Microsoft Word 2003: Mail Merge Labels

Create Multiple Address Labels at the Same Time

OTS PUBLICATION : W08 • REVISED 07-01-2006 • TRAINING @ TOWSON . EDU • OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
=Shortcut =Advice =Caution

Mail Merge
Use mail merge when you want to create a set of documents that are Summary
essentially the same but where each document contains unique 1. Format data
elements. For example, the return address is the same on all the
2. Show toolbar
labels or envelopes, but the destination address is unique on each
one. 3. Create labels
4. Print labels
Laying the ground work for a successful mail merge will take a little
time, but once it is set up you can reuse the layout. 5. Save
6. For your reference

Format Data
You can use label data from a variety of sources (such as a table in Access or an Excel worksheet) or
you can create your own!

If you create your own data file in Excel, ensure that the top row contains labels (Figure 1, 1) for
the data directly below it (Figure 1, 2). When performing a Mail Merge, the file containing the data
is referred to as the Data Source.

Figure 1

Showing the Mail Merge Toolbar

Figure 2
1 1. Open a blank Word document.

2. To display the Mail Merge toolbar, click View (Figure 2, 1)

and select Toolbars (Figure 2, 2).
2
3. If you do not see a check mark next to Mail Merge,
click on it (Figure 2, 3).

© 2005 Towson University -This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License.
Details available at http://www.towson.edu/OTStraining. 410-704-4070.
 M AIL M ERGE FOR L ABELS WITH W ORD 2003

The Mail Merge toolbar should now appear at the top of the page:

Creating Labels
Setting up Your Label Document
1. Click on the Main document setup button.

2. Click Labels.

3. Click OK.

4. Select a product number from the list. You can find product information on the label box or
package.

5. Click OK.

Connecting the Label Document with Your Data Source

1. Click on the Open Data Source button.

2. Locate your data source (i.e., C:\MyDocuments\...).

3. Double-click on the data source.

If your data source is an Excel file, the “Select Table” window will appear and Sheet 1$
(or an alternate name for the first worksheet) will be highlighted.

4. Click OK.

Match Fields
1. On the Mail Merge toolbar, click the Match Fields button.
2. The Match Fields dialogue box will appear.

On the left are the names for fields Word uses in the address block or greeting
line templates (Figure 3, 1). Figure 3

The matching drop-down lists on the right each

contain a list of the headings from your data source
1 2
(Figure 3, 2).

Word will automatically try to match its field names

with the corresponding headers in your data source.
If the match is incorrect or if (not matched) is shown
(Figure 3, 3), choose the header from the 3
drop-down list that best matches the Required
Information on the left .

3. Click OK.

2
 M AIL M ERGE FOR L ABELS WITH W ORD 2003

Insert the Address Block

1. Click in the first label (box) in the document.

2. On the Mail Merge toolbar, click the Insert

Address Block button.

3. Choose the formatting options you want

Figure 4
from the dialogue box.

4. Click OK.

As a sample, your finished label may now

look like this (Figure 4):

Viewing the First Label

Preview how your first label will look when combined with your data source.

1. Click on View Merged Data button.

You can go back and forth between seeing your data fields and sample data at any time by clicking
on this View Merged Data button.

2. To change the address block, delete the <<Address Block>> field from your first label box
and follow the instructions under Insert the Address Block above.

Copy Fields to All Labels

Next, you must copy the contents of the first label to all other labels on the page.

• Click the Propagate Labels button.

Merge Labels to a New Document

This step will create a new document containing all of your labels.

• Click on the Merge to New Document button.

3
 M AIL M ERGE FOR L ABELS WITH W ORD 2003

You can also choose buttons to merge directly to a printer or to e-mail! These buttons are to the
right of the Merge to New Document button.

Printing Labels
Before you print, put the sheets of labels into your printer.

1. From the top menu bar, click on File and select Print.

2. Click OK.

Saving and Closing Your Documents

You now have two documents: Your template with your sample that you can reuse for future mail
merges, and your finished labels. You can save each of them by following these steps:

1. Click on File and select Save As.

2. Name your document.

3. Click Save.

Below are the toolbar buttons used throughout this tutorial:

Main Document Setup View Merged Data Propagate Labels

Open Data Insert Address Block Merge to New Document