How to Make Mailing Labels With Excel and Word

If you need to mail envelopes or packages to many different people, making mailing labels is easier than handwriting each recipient's address. If there are people you send to on a regular basis (even if you do not send mail to each of them every time), you can use Microsoft Office to set up a database and run mail merges every time you need to print labels. After the initial setup, you will save time and lighten your workload.

Things You'll Need

• Label paper

Instructions

1. 

   Create a list in Excel to use for your label mail merge and any subsequent mail merges you might need to perform. In Row 1, enter the following headings: "Salutation," "First Name," "Last Name," "Address," "City," "State" and "Zip Code."

2. 

   Fill in the columns with the information for each recipient. Under "Salutation," type "Mr.," "Ms." or the title of the person to whom you are sending mail. Save the worksheet after you have entered all of your mail recipients and close the spreadsheet.

3. 

   Open Microsoft Word. In Word 2007, go to the "Mailings" tab and select "Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard" from the "Start Mail Merge" drop-down. If you are using Word 2003, click on "Tools" and point to "Letters and Mailings." Click on "Mail Merge."

4. 

   Choose "Labels" and click "Next" if you are using Word 2003. Choose the type of label you wish to use from the "Label Options" box and click "Next." Click "Browse" and navigate to the Excel spreadsheet you created with your mailing recipients' names and addresses. Choose the worksheet in that workbook that contains the data (usually Sheet 1) and click "OK." If you do not want to make a label for each person on your list, deselect the ones you do not want to print. Click "OK."

5. 

   Insert an "Address Block" and click the "Update Labels" button. Click "Next" and preview your labels. If they look good, click "Next" to complete the merge and print onto your label paper.

Tips & Warnings

• If you always print labels for the same people, complete the mail merge and save the labels as a new document. Then, you will only have to walk through the merge if you make changes to your Excel spreadsheet.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Compare Label Prices