Mail Merge in MS Word - Savanka Education

Mail Merge is a powerful feature in Microsoft Word that allows users to create multiple personalized documents — such as letters, labels, envelopes, or emails — for many recipients using a single template.
It combines a main document (the template) with a data source (like a list of names and addresses).

1. Purpose of Mail Merge

Mail Merge is mainly used for:

Sending personalized letters to multiple people.
Creating address labels for mailing.
Sending email newsletters with individual names.
Printing certificates, invitations, or bills with unique details.

2. Components of Mail Merge

Mail Merge involves three main parts:

Component	Description	Example
Main Document	The base document that contains the fixed content.	A letter, invitation, or email body.
Data Source	A table or list of variable data.	Excel sheet or Word table with Name, Address, etc.
Merged Document	The final output combining both.	Personalized letters for each recipient.

3. Steps to Perform Mail Merge

Step 1: Open a New or Existing Document

Open Microsoft Word.
Type the main content (for example, a letter body).

Step 2: Start Mail Merge

Go to the Mailings tab.
Click Start Mail Merge → Choose Letters, E-mail Messages, Labels, etc.

Step 3: Select Recipients

Click Select Recipients → Choose one of the options:
1. Type a New List – Enter data manually in Word.
2. Use an Existing List – Import data from Excel or Access.
3. Choose from Outlook Contacts – Use saved email contacts.

(Example: If using Excel, make sure the first row has column headers like Name, Address, City, etc.)

Step 4: Insert Merge Fields

Place your cursor where you want to insert personalized information.
Click Insert Merge Field → Choose fields like First_Name, Last_Name, Address.

Example:

Dear «First_Name» «Last_Name»,

We are pleased to inform you that your order has been shipped to:
«Address»

Step 5: Preview the Results

Click Preview Results in the Mailings tab.
You can scroll through the records to check each personalized letter.

Step 6: Finish & Merge

Click Finish & Merge → Choose:
- Edit Individual Documents (to review all letters),
- Print Documents, or
- Send Email Messages (if sending by email).

4. Example of Mail Merge

Data Source (Excel Sheet):

First_Name	Last_Name	Address	City
Rohan	Sharma	23 Park Street	Delhi
Simran	Kaur	45 MG Road	Amritsar
Rajesh	Verma	12 Green Lane	Mumbai

Main Document (Letter in Word):

Dear «First_Name» «Last_Name»,

We are pleased to invite you to our Annual Business Meet happening in your city, «City». 
Please visit our website for more details.

Best Regards,
Team ABC Corporation

Merged Output:

Letter 1:

Dear Rohan Sharma,

We are pleased to invite you to our Annual Business Meet happening in your city, Delhi. 
Please visit our website for more details.

Best Regards,
Team ABC Corporation

Letter 2:

Dear Simran Kaur,

We are pleased to invite you to our Annual Business Meet happening in your city, Amritsar. 
Please visit our website for more details.

Best Regards,
Team ABC Corporation

…and so on for each record.

5. Benefits of Mail Merge

✅ Saves time — generate hundreds of letters instantly.
✅ Reduces manual errors.
✅ Maintains personalization for each recipient.
✅ Useful for marketing, event invitations, and customer communication.

Summary Table

Step	Action	Description
1	Start Mail Merge	Choose document type (letters, labels, etc.)
2	Select Recipients	Connect to Excel or create new list
3	Insert Merge Fields	Add placeholders like Name, Address
4	Preview Results	See how each document looks
5	Finish & Merge	Print or email personalized copies