Explaining Mail Merge Basics

Mail merge is a technique for creating and printing a bunch of similar documents by merging the information in one document, called the main document , with what is essentially a database of variable information in a second document, called the data source .

The main document contains the information that does not change from printout to printout ”the text of a form letter, for example ”along with placeholders called merge fields for the information that does change, and codes that control the merging process. A main document with a typical set of merge fields looks as shown in this graphic:

Each word enclosed in chevrons matches the name of a field in the corresponding data source, as shown in this graphic:

The data source contains the information that changes with each printout: first name, last name, company, address, and so on. This particular data source is an Access database table, but you can use other formats, such as tab-delimited or comma- delimited text files, Excel spreadsheets, or Word tables. The data must be stored in a structured way that allows Word to distinguish one item of information from another and one set of items from another.

In the data source, each row, which is called a record , contains the set of variable items for one printout. You can include as many records as you want in a data source. Each cell (the intersection of a column and a row), which is called a field , contains one variable item. Each column header contains a field name that identifies the contents of the column below it.

Later in this chapter you ll see the result of merging the main document and data source shown above: three letters , each containing their appropriate information instead of the merge fields. Some mail merge documents are pretty complex and can include conditional elements, mathematical calculations, logical comparisons, or branching instructions. But most are as simple as the sample documents you ll create in this chapter.

Information about: Conditional elements, page 208

In addition to creating letters, mail merge is a handy tool for filling in forms, and it is particularly useful when the information needed to fill in the forms is already included in a database or spreadsheet. For example, you might use mail merge to print invoices, checks, and insurance forms, as well as all kinds of labels ”for mailings or for collections of disks, audio cassettes, CDs, DVDs, video tapes, and books.