Objectives

Objectives© Paradigm Publishing, Inc. 1 Objectives

© Paradigm Publishing, Inc. 2 Objectives

Chapter 16: Merging DocumentsPerformance Objectives

Complete a Merge Create a Data Source File Create a Main Document Preview a Merge Check for Errors Merge Documents Merge Envelopes CHECKPOINT 1

Merge Labels Merge a Directory Edit a Data Source File Insert Additional Fields Merge with Other Data

Sources Use the Mail Merge Wiz

ard CHECKPOINT 2


Complete a Merge

A merge generally takes two files: a main document and a data source file.

The main document contains the standard text and/or the fields that identify where variable information will be inserted during the merge.

The data source file contains the variable information that will be inserted into the main document.


Complete a Merge…continued

Mailings tab


Create a Data Source File

Before you actually create the main document, you must determine the type of variable information you will need to insert into that document and create a data source file.

Word provides predetermined field names for this purpose. Use these field names if they represent the data you are

creating. Variable information in a data source file is saved as a record. A record is a series of fields, and each record contains all of the

information for one unit (for example, a person, family, customer, client, or business).

A data source file is a series of records.


Create a Data Source File…continued

To create a data source file:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Select

Recipients button in the Start Mail Merge group.

3. Click the Type New List option at the drop-down list.

4. Type the data in the predesigned or custom fields.

5. Click OK.

Select Recipients button



The fields in one row make a record.

Type text in a field in this dialogbox and then press Tab to moveto the next field.



To customize the predesigned fields:1. At the New Address List

dialog box, click the Customize Columns button.

2. Click the Add, Delete, or Rename buttons in the Customize Address List dialog box.

3. Click OK or Yes at any confirmation dialog boxes.

4. Click OK to return to the New Address List dialog box.

Customize Address List dialog box


Create a Main Document

To create a main document:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Start Mail

Merge button in the Start Mail Merge group.

3. Click the desired document type at the drop-down list.

4. Type the main document text and insert fields as needed.

Start Mail Merge button


Create a Main Document…continued

To insert address fields:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Address

Block button in the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. At the Insert Address Block dialog box, click the OK button.

Address Block button



Insert Address dialog box



To insert greeting line fields:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Greeting

Line button in the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. At the Insert Greeting Line dialog box, make the desired changes.

4. Click OK.

Insert Greeting Line dialog box



To insert a field:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Insert Merge

Field button arrow in the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. Click the desired field in the drop-down list.

Insert Merge Field button arrow


Preview a Merge

To view the main document:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Preview

Results button in the Preview Results group.

Preview Results button


Preview a Merge…continued

First Record button

Previous Record button

Go to Record button

Next Record button

Last Record button


Preview a Merge…continued

To find a record:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Find Recipient

button in the Preview Results group.

3. At the Find Entry dialog box, type the specific field entry in the Find text box.

4. Click the Find Next button. 5. Continue clicking the Find

Next button until there are no more entries.

6. Click OK.

Find Recipient button

Find Entry dialog box


Check for Errors

To automatically check for errors:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Auto Check

for Errors button in the Preview Results group.

3. At the Checking and Reporting Errors dialog box, click the desired option.

4. Click OK.

Auto Check for Errors button

Checking and Reporting Errors dialog box


Merge Documents

To merge documents and create a new document:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Finish & Merge

button in the Finish group.3. Click the Edit Individual

Documents at the drop-down list.

4. Make sure All is selected in the Merge to New Document dialog box.

5. Click OK.

Finish & Merge button


Merge Documents…continued

Merge to New Document dialog box

You can identify specific records you want merged with options at the Merge to New Document dialog box.

Display this dialog box by clicking the Finish & Merge button in the Mailings tab and then clicking the Edit Individual Documents option at the drop-down list.


Merge Envelopes

To merge envelopes:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Start Mail


3. Click the Envelopes option at the drop-down list.

4. Click OK at the Envelope Options dialog box.

Envelopes option


Merge Envelopes…continued

Envelope Options dialog box



To identify an existing data source file:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Select Recipients

button in the Start Mail Merge group.

3. Click the Use Existing List option at the drop-down list.

4. At the Select Data Source dialog box, navigate to the folder that contains the data source file you want to use and then double-click the file.

Use Existing List option



To insert the AddressBlock field:1. Click in the envelope

to position the insertion point where the recipient’s address should appear.

2. Click the Address Block button in the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. Click OK.

insertion point

Objectives© Paradigm Publishing, Inc. 24

CHECKPOINT 11) This document contains the

standard text and/or the fields.a. mainb. data sourcec. standardd. default

3) The AddressBlock field is an example of this type of field that groups a number of fields together.a. coordinateb. collaboratec. composited. collective

2) Variable information in a data source file is saved as this.a. a fileb. a recordc. a fieldd. a code

4) If you want to search for and preview merged documents with specific entries, click this button.a. Findb. Replacec. Find and Replaced. Find Recipients

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Merge Labels

To merge labels:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Start Mail


3. Click the Labels option at the drop-down list.

4. Select the desired label at the Label Options dialog box.

5. Click OK.Labels option


Merge Labels…continued

Choose the desiredlabel product number from this list box.

Click this down-pointingarrow to display a list ofavailable label vendors.


Merge Labels…continued

To update all labels:1. Click the Mailings

tab.2. Click the Update

Labels button in the Write & Insert Fields group.

Update Labels button


Merge a Directory

When you merge letters, envelopes, or mailing labels, a new form is created for each record.

For example, if the data source file merged with a letter contains eight records, eight letters are created.

If the data source file merged with a mailing label contains twenty records, twenty labels are created.

In some situations, you may want merged information to remain on the same page.

This is useful, for example, when you want to create a list such as a directory or address list.


Merge a Directory…continued

To merge a directory:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Start Mail


3. Click the Directory option at the drop-down list.

Directory option


Edit a Data Source File

To edit a data source file:1. Open the main

document.2. Click the Mailings tab.3. Click the Edit Recipient

List button.(continues on next slide)

Edit Recipient List button


Edit a Data Source File…continued

4. At the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, click the data source file name in the Data Source list box.

5. Click the Edit button.6. Make the desired changes

in the Edit Data Source dialog box.

7. Click OK to return to the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box.

Edit button



Edit the fields in the records in the data source file at thisdialog box.



Select specific records by removing the check marks from those records you do not want included in the merge.


Insert Additional Fields

Word’s Merge feature contains a large number of fields that you can insert in a main document.

One such field, the Fill-in field, is used to input information with the keyboard during a merge.

In some situations you may not need to keep all variable information in a data source file.

Insert a Fill-in field in a main document to input variable information into a document during the merge using the keyboard.


Insert Additional Fields…continued

To insert a fill-in field in the main document:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Rules button in the

Write & Insert Fields group.3. Click the Fill-in option at the

drop-down list.4. Type the prompt text.5. Click OK.6. Type the text to be

displayed in the document.7. Click OK.

Fill-in option

Insert Word Field: Fill-in dialog box



When you merge the main document with the data source file, the first record is merged and the Microsoft Word dialog box displays with the message you entered displayed in the upper left corner.

Type the required information for the first record in the data source file and then click OK.

Word displays the dialog box again. Type the required information for the second record in the data

source file and then click OK.



If you are merging a small number of records, you can look at each merged document to determine if all records merged and printed.

If you have a large number of records in a data source and want to ensure that each document merges and prints, consider inserting a Merge Record # field in the document.

This field will insert a record number in each merged document.

With the merge record number in each letter, you can ensure that all letters print.



To insert a record number in each merged document:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Rules button

in the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. Click the Merge Record # option at the drop-down list. Merge Record #

option



To use an If…Then…Else… field:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Rules button in

the Write & Insert Fields group.

3. Click the If…Then…Else… option at the drop-down list.

4. Specify the options in the Insert Word Field: IF dialog box.

5. Click OK.

If…Then…Else… option



Click the down-pointing arrow at the right of the Field name option box and then click the field name you want Word to compare.

Click the down-pointing arrow at the right of the Comparison option box and then click the desired value option you want Word to use when comparing the specified field.

Type in this text box the specific field value you want Word to use when comparing text in the specified field.



Once you have established the field name and specific field entry, you then type in the Insert this text text box the text you want inserted if the field entry matches, and type in the Otherwise insert this text text box the text you want inserted if the field entry is not matched.

You can also leave the Otherwise insert this text text box empty. This tells Word to not insert any text if the specific entry value

is not met. By default, an If…Then…Else… field does not display in the

document.


Merge with Other Data Sources

Word saves a data source as an Access database with the .mdb file extension.

You can use other data sources to merge with a main document such as a Word document containing data in a table, an Excel worksheet, an Access database table, and an Outlook contacts list.


Merge with Other Data Sources…continued

To match fields:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Match Fields

button in the Write & Insert group.

3. At the Match Fields dialog box, click the down-pointing arrow at the right side of the field you want to match.

4. Click the desired field at the drop-down list.

Match Fields dialog box



To use an Access database table as a data source:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Select Recipients button

in the Start Mail Merge group.3. Click the Use Existing List option

at the drop-down list.4. Navigate to the desired folder

and double-click the desired file.5. At the Select Table dialog box,

click the desired table.6. Click OK.

Select Table dialog box



To use an Outlook contact list as a data source:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Select Recipients button in the

Start Mail Merge group.3. Click the E-Mail Messages option at the

drop-down list.4. Click the Select Recipients button in the

Start Mail Merge group.5. Click the Select from Outlook Contacts

option at the drop-down list.6. Click OK if necessary.7. Click the desired contact list name.8. Click OK.

Select from Outlook Contacts option


Use the Mail Merge Wizard

To access the Mail Merge wizard:1. Click the Mailings tab.2. Click the Start Mail


3. Click the Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard option at the drop-down list.

Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard option


Use the Mail Merge Wizard…continued

To complete Step 1:1. Select the type of

document you want to create.

2. Click the Next: Starting document hyperlink to go to Step 2.

Step 1 task pane



To complete Step 2:1. Select the starting

document.2. Click the Next: Select

recipients hyperlink to go to Step 3. Step 2

task pane



To complete Step 3:1. Select the recipients.2. Click the Next: Write

your letter hyperlink to go to Step 4.

Step 3 task pane



To complete Step 4:1. Write your main

document.2. Click the Next:

Preview your letters hyperlink to go to Step 5.

Step 4 task pane



To complete Step 5:1. Preview your

documents.2. Click the Next:

Complete the merge hyperlink to go to Step 6.

Step 5 task pane



To complete Step 6:1. Complete the merge

by sending the merged document to the printer or edit the merged document. Step 6

task pane

Objectives© Paradigm Publishing, Inc. 53

CHECKPOINT 21) Select this type of main document

when you want to create a list.a. letterb. labelc. enveloped. directory

3) A Fill-in field is inserted in a main document by clicking this button.a. Insert Merge Fieldb. Rulesc. Edit Recipient Listd. Find Recipient

2) If you do not want a specific record included in a merge, remove this in the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box.a. arrowb. check markc. dashd. circle

4) The Mail Merge wizard guides you through the merge process in how many steps.a. 2b. 4c. 6d. 8

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