How to Create a Postal Mailing List in Word Without Duplicates

Paper to Word Document

Are you frustrated with keeping your mailing lists organized? There are multiple ways to organize a postal mailing list using Microsoft Word as your tool. Whether you already have electronic data or are starting by entering information from paper, Word can help you locate and eliminate duplicates.
If you are entering your data, the best tool in Word for this task is a table. You'll need a table with a minimum of three columns, though a seven-column table will provide more flexibility. Create more or less columns to fit your specific needs.

Instructions

Enter Postal Mailing Information, Then Sort

1. Open a new document in Word. Set up your document in landscape format for ease of entering information.

2. 

   Consider how many columns of information you'll need in your table. Will you need country information? A second address line for apartments or suites? How about a salutation or title, such as Ms., Mr., Mrs., or President, Financial Advisor or Accountant? Make separate column headings for each of these items. Sample tables shown are of three- and seven-column tables.

3. Go to "Table" on the Menu Bar. Click on "Insert," then choose "Table."

4. Specify how many columns and rows you want in the new window that pops up. Choose "AutoFit to contents" option for "AutoFit behavior." This will make narrower widths for columns such as State and Zip, and wider widths for Street Address and City. Don't worry about the exact number of rows--just guess. Adding rows or even new columns later is easy.

5. Enter your column headings in the top row of each column. Move from one column to the next using the Tab key or an Arrow key on your keyboard, or use your mouse. Differentiate your headers from your data by making the headings bold, changing color of the text and/or by shading or highlighting. Go to Table, then click on "Heading Rows Repeat," so your headings will show when your mailing list scrolls to a new page.

6. Enter your data in a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial. If your mailing list will only be used for envelopes and mailing labels, enter your information in all capital letters for the most postal mail friendly format. Start with the first name and address. No need to alphabetize or sort by state or city. Enter states with the standard two character abbreviation. When the first address is complete, push the Tab key to go to the first column in the next row.

7. Go to "Table." Click on "Insert," and choose from "Rows Above" and "Rows Below" to add more rows at any time. Alternatively, at the last row in a table, push the Tab key or Enter and a new row will be added.

8. Save your document frequently and run spell check to catch typos when finished.

9. Sort your data to find duplicates. Go to "Table," then click on "Sort." A window will pop up. Sort by Name (or Last Name, then First Name) and Address. Now duplicates are next to each other.

10. Visually scan your document looking for repeats. Delete a duplicate row by going to "Table," then "Delete," and select "Row."

Sort Existing Postal Mailing Information

1. 

   Highlight all your data if it is already entered in a line-by-line format, such as in the example shown.

2. Go to "Table," then click on "Sort" and choose "By Paragraph." Blank lines will be moved to the top. Data will be sorted by the characters in each line, in the above cases by First, then Last Name.

3. Select a duplicate line and click the "Delete" key on your keyboard. Repeat.

Convert Mailing Label Format to Table, Then Sort

1. 

   Eliminate the blank lines. Click "Edit" in the Menu Bar, then click "Replace," or use the shortcut of "Control" H.

2. Put "Paragraph Mark," "Paragraph Mark" in the "Find what" box and a single "Paragraph Mark" in the "Replace with" box; the formatting codes are under the "Special" dropdown. Click on "Replace All" and blank lines are gone.

3. Click on "Table," "Convert," and enter "3" in the "Number of columns" box. Choose "Paragraphs" for the "Separate text at" choice. Your table is done and can be sorted.

Tips & Warnings

• These directions work specifically for Word 2002 or Word 2003; other versions of Word will have similar capabilities, but menu formats will vary.

• Save your document before you sort. If you have your data already entered into the computer, make a copy of the information before converting to a table or sorting.

Resources

• Find state abbreviatons and more here