How to Print or E-mail a Mail Merge Document in Microsoft Word

You can print a mail merge document using your local printer, or e-mail it using the Internet. A mail merge is when you create a form letter but leave personal information, such as names and addresses, blank. Then you have Word automatically fill in the personal data from a "Data Source" document that you create. (See "How to Create a Main Mail Merge Document in Microsoft Word," under Related eHows.) These instructions are for Word 2000 running on a PC.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microsoft Word

Printing

1. Open the mail merge form letter you created.

2. Go to the Tools menu and select Mail Merge.

3. Click the Merge button and select Printer from the "Merge to" drop-down menu to print the merged documents.

4. Adjust your printer settings, if necessary, then print the documents.

E-mailing

5. Open the mail merge form letter.

6. Go to the Tools menu and select Mail Merge.

7. Click the Merge button and select Electronic Mail from the "Merge to" menu.

8. Click the Setup button to select the data field containing the e-mail address and to enter text for the e-mail subject line.

9. Select the checkbox "Send document as an attachment," if you want to preserve the document formatting in Word; otherwise, the document will be sent as text in the body of the e-mail.

10. Click OK and Merge to send the documents.

Tips & Warnings

• To ensure that Word merges only data records that contain an e-mail address, click Query Options. Click the Filter Records tab and select the field used for e-mail. In the Comparison field, select "is not blank" and click OK.
• The e-mail procedure works only if you are using a MAPI-compatible e-mail program, such as Microsoft Exchange Server.