YOUR public awaits. How will you reach them with messages about your products, your programs, your board members, your staff? How do you talk about all the great stuff you do and encourage them to get involved?
Yes, Facebook. Sure, LinkedIn. But don’t forget the almighty personalized letter.
When you communicate with your customers, clients, donors, or prospects, you are saying something about your organization and the way in which it values contact. If your letters, postcards, or personalized catalogs are dry, boring, and impersonal, the people reading your information are likely to remember a few of the facts that seem relevant and move on. But if you customize your e-mail, newsletter, or print letter by referring to the contact using their first name, mentioning products and programs the person is interested in, and showing them you remember the last time they bought from your catalog, you’ve gone a long way toward showing that customer you know what you’re doing. You remember them, they’re important, and your mailing reflects that.
This is the heart of a good mailing campaign—caring about and connecting with your reader. When you design a mail merge project in Word 2010 (something Word helps you do, by the way), you are in fact merging a letter, e-mail message, newsletter, catalog, or other personalized document with your data list to produce a customized document that appears to have been written just for the person who receives it. Of course, your larger plan is to send out 500 of these personalized documents, so each of those 500 people feels like a valued customer. Simple, right?
This chapter shows you how to create a mail merge project from start to finish. You can easily tweak and customize things along the way, and use (or not) the Step By Step Mail Merge Wizard to lead you through the process. Like anything else in Word, if you do mailings very rarely, you might need a reminder from time to time about the various steps involved, but for the most part, the process is pretty intuitive.
Using the mail merge feature in Word, you can create letters, faxes, e-mail messages, envelopes, labels, and directories once and use them many times. The merge process is basically the same for all document types. All the commands you need are on the Mailings tab on the Ribbon, arranged in the order you need them (see Figure 26-1). Here’s a quick rundown of the steps involved in the mail merge process:
Select the document type you want to create by choosing Envelopes or Labels in the Create group or by clicking Start Mail Merge in the Start Mail Merge group.
In this step, you determine whether you want Word to create a letter, e-mail message, envelope, labels, or directory.
Select the recipients by choosing Select Recipients in the Start Mail Merge group.
At this point, you can type a new list, choose your data list from an existing file, or select your Outlook Contacts list.
Write your letter (or e-mail message) and then add the necessary merge fields by using the commands in the Write & Insert Fields group.
Preview the merge operation and make any last minute changes by selecting commands in the Preview Results group.
Merge the document and the data source, and print or send the results by using the Finish & Merge command in the Finish group.
The next several sections explain more about each of these steps.
The following terms might be new to you if you are learning about mail merge for the first time.
Main document. The letter, e-mail, envelope, or label into which the data will be merged.
Source file. Also known as the source list or recipients list, this is the file from which the merge data is taken.
Merge fields. Identifiers inserted in the main document that indicate to Word the position and type of data you want inserted at that point in the document.
Address block. Includes name and address information.
Greeting line. Adds the opening salutation, along with the name(s) of the recipient(s) you select.
Whether you plan to save the postage and send it by e-mail or bite the bullet and send it in print, a little forethought is in order when you are organizing any kind of a big mailing project. Depending on the size and type of the mailing, you might begin working on the project weeks (or months!) in advance of your mailing date. Here are some examples of mailing projects, ranging from small to large.
A follow-up e-mail message to a person who just bought one of your electronic gadgets
A personalized e-mail newsletter sent to all the donors in your database
A quick thank you letter to people who recently visited your open house
A fundraising letter that thanks donors for their contributions last year and asks them to make a pledge for this year
A customized catalog that includes only products in which the customer has indicated an interest
A prospectus mailed to a particular client, designed to include the client’s personal, business, and purchasing data
Your first choice in the mail merge process involves selecting the type of document you want to create. Will you be sending a direct mail letter, an e-mail message, or a fax? Perhaps you want to start with envelopes and labels, or create a directory to store listings of data such as customer names and addresses, product information, and personnel contact data. The Start Mail Merge command tab includes the tools you’ll use for the first part of preparing your mailing project. Click Start Mail Merge to display the options showing the type of merge document you can create (see Figure 26-2). When you click Letters, E-Mail Messages, or Directory, Word displays the type of document you are creating.
If you want to simply open a blank Word document, choose Normal Word Document. Additionally, if you prefer to use the Mail Merge Wizard, click Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard. This wizard appears in a task pane on the right side of the window and takes you through the steps involved in the merge process.
Note
Choosing Envelopes or Labels in the Start Mail Merge options displays the Envelope Options or Label Options dialog box, in which you can enter the information to print either of these items. For more about preparing envelopes and labels, see the section titled Printing Envelopes and Labels.
The main document is the document that holds the text that doesn’t change—in other words, the boilerplate text that will appear on all the sales letters you send out or all your past due notices (or, for a happier example, all the birth announcements you send via e-mail). Word gives you a number of choices for the way in which you select your main document. You can do any of the following:
Use the current document
Start from a template
Start from an existing document
If you decide to use the current document as the main document for your merge operation, you can simply type the text for the document as you want it to appear. You can omit the address information and the greeting at this point because Word provides the means to do that automatically when you add the merge fields to your document. Figure 26-3 shows an example of a form letter used in a merge print.
One consideration, however: If you’re creating an e-mail message you want to broadcast in a merge operation, remember that many graphic images and special text formats can create larger files and possibly require more time for downloading. For the convenience of your readers, consider going light on the graphical enhancements if you’re creating an e-mail message.
If you don’t want to work with the current document, you can choose a template instead. Word gives you access to a number of mail merge templates you can start with and then modify to fit the document you want to send. To do this, perform the following steps:
Click the File tab to display Backstage view.
Click New. Click in the Search Office.com For Templates box, type merge, and then press Enter.
Word searches Office.com for templates that include merge fields and displays the results in the Search Results area (see Figure 26-4). You’ll find everything from postcards and brochures, to labels and reports.
Click a template you’d like to see; the item is displayed in the preview panel on the right side of the dialog box.
When you find the template you want to use, select it then click Download.
The template opens in your document window.
Press Ctrl+S to display the Save As dialog box, enter a name for the document, and click Save.
Now you can begin filling in your own information and tailoring the document for your merge project.
If you’ve used a letter in the past that was particularly effective, or if you want to save time by converting some of your marketing copy to content for a mailing, you can simply open that document and use it as the main document. A main document can include text, images, borders, colors, shades, tables, and more—anything a traditional Word document can contain.
Tip
If you used a form letter in a past mail merge operation, you can always use it again, even if it was created in an earlier version of Word. Simply open the existing document, and then on the File tab, click Convert. This converts the legacy file into Word 2010 format. Now you can add and modify information and fields as needed.
Who will you send your project to, and where do you store your contacts? These questions are part of the next step in the merge process. To choose the recipients of your merge document, use the Select Recipients command in the Start Mail Merge group (you might have seen the recipient list called the data source or source list in previous Word versions). Your choices are to use an existing list, choose Outlook Contacts, or type a new list (see Figure 26-5).
Figure 26-5. You select recipients by choosing the contact information of the people who will receive your mailing.
If you have only a few recipients for the mailing you’re preparing, you might want to use the Type A New List option to enter the names and addresses and save the information with the document. You might use this option, for example, when you are creating a merge template for the minutes of your monthly board meeting. You can enter the names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses for the board members once and then save and use the file for all the board meeting minutes throughout the year.
Here’s how to create the new list.
On the Mailings tab, click Select Recipients in the Start Mail Merge group. Select Type New List from the options.
In the New Address List dialog box, type the information for the first recipient.
You can press Tab to move the selection from field to field (see Figure 26-6).
To start a new recipient entry, click New Entry.
The selection moves to the next row in the new address list.
Continue entering the information for each recipient, and then click OK when you’re done.
After you click OK, the Save Address List dialog box appears, with My Data Sources selected as the current folder, as shown in Figure 26-7. Enter a name for the file then click Save.
Figure 26-7. Microsoft Office Address List files are stored by default in the My Data Sources folder, where they can be accessed by all Office applications.
When you’re finished making modifications to the field list, click OK to return to the New Address List dialog box. Add or edit your data as needed and then click Close to return to the document.
To select a list you’ve already created, click Use Existing List in the Select Recipients list. The Select Data Source dialog box appears, from which you can choose a data list you’ve already created. Navigate to the folder containing the file you want and then click Open. If the file includes more than one data table, the Select Table dialog box will appear; choose the data table you want (see Figure 26-8).
The easiest way to add up-to-date contact information is to use your contact manager: Outlook. Because contacts in Outlook are updated as you work, your Outlook contact information might be more current and complete than static data lists. You can add e-mail addresses easily from messages you receive and send, which means you are gathering data continually while you go through your daily routine. Of course, the most complete data records—for example, client information that includes name, address, home and office phones, e-mail address, Web pages, and spouse names and birth dates—are available only because you add the information yourself. This means that the degree to which Outlook can actually help you will depend on how consistently and diligently you’ve entered contact information.
To select your Outlook Contacts list, simply click Select From Outlook Contacts in the Select Recipients list. The Select Contacts dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-9. Click the contacts list you want to use then click OK. The entries in your Contacts list appear in the Mail Merge Recipient dialog box.
Now that Word knows where to find the information you want to use in the merge operation, you can narrow things down further by clicking Edit Recipient List in the Start Mail Merge group on the Mailings tab. Use the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box to choose, sort, and edit the information in your data source file (see Figure 26-10). If you plan to make changes, such as updating the address of a particular client, changing a company name, or deleting customer information you no longer use, you can use the commands in this dialog box to carry out those tasks. Table 26-1 lists the various ways you can work with merge data.
Figure 26-10. Use the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box to select the recipients for your mailing and to edit information as needed.
Table 26-1. Working with Merge Data
Result | |
|---|---|
Clear the check mark in the selection column. | Removes a recipient from the merge operation. |
Select the check box in the selection column. | Adds a recipient to the merge operation. |
Click the arrow in the heading of the column by which you want to sort (for example, Last Name). | Reorders recipient records based on a particular field (if the listing was A to Z, clicking the heading will arrange the list Z to A). |
Click a Data Source entry and click Edit. When the address list dialog box appears, click New Entry and enter the new recipient data. Click Close to close the dialog box. | Adds a new recipient to the list. |
Click Sort. | Displays the Filter And Sort dialog box, which you can use to choose the field(s) by which you want to sort the information. |
Click Filter. | Displays the Filter Records tab of the Filter And Sort dialog box which you can use to enter the fields and values by which you want to filter the data used. |
Click Find Duplicates. | Locates and displays any duplicates in your data list and enables you to deselect them to leave them out of the merge operation. |
Click Find Recipient. | Displays the Find Entry dialog box so that you can search for a specific word or phrase in your data list. |
Click the Validate Addresses link. | Checks the data validity for your address data, if you have a validation program installed. |
Most of the items in the Mail Merge Recipients list are straightforward, but one needs a bit more explanation. If you want to filter the information in your current recipient list, click the Filter link in the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box. When you click Filter, the Filter And Sort dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-11. To filter the records and create a specific subset (for example, all recipients who live in Denver, Colorado), click the Field arrow then choose the field you want to use as the first filter (in this example, State).
Figure 26-11. Use the Filter And Sort dialog box to create a subset of recipients you want to use in the merge.
Figure 26-12 shows the filtering criteria used to locate all recipients in the database who have purchased an HTC smartphone. In this example, click the Comparison arrow to display the list of choices to assist you in filtering the data. Choose from among the 10 different items (in this case, Equal To). Then, in the Compare To field, type the value you are looking for (which here is HTC).
When you click OK, the recipient list in the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box changes to reflect only the subset of data returned as a result of the filtering. Click OK to return to the merge document.
So now you’ve selected the document you want to use and you’ve identified the people to whom you want to send it. The next group in the Mailings tab involves adding the placeholders in the document where the data will be inserted for the individual recipients. The Write & Insert Fields group includes the following merge fields that you can insert in your document.
Address Block. Displays the Insert Address Block dialog box, in which you can add the name, street address, city, state, and postal code at the insertion point.
Greeting Line. Displays the Greeting Line dialog box. Use this to select the salutation you want to use as well as the format for the recipient name.
Insert Merge Field. Displays options listing the fields available in the recipient list you’ve selected for the document. Use this to add specific fields in your document as needed.
Rules. Offers a number of conditional controls with which you can add programming capability to your merge form. For example, if you want to prompt the user to enter information at a particular point on a form, you can use the Fill-In rule. When you click Rules and then click Fill-In, the dialog box shown in Figure 26-13 appears. You can enter the information you want to appear to prompt the user. You can also provide default fill-in text. Select the Ask Once check box if you want the user to be prompted only one time. Click OK when you’re done.
Match Fields. Use this to match up the fields in your recipient list to the fields in your database. See the section titled Matching Fields with Your Database, for details.
Update Labels. Updates changes you’ve made in the recipient list and the labels you’re creating. (This command is available only when you select Labels as the document type you’re using for the merge process.)
The Address Block includes the collection of data you’re likely to use most often. The block includes the recipient name, street address, city, state, and postal code. You can also include the company name and the country and region in the address if you choose. To add the Address Block to your main document, follow these steps:
Place the insertion point where you want to insert the Address Block.
Click the Insert Address Block command in the Write & Insert Fields group on the Mailings tab.
The Insert Address Block dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-14.
Scroll through the Insert Recipient’s Name In This Format list to choose the format you want to use for the recipient name, and then select the style you want to use.
If you want to omit the company name from the Address Block, clear the Insert Company Name check box. (Note, though, that this option is available only if your recipient list includes a Company field.)
To hide the postal information in the Address Block, clear the Insert Postal Address check box.
The Preview section shows your current selections. You can advance through the recipient data by clicking the Next button above the preview window.
If you don’t see the fields you want to include, click the Match Fields button to match up the data names in your recipient list with the field names used in the merge operation. (For specifics, see the section titled Matching Fields with Your Database.)
Click OK to close the dialog box. Word inserts the following code at the insertion point.
<<AddressBlock>>
Tip
How do they format postal codes in Denmark? On which line should you put the primary and secondary addresses? You can take some of the guesswork out of sending international mail and let Word take care of those and other details for you. To do so, when you use the Insert Address Block feature in the mail merge process, be sure to select the Format Address According To The Destination Country/Region check box.
The Greeting Line merge field is where you can say hello in the language and format you want. To add a greeting line, follow these steps:
Place the insertion point in the document where you want to add a greeting line.
Click the Greeting Line command in the Write & Insert Fields group.
The Insert Greeting Line dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-15.
Figure 26-15. Use the Insert Greeting Line dialog box to choose the salutation and name format for your greeting.
For those recipients that show an empty or invalid name entry, you have the option of adding a generic phrase. Choose either Dear Sir Or Madam, To Whom It May Concern, or type your own phrase in the text box.
Preview the greetings by using your recipient list data (similar to the Address Block entry). Then use Match Fields to correct any problems in the way information is being displayed.
Click OK to close the dialog box and insert the greeting line.
Word inserts the following code at the insertion point.
<<GreetingLine>>
Word offers a number of preset merge fields that you can insert by pointing and clicking. You can further personalize your main document by adding address or database fields. To display the additional merge fields you can use in your document, click Insert Merge Field in the Write & Insert Fields group. The Insert Merge Field dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-16.
Figure 26-16. Use the Insert Merge Field dialog box to insert either Address Fields or Database Fields.
If you want to use fields available in your Address Book, click the Address Fields option. You’ll see quite a list of offerings, from basic contact information, to a spouse’s name, to a nickname. When you click the Database Fields option, you’ll see traditional database fields, including Title, First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Address Line 1, Address Line 2, City, State, ZIP Code, Country, Home Phone, Work Phone, and E-Mail Address.
To insert one of the additional merge fields, follow these steps:
Place the insertion point where you want to add the field.
Display the Insert Merge Field dialog box by clicking the Insert Merge Field command in the Write & Insert Fields group.
Click Address Fields or Database Fields.
Click the field you want to add then click Insert.
When you’re finished, click Close to return to your main document.
Figure 26-17 shows a form letter after two merge fields have been added. Note that Highlight Merge Fields was used so they would be easy to spot on the page.
With Word 2010, you can use data you’ve entered and organized in other programs—such as Access, Excel, other database programs, or compatible e-mail utilities—to serve as the source for your mail merge. If the fields you’ve created in your database don’t match the fields in the address list, don’t worry—you can use the Match Fields tool to equate the fields so data automatically flows into the appropriate places.
You can display the Match Fields dialog box in several ways.
Click the Match Fields button in the Write & Insert Fields group on the Mailings tab.
Click the Match Fields button in the Insert Address Block dialog box.
Click the Match Fields button in the Greeting Line dialog box.
Designate how you want Word to match fields by clicking the arrow of the field you want to match. For example, in the example shown in Figure 26-18, the field name Word is looking for is Address 1, but in the database, the address is called Home Street. Click the Address 1 arrow and choose Home Street from the list.
Figure 26-18. Use the Match Fields dialog box to direct Word how to import the data you’ve created in other programs.
Continue to match up other fields as needed. After you make your matches, click OK to close the dialog box and return to the document.
Along with the merge fields presented in the Mail Merge Wizard, you have another set of fields at your disposal. You can use Word fields to personalize your document, message, or form even further. You might want to add a Word field, for example, that skips a record based on the data in a particular field.
To add a Word field to your main document, follow these steps:
Place the insertion point in your document where you want to add the field.
Click the Rules button in the Write & Insert Fields group on the Mailings tab.
A menu appears, listing the Word field choices. Click your choice; Word prompts you to add additional information. Table 26-2 gives you an overview of the Word fields available in mail merge operations.
Table 26-2. Word Fields for Mail Merge
Description
Options
Ask
Adds a customized dialog box that asks for more information during a merge
You can use a predefined bookmark or add a new one to mark the placement of the Ask field.
Fill-In
Prompts user for additional information
You can choose to have Word ask for information with each merged record or only once, at the beginning of the process.
If...Then...Else
Creates conditional text segments that insert one phrase in one situation and another phrase in another
You can control the fields you want to compare as well as the qualifier (Equal To, Not Equal To, Less Than, Greater Than, Less Than Or Equal, Greater Than Or Equal, Is Blank, Is Not Blank).
Merge Record #
Adds the number of the current record to the merged document
Place the insertion point where you want the number to appear; no dialog box is displayed.
Merge Sequence #
Inserts numbering for all documents in the merge
Place the insertion point where you want the number to appear; no dialog box is displayed.
Next Record
Includes data from the next record in the current record
You can include several records at once; however, to list many records, create a directory.
Next Record If
Includes data from the next record if a certain condition is met
You can include record data if a field contains a value you seek.
Set Bookmark
Adds a bookmark and attached text in every merged document
You can use existing bookmarks or add new ones to accommodate the merge.
Skip Record If
Omits records depending on a specific condition
You can choose the fields to compare and the qualifier (Equal To, Not Equal To, Less Than, Greater Than, Less Than Or Equal, Greater Than Or Equal, Is Blank, Is Not Blank).
The next step in the merge process involves reviewing the data merged into your document. The Preview Results group contains the commands you need to do this. Click Preview Results to start the process. The first document is displayed by default with the data of your first recipient displayed in the Word window (shown in Figure 26-19). You can page through the recipients by clicking the previous (<<) or next (>>) button in the wizard task pane.
If you want to locate a particular recipient in your list, click Find Recipient in the Preview Results group. The Find Entry dialog box appears, in which you can type the data you’d like to locate. Specify the field you want to search, if necessary, and then click Find Next. Word locates the text you indicated in the merge document.
If you’re preparing a merge operation with hundreds or even thousands of records, it’s an especially good idea to run a test before you perform the actual merge. Word gives you an easy way to run a quick check for errors by simply clicking the Auto Check For Errors button in the Preview Results group. The Checking And Reporting Errors dialog box appears (shown in Figure 26-20). You can test your merge in three different ways: You can simulate the merge and save the errors in a new document; you can go ahead and run the merge operation, but have Word stop and alert you when an error is found; or you can complete the merge without pausing for errors and have Word report the errors in a new document.
The difference between these options is that one runs a “practice test” that reports on errors it finds but does not make changes in the document. The second option, the default, performs the merge but alerts you immediately whenever an error is found. If this is the first time you’ve used the mail merge utility in Word, it’s a good idea to test it out using the simulation until you feel comfortable proceeding with the real thing. With the third option, you can go ahead and print, but Word collects any errors in a separate document that you can review after the merge is complete.
The final step in the mail merge process involves printing, sending, or saving your document with the data intact. The actual merge is a bit anticlimactic. To finalize the merge, you simply click Finish & Merge in the Finish group on the Mailings tab. Three choices appear: Edit Individual Documents, Print Documents, and Send E-Mail Messages. The first option saves the merge operation as individual files, the second sends the documents to the printer, and the third prepares and sends e-mail messages with your merge information included.
When you click Edit Individual Documents in the Finish group, the Merge To New Document dialog box opens. Here, you can choose whether you want to merge all records, the current record only, or a range of records you specify. Make your choices, and then click OK to complete the merge.
To prepare your merge documents for printing, click Print Documents in the Finish group. The Merge To Printer dialog box appears, from which you can choose from the following options:
All. Prints all records in the current document.
Current Record. Prints only the displayed record.
From And To. Prints a range—from record 2 to 5, for example—so that you can select only those records you want to print.
If you choose Send E-Mail Messages in the Finish group on the Mailings tab, the Merge To E-Mail dialog box appears. Before you send the messages, you can specify whether you want to send the e-mail in HTML or text format, or send the message as an attachment. You can also choose the field you want to use in the To line (this is helpful if you have more than one e-mail address in a recipient list) and add a Subject line to describe the content to the recipient.
After you enter these choices, select which records you want to send in the Send Records area. Similar to the printing options, you can choose All, Current Record, or enter a range of records you want to use. Click OK when you’re ready to send.
All the merge operations in this chapter thus far have involved taking multiple data items and pluging them into documents that you can replicate easily. There will be times, however, when you will want a complete listing of the records in your source file. You might, for example, want to keep a listing of all the people you sent a catalog mailing to last fall. To create a directory of records from your data source, you can use the Directory document type. Here are the steps.
On the Mailings tab, in the Start Mail Merge group, click Start Mail Merge then click Directory.
Using the Select Recipients command in the Start Mail Merge group, choose whether you want to type a new list, use an existing list, or select Outlook Contacts.
If necessary, click Edit Recipient List and filter, sort, or edit the data to be used in the directory.
In the Write & Insert Fields group, click the fields you want to insert (most likely you’ll want only Address Block).
If you want to add additional fields, click the Insert Merge Field command then make your choices.
Click Preview Results to see how the directory entry will look.
Don’t worry that only one record is shown in the document window to preview; you’ll see an entire list when the merge is completed.
Click Edit Individual Documents in the Finish & Merge command in the Finish group. Choose All to include all records in the merge, and then click OK.
The merge is completed and the directory is displayed in your document window. You can now save the directory file and use it for future merge operations.
Tip
You can quickly add a two-column format to your directory by going on the Page Layout tab and clicking Columns in the Page Setup group. In the Columns list, choose the number of columns you want to use. The document is instantly reformatted to reflect your selection. Remember to save your changes by pressing Ctrl+S.
In some cases, you might want to print only a single envelope or an individual sheet of labels. In such a situation, working with the data source and inserting fields in a document isn’t necessary—no merge is needed. When you want to print a simple envelope, click Start Mail Merge on the Mailings tab and choose Envelopes. The Envelopes Options dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 26-21.
Figure 26-21. The Envelopes Options dialog box enables you to create and print individual envelopes.
Note
If you’re working with an open document that has an Address Block inserted (or a default address you’ve entered yourself), the selected address is the one that will be used.
To print an envelope, simply follow these steps:
Select the recipient address and then display the Envelope Options dialog box.
Click the Envelope Size arrow then choose the size of the envelope you will be printing.
Click in the Delivery Address area then click Font to select the font you want to use.
Use the From Left and From Top controls to set the amount of space between the printed address and the edge of the envelope.
Set the font and spacing settings for the return address as well.
The Preview area shows you how your envelope will look when printed.
Click the Printing Options tab to determine how you should position the envelope in the printer.
Click OK. Word saves your information, and your envelope is displayed in the Word window as you specified.
Instead of printing directly on envelopes, you might want to print mailing labels. Word makes it easy for you to print labels in a wide range of shapes and sizes. If you want to print single (or a few) labels and don’t want to use mail merge to do it, you can use the Label Options dialog box to create them quickly. Here’s how to do it:
Start by selecting the data you want to use to create the labels.
On the Mailings tab, choose Labels from the Start Mail Merge command list.
The Label Options dialog box appears. Use the options here to enter the vendor of the labels you are using, then choose the way the labels are arranged on the page.
Click the Details button if you want to change the page size or enter a different dimension for the label.
Click OK to save your changes.
Tip
If you have a number of labels that you want to print quickly, it’s best to use the Mail Merge Wizard to lead you through the steps for printing labels. To start the wizard, on the Mailings tab, click Start Mail Merge in the Start Mail Merge group. Choose Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard. Choose Labels in the Select Document Type area then follow the prompts on the screen.
This chapter took you through the process of creating a variety of mail merge projects with Word 2010 so that you can share your documents with donors, teammates, board members, and prospective customers all over the world. The next chapter moves into the customizable document realm by showing you how to add Word 2010 content controls to your Word documents.