How to: Create a data source for a mail merge.
Solution:
Select 'Toolbars...' from the 'View' menu and select 'Database'. Open the Mail Merge document icon and choose 'Create'.
1) Select the 'View' menu and select 'Toolbars...'.
2) Select the 'Database' check box.
3) Click 'OK'.
4) Open the 'Mail Merge Document' icon. (The Mail Merge Helper dialog box appears.)
5) Click 'Create'.
Create button
NOTE: In the 'Field Names In Header Row' list box, Word lists field names for the categories of data commonly used in a data source. To see all the field names, scroll down the list.
6) Do one of the following:
a) Click 'OK' to accept the list provided by Microsoft in the 'Field Names In Header Row' list box.
b) Add a category to the data source
1] Type the new field name in the 'Field Name' box.
NOTE: A field name can contain up to 40 characters. Each name MUST start with a letter, and subsequent characters must be letters, numbers, or an underscore character (_). A field name CANNOT contain spaces.
2] Click 'Add Field Name'.
3] Repeat steps 6)b)1] and 6)b)2] for each field name to be added.
4] Click 'OK'.
c) Click 'Add Field Name':
1] Select a field name in the 'Field Names In Header Row' list box.
2] Click the Up or Down arrow until the field name is in the desired position.
3] Click 'OK'. (The Save As dialog box appears)
d) To delete a category from a data source:
1] Select the field name to be removed.
2] Click 'Remove Field Name'.
3] Repeat steps 6)d)1] and 6)d)2] for each field name to be removed.
4] Click 'OK'. (The Save As dialog box appears.)
7) Save the data source
a) Select the desired drive from the 'Drives' drop-down list box.
b) Select the location from the 'Directories list box
c) Type the desired filename into the 'File Name' box
d) Click 'Save'. (The Microsoft Word dialog box appears.)
8) Click 'Edit Data Source' to type the data. (The Data Form dialog box appears.)
9) Add information to the data source:
a) Type the desired information in each data field box and press ENTER.
NOTE: To move to the next or previous data field box, press TAB or SHIFT+TAB.
b) Click 'Add New' to add the current record and start another record.
c) Repeat steps 9)a) and 9)b) until all data is typed.
10) (Optional) Click 'View Source' in the 'Data Form dialog box to display the data source in the document window.
11) (Optional) Select 'Save' from the 'File' menu to save the data source.
NOTE: TO return to the main document, click 'Mail Merge Main document' on the 'Database' toolbar.
