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Creating a Mail Merge
Document
Begin by opening an existing letter or envelope document (or creating a new
one).
In this example we will create a new letter document from scratch using the
example Mail Merge data from the FastPropertyData.com Home Page (right-click the
hypertext link labeled 'mail merge' in the paragraph 'What We Provide' and
select 'Save Target As' to download this MS Excel spreadsheet file onto your
hard drive - remember where you put it!).
Creating a new letter using MicroSoft Word (this procedure tested on MS Word
2000):
The Letter Wizard in MS Word can help you write a letter quickly and easily. The
wizard provides frequently used letter elements — such as salutations and
closings — that you can select from lists. The wizard also helps you structure
your letters based on frequently used letter styles.
Use the following procedure to create a letter with the Letter Wizard:
1. Click "New" on the File menu.
2. Click the "Letters & Faxes" tab.
3. Double-click "Letter Wizard".
4. In the Letter Wizard dialog box, choose "Send letters to a mailing list",
then click OK.
5. In the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click "Get Data", then choose "Open Data
Source".
6. In the Open Data Source dialog box in the drop-down at the bottom labeled
"Files of type", choose "MS Excel Worksheets (*.xls)".
7. Navigate to the place where you downloaded the example Mail Merge data file
and double-click it. The file loads.
8. In the Excel dialog box choose "Entire Spreadsheet" and click OK.
9. In the Word dialog box click the button "Edit Main Document".
10. In the salutation that starts with the word "Dear," click to the right of
the colon and hit the Backspace key to highlight, then hit Backspace again to
delete.
11. Type "Dear " (Note the space at the end).
12. In the upper left portion of the screen, below the File menu and toolbox
icons, find the button labeled "Insert Merge Field" and click it.
13. Choose the FastPropertyData mail merge field called "FirstNamesX" and click
it. "<<FirstNamesX>>" should appear after the "Dear ". Place a colon(:) at the
end.
14 The salutation line should now read "Dear <<FirstNamesX>>:".
15. We will not change the body text of the letter, even though it is boring.
Find the word "Sincerely," at the bottom and type your name below it
appropriately. You may need to delete whatever the wizard has already put there.
16. Now for the recipient's address. Click on the line labeled "[Click here and
type recipient's address]".
17. Again, on the "Insert Merge Field" button choose the FastPropertyData mail
merge field called "MailNamesX" and click it. Hit the <enter> key.
18. Again, on the "Insert Merge Field" button choose the FastPropertyData mail
merge field called "AddressX" and click it. Hit the <enter> key.
19. Again, on the "Insert Merge Field" button choose the FastPropertyData mail
merge field called "CityStateZipX" and click it.
20. The document is complete and may now be saved.
To perform the Mail Merge for the form letters (from step 20 above):
1. On the Tools menu, click "Mail Merge".
3. In the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click "Merge".
4. In the Merge dialog box, click "Merge". The merge may take some time. Please
wait.
5. A new file will open called "Form Letters" (or something like that). Browse
through this file. You will see a collection of letters with unique mailing
information on each letter.
6. At this point you may print as you would normally do.
To perform the Mail Merge for envelopes (from step 20 above):
1. On the Tools menu, click
"Mail Merge".
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