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What is Mail Merge?    What are Merge Fields?Before you beginImport the DataCustomizing the EmailSending the Email

What is Mail Merge?

Mail merge lets you create a batch of documents that are personalized for each recipient. For example, a letter might be personalized to address each recipient by name. A data source, like a list, spreadsheet, or database, is associated with the document. 

What are Merge Fields?

«Placeholders» --called merge fields--tell Word where in the document to include information from the data source. You work on the main document in Word, inserting «merge fields» for the personalized content you want to include. When the mail merge is complete, the merge document will generate a personalized version of itself for each name in the data source.

For Example: First Name in your Excel header may look like «First Name» in the email writeup. It will then get translated into the "Nancy" since Nancy is in the First Name column. Then Evan in the next email sent out, since Evan is next in the Excel file. 


Before you begin

  • You must have your Excel data completed with information in the correct cells and a header at the top of the worksheet.
  • Check with IT to make sure the email address is allowed to bulk send emails.
  • You must have the Outlook profile setup for the email that is bulk sending. -  Adding another Profile to Outlook 

Import the Data

  1. Make sure your Excel data has a header
  2. Make sure your Excel data is correct and ready to send.
  3. Open Microsoft Word
  4. Open a Blank Document
  5. Click the tab Mailings
  6. Click the Start Mailing Merge option
  7. Click E-mail Messages
  8. Click Select Recipients
  9. Click Use an Existing List... 
  10. Locate your Excel file you want to mail merge
  11. Select the file
  12. Click the Open button 
  13. Confirm the sheet you want to pull the information from
  14. Click the OK button


Customizing the Email

  1. Click the Greeting Line option
  2. Create a greeting line you want
  3. Click the OK button 
  4. Add text you want, like you would in Word.
  5. If you want to add a specific piece of data
    1. Click Insert Merge Field
    2. Choose the field you want to add
    3. That pulled data will be represented by «DATA»
  6. Once your email is ready, click Preview Results
    This will add the data into the email.

Sending the Email

  1. Make sure your Outlook application is closed. Otherwise, you will send from the opened Outlook mailbox.
  2. Once you are ready to send and you have proofed the email, click the Finish & Merge option
  3. Click the Send Email Messages...
  4. Add a subject line
  5. Select how many records to send, this corresponds to the rows in your Excel file
  6. Click the OK button
  7. Your Outlook will launch
  8. Option the Outlook Profile you want to send the email from
  9. Click the OK button
  10. The email will send immediately, you will see the email in the sent folder