Step 6: Completing the Merge

Once you are happy with the way that your merge is set up, it is time to complete it. You can choose to either print the letters or view the merge as individual letters.

Either option will bring up the box below. You can choose to merge all of the records in the data source, just the 'Current record' that you are displaying in the preview, or a certain section of continuous records.

Note: If you are selecting a certain selection of records from an Excel document, remember that the first row is the Merge field names. Therefore, if you want just rows 3-7 in Excel, you need to type in "2 to 6."

By selecting 'Print', Word will send your merge directly to your printer. Each letter it prints out will have a new recipient's set of data populating the merge fields (as it looks in the preview step). Only choose this step if you are 110% sure that everything is exactly how you want it.

Selecting 'Edit individual letters' will open up a new Word document (usually called "Letters 1"). In this document, each page will contain the form letter with one of the records merged into it. You can then edit individual letters if you want to, for example if you want to add a message to a specific recipient. It's also a good way to do a final check that everything is correct before printing. This is my preferred method when I use mail merge. From this new document, you can just print as normal.

Sometimes there will be a third option: 'Merge to email'. This option is only available if you are using a Microsoft email program, such as Outlook, and if you have "e-mail address" as one of your data fields.

And that's it. You have now created a mail merge. See? It really isn't that hard once you learn the steps.

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