
document, start from a template or from an existing document.

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 Merging files

ª By default the program suggests the current document. If you started out
from a blank document to write a new letter or if the text you need for the
merge is opened on your screen, keep the default option and click the
hyperlink .

Opening the address files

ª Your address files having been created in Excel, choose

.

ª Click the hyperlink to select it.

ª A dialog box containing the various field names will be displayed.

ª Select the one you want to use.

ª Then click the button.

ª A table will appear, containing all the records and enabling you to select
some of them.

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ª Click the button to confirm.

FILLING IN THE LETTER

ª Go back to your letter or click the hyperlink .

ª To insert the various fields, you can use the pane or the MAIL MERGE
toolbar.

ª If you use the toolbar, first click where you want to place the address, then
click the button INSERT ADDRESS BLOCK in the MAIL MERGE toolbar .

ª If you use the pane, you will find the same option on the hyperlink
.

ª This will display a dialog box where you can make further choices about the
appearance of the address after the merge.

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª Click the button after having made your choices.

ª The field ADDRESS BLOCK appears in your letter.

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 Merging files

ª You can also insert the fields from your database by clicking the INSERT
MERGE FIELD button or clicking the hyperlink.

ª You will then obtain the various data fields.

ª To choose a field in the list, double-click its name or select it and then click
the INSERT button. The chosen field will automatically be inserted at the
place of your mouse pointer.

ª Insert the fields in the desired order and with the appearance you want
them to have after having replaced them by their value.

STARTING THE MERGE

ª To start the merge, either click the button to send the result of the
merge to a new document, click the button if you want to send the
result of the merge to the printer or click to send the result of the
merge by mail.

ª If you decide to send the result of the merge to a document, the document
resulting from the merge will have a specific name and will be different from Word XP : Mail Merge
the letter that was used as the basis for the merge.

Exercise 4.
ƒ Merge with the Excel file Aeperson.xls.

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 Merging files

Word XP : Mail Merge

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 Using keywords

Using keywords

In this chapter, you will learn how to:

ƒ Insert conditions for optional text in your letter
ƒ Insert variable data when merging

HAVING THE TEXT VARY ACCORDING TO A CONDITION

With the merge code If.....Then.....Else, you can make the text vary according to a
condition.
Example : If the "Title" field, contains "Mr.", you want the text "Dear Mr." to appear,
otherwise have "Dear Mrs" appear in the field.

ª Click the button.

ª Choose the option IF.....THEN.....ELSE.

ª A dialog box is displayed where you can specify the conditions and the
values that have to appear when the condition is true or not.

If the condition is true, the text contained in the INSERT THIS TEXT box will be
inserted. Word XP : Mail Merge

Otherwise, the text in the OTHERWISE INSERT THIS TEXT box will be inserted.

INSERTING VARIABLES WHEN MERGING

The ASK merge code allows you to introduce at the moment of the merge, a
variable value that is not contained in your data file.

Example : the amount of an invoice that changes every month.

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 Using keywords

To insert the ASK variable :

ª Click the button in the main merge document.

ª Choose ASK.
ª Give the BOOKMARK a name.
ª In the prompt PROMPT box, type the message that will appear to the user
when merging, so that the users knows the kind of information to insert.

ª You can insert a default value in the DEFAULT BOOKMARK TEXT box if you
want to. This value will always appear and the user will be able to modify it
if necessary.

ª In the main document, insert the name of the BOOKMARK in the form of a
merge field at the place where the variable has to stand.

ª Press both CTRL + F9 keys and type the name of the BOOKMARK between
the brackets.

ª Start the merge.

During the merge, you will be able to insert the necessary variables.
ƒ

Exercise 5.
ƒ Make merges with the Personne.doc document.
ƒ To test your knowledge about the conditions, only write
to the persons of the "Admin." division.
ƒ Test another code to have an optional text appear when
the people work for this division.
ƒ

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 Sorting and applying a query when merging

Sorting and applying a query when merging

In this chapter, you will learn how to:

ƒ Sort the result of the merge
ƒ Make a selection when starting the merge

When merging you can sort the result of the merge or select records
according to a criterion. You can do this when choosing your database or
you can also do it before starting the merge.

SORTING THE RESULT OF THE MERGE

ª Make your main document that contains the fields that have to be printed
and select the data source.

ª Click the hyperlink in the MAIL MERGE pane.

ª Then click the hyperlink.

ª The dialog box containing the various records is displayed:

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª Click the column heading you want to sort.

ª Click a second time on the column heading to obtain a descending order.
ª When merging, the records will be sorted according to your choice.

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 Sorting and applying a query when merging

APPLYING A QUERY
ª Make your main document that contains the fields that have to be printed
and select the data source.

ª Click the hyperlink in the MAIL MERGE pane .

ª Then click the hyperlink.

ª The dialog box containing the various records is displayed:

ª Click the triangle to display a drop-down list in order to make your choice.
Example : if you click the triangle of the TITLE field, you will be able to
select Monsieur or Madame.

ª When merging the records will be filtered.

ª Will only appear the records that correspond to the chosen criterion.

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 Sorting and applying a query when merging

ADVANCED QUERY
You might have to combine the conditions AND and OR.
Example :
The field Service equals to Administration
OR
The field Service equals to Secrétariat
Only both these services will be selected.
To make such a query:

ª Click the hyperlink on the MAIL MERGE pane.

ª Then click the hyperlink.

ª The dialog box containing the various records is displayed:

ª Click the triangle to display a drop-down list in order to make your choice.
Select ADVANCED.

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª The following dialog box is displayed :

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 Sorting and applying a query when merging

ª In the box, use the drop-down lists to insert the various criteria that
correspond to your choices

ª Click the button and start the merge.

ª When merging the records will be filtered.

ª Will only appear the records that correspond to the chosen criteria.

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 Creating labels

Creating labels

In this chapter, you will learn how to:

ƒ Create labels
ƒ Combine this information with a database in order to create a
mailing
ƒ Starting the merge

Labels are easy to make when you use the merge function.
You can use the merge to print names and addresses on mailing labels. It is
possible to use the information from a data source, as when you make a form
letter. If the size of your labels corresponds to one of the standard labels that
Word puts at your disposal, the following procedure is the quickest way to
make them.

DEFINING A STANDARD LABEL AS THE MAIN DOCUMENT

ª In a blank document, choose the TOOLS menu and select LETTERS AND
MAILING.

ª Then choose MAIL MERGE WIZARD.

ª The MAIL MERGE TASK PANE will be displayed.
ª By default the program suggests to create a letter. Change this option and
choose .

ª To validate your choice and carry on with the procedure, click the
hyperlink.

ª The next question you have to answer is wether you would like to modify
the layout of the current document or if you have a template with the correct
layout.

Word XP : Mail Merge

ª In the same pane, choose to define the size of your

labels.

ª This brings up the following dialog box. Indicate the type of printer you
have. Only select DOT MATRIX for printers using labels in successive feed.
For all the other printers, choose laser (LASER AND INK JET).

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 Creating labels

ª Also choose the size of paper you use or click the DETAILS button to give
the information corresponding to your size.

ª Clicking the button will automatically bring up a table. This

table contains as many columns as you had labels widthwise and as many
rows as you had labels heightwise.

ª Go to the next step that consists in selecting your database.

DEFINING THE DATA SOURCE
ª In the pane where you specified the size of your label, click the
hyperlink.

ª You will obtain another pane with the hyperlink.

ª This enables you to select your database in the list of files.

ª You will obtain the dialog box where you can select the recipients of your
merge.

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 Creating labels

ª Click the button to confirm that you do select all the people in
the list.

ª Go back to your form document. Your labels already contain automatically

the NEXT merge field. You still have to place the fields that will appear on
your labels.

ª Click the hyperlink at the bottom of the pane

currently on screen.

ª You can insert the fields of your database by clicking the INSERT MERGE
FIELD button on the MAIL MERGE toolbar or click the
hyperlink.

ª This will bring up the various data fields.

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 Creating labels

ª To choose a field in the list, double-click its name or select it and click the
INSERT button. The chosen field will automatically be inserted at the place of
your cursor.

ª Insert the fields in the order you want to have them appear and with the
layout you want them to have after having been replaced by their value. To
obtain a new data row on your label, press both the ×SHIFT and ENTER
keys at the same time.

ª Insert the fields on the first label and to obtain the same fields on all the
labels, click the button.

ª To display and control the result of the choices you made, click
. If you want, you can print this test page to check
that the labels have the right position on the page.

COMPLETING THE MERGE

Word XP : Mail Merge
ª To start the merge, click .

ª You will obtain a pane where you can choose to send the result of the
merge by clicking the button or if you prefer, you can click the
button to send the result to a new document.

ª In both cases, it brings up a dialog box where you can choose wether you
want to merge all the records or only part of them. Specify it by filling in the
text areas at the right of FROM and TO.

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 Creating labels

ª The merge will be completed after having clicked the button.

Exercise 6.
ƒ Create labels by using the Personne.doc file.

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