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Instructions for Mail-Merge with Microsoft Word97

(the procedure might be different if you have a different version)

1) Create a merge file using mailing label feature [6,1 from the Main Menu]. Choose any combination of criteria such as Zip Code, Customer Type, etc. At the very least it is useful to restrict the Zip Code range to 01000->99999 to ignore those customers with no zip code. Choose Start and be sure to select the option to create the "\MERGE1.JS" file instead of choosing 1,3 or 4-across labels.

2) Open Microsoft Word 97

3) Choose Tools, Mail Merge

In the pop-up window there are three steps to follow:

Main Document

Choose Create, Form Letters, Active Window. The Data Source button will become active.

Data Source

Click Get Data and drag down to Open Data Source. When prompted for a file name, type C:\MERGE1.JS in the File Name entry field and click Open. A dialogue box will appear. Select Edit Main Document.

A blank document page will appear. Begin typing the form letter. Anywhere information from the merge file is to appear click the Insert Merge Field button (to the top and left of the document) and drag down the list to the appropriate field name; the field name will appear in the document with brackets around it. Remember, it’s always a good idea to save your work periodically.

C) Merge the data with the document

When you are finished, click the third icon from the right on the same line as the Insert Merge Field line of the Task Bar. The icon is a piece of paper with and arrow pointing right and three periods. Its to the right of the icon with the paper, arrow and printer and to the left of the binocular icon.

5) Next, click the button "Go to Form" and type a form letter. Anywhere on the form that you want to insert data such as the customer’s name or address, click the button "Insert Field" and select from the list of "Field Names".

6) Click the button "Merge" to begin the mail merge.

You should repeat these steps each time you want to do a mailing. The "wpmerge1.dat" file should be re-created in order to include new names or when you select different criteria for which customers to include.