How to Make Name Badges From a List in Excel

Identify your guests with a name badge.

Microsoft Office programs are designed to work with each other. Excel is a database software program that can be used to keep a list of names, addresses and contact information. Names can be imported from Microsoft Excel into Microsoft Word using the mail merge feature to create name badges. You can customize your badges by changing the style, color and size of the font. You can also add borders and graphics to your name badges.

Things You'll Need

• Name badges

Instructions

1. Create your database of names in Excel by entering the names in a column of the worksheet. You can list first names in one column and last names in another or list both first and last names in the same column. Save and close the worksheet.

2. Open a new blank document in Word.

3. Click on the "Mailing" tab from the toolbar. Click on "Start Mail Merge" Select "Labels" from the drop-down menu. A new box will appear on the screen.

4. Select the brand of your name badges under "Vendor Labels." For example, if you are using Avery name badge label #74558, select Avery US Letter. Under product number, select "74558-Clip Style Name Badge" Click "OK."

5. Click on "Select Recipients" on the toolbar ribbon. From the drop-down list select " Use Existing List." Enter the name of your Excel worksheet containing the names into the file name field. Click "Open." A new dialog box will appear. Select the pages of the worksheet that you would like to import data from. Click "OK."

6. Click on "Insert Merge Field" on the toolbar ribbon. Select the column title that contains the information you would like printed on the badges. For example, select the columns that contain the guest's first name, last name or both. Click on "Update Labels."

7. Click on "Finish & Merge" on the toolbar ribbon. Select "Edit Individual Documents" from the drop-down menu. A new dialog box will appear. Under "Merge Records," select all and click "OK." A new document containing the names that have been imported from your Excel list will now appear. You can edit and make changes to the individual name badges on this document.

References

• Microsoft Office: Type a Sheet of Different Labels - Word