Open and Add Data Sources

Choose or Create a Data Source

Word Mail Merge uses two files: (1) a primary document such as a Word letter, and (2) a secondary data source which is a structured data source used to merge into the variable portions in the primary document

With Word Mail Merge, you can choose data from a wide range of data sources such as:

1.  New Data Source…

  • Create a new list form mail merge data source in Microsoft Word that will be stored as a file on your computer

2. Open Data Source…

  • Excel
  • Access
  • CSV files
  • Other databases like SQL Server and Oracle

3. Office Address Book…

  • Any Contacts folder, including public folders

4. Apple Address Book…

  • Any contacts in your address book

5. FileMaker Pro…

  • Any database made using FileMaker Pro

 

  • After you select the data source for the primary document, you need to save the primary document again in order to save the connection to your data source file
  • Even though the data source you choose might have more records than you want to use in any specific mail merge, you can sort and filter to use some or all of the records in your Word mail merge after deciding what type of data source you want to use and connect to your primary document

 

Merge Information from a New Data Source

If you do not have the information you want to merge in any digital format, choose New Data Source…. This option will be most likely used if you have the information on paper and if you will never edit the information or use it for any other purpose. Data you enter this way will be saved, however, it won’t be as easy to update as other data sources

1. In the Mail Merge Manager > under step 2. Select Recipients List > click Get List > select New Data Source…


2. The Create Data Source window will open

 

3. If you do not see a field that you want to insert data for you can enter it here

  • For example, if your letter is to a customer congratulating them for buying <<Product Name>>, you can create that field
  • Below Placeholder List you can type in the name of the placeholder you want to create

 

  • Click the Add Placeholder button below, to add it to the list

 

  • To change the order of the placeholder, select it and click on the arrows to move it up or down

 

4. Click OK when you are sure that all the placeholders you need have been created

5. A Save As… window will open, prompting you to select the name and location where you want to save the data that you enter as a .docx file. Click Save when you are done

 

6. The Data Form will open

  • The placeholders will be listed, you can scroll down to view them all

 

  • Next to each placeholder enter the information

 

  • If you do not have information for one of the placeholders, leave it empty
  • When you have finished filling out the information for the first record click Add New to move on to the next entry
  • If you no longer need a record, click Delete to remove it
  • If you entered the wrong information and want to clear the form for that record, click Restore to clear all placeholders
  • If you want to search for a specific record click Find
    • Below Find what:, type in what you are searching for

 

    • Below In field: select what placeholder you want to search

 

  • At the bottom you can see what record number you are viewing, and you can use the arrows to move between records

 

  • When you are finished, you can click View Source to see the information in the Word document that it will be saved in

 

 

  • When you have entered all your records click OK to close the Data Form

7. The data will now be accessible for merging

 

Open Data Source to Merge

Use Mail Merge Manager with Excel Table

1. In the Mail Merge Manager > under step 2. Select Recipients List > click Get List >select Open Data Source…


2. In the Open window, select the Excel file that contains the data you want to merge, click Open


3. A window will pop-up warning you that you may be at risk for opening a malicious file, unless you know the source. Click OK

 

4. The next window asks you what part of the Excel document you want to use

  • Under Open Document in Workbook: you can select what sheets in the document you want to use

 

  • Below Cell Range: you can type in the specific cell range of an area, if you only want to use that data

 

  • Click OK

5. The headings in the Excel table will become the placeholders

 

6. The data will now be accessible for merging

 

Use Mail Merge Manager with CSV File

1. In the Mail Merge Manager > under step 2. Select Recipients List > click Get List > select Open Data Source…


2. In the Open window, select the CSV file that contains the data you want to merge, click Open


3. The File Conversion window will open, click OK


4. The data will now be accessible for merging

 

Merge Data Source from Office Address Book

This option is very useful when you have you contacts in Microsoft Outlook, which are normally kept up to date

1. In the Mail Merge Manager > under step 2. Select Recipients List > click Get List >select Office Address Book…


2. The first time you add a placeholder into your main document, the Invalid Merge Field window may open telling you that the merge field does not exist in the data source

 

  • Mail Merge will automatically guess at what placeholders from Outlook will match with the placeholders in Mail Merge
  • Click Ok and the Outlook placeholders will change to valid placeholders in the Mail Merge

 

3. The data will now be accessible for merging

 

Merge Data Source from Apple Address Book

This is an alternative option if you are using your Apple Address Book to insert data, instead of Outlook

1. In the Mail Merge Manager > under step 2. Select Recipients List > click Get List > select Apple Address Book…


2. The first time you add a placeholder into your main document, a window may open telling you that the merge field does not exist in the data source

 

  • Mail Merge will automatically guess at what placeholders from Outlook will match with the placeholders in Mail Merge
  • Click Ok and the Outlook placeholders will change to valid placeholders in the Mail Merge

 

3. The data will now be accessible for merging