Creating Mailing Lables Using Microsoft Word 97 Mail Merge Option and Microsoft Access 97

 

These instructions are for individuals that have already created an Access address database file.

Mail Merge is basically a three-step process. First, you create a Labels document, which is the main document. Then you Open your existing Access Address Database, which is the data source. Finally, you merge the data source information with the main document, thereby creating labels for each person in your address list.

Step 1: Creating the Main Document

    1. Open a MSWord file

    2. Choose Tools from the menu bar. Click on Mail Merge.

      3. The Mail Merge dialogue box appears.

    3. Click the Create button and then select Mailing Labels from the drop-down list.

      4. The following dialog box appears.

    4. Click the Active Window button.

 

Step 2: Opening the Data Source:

 

    1. Click Get Data Source, scroll down and click the Open Data Source option.
    2. In the "Open Data Source" dialog box. Click the "Files of type" list box at the bottom left of the dialog box and pick the option "MS Access Database (*.mdb)" option.
    3. Navigate to your existing Access address database file and double click the icon to open the file.
    4. If you get the "Microsoft Access" dialog box, double click the Table Name that has your addresses and click "OK".
    5. Click the "Setup Main Document" button and the "Labels Options" dialog box appears.
    6. On the list, click the type of Avery label you have (5160-address is the standard at NJCU)

      7. and other printing options.

    7. Click the "OK" button.
    8. The "Create Labels" dialog box appears.
    9. Make sure your blinking cursor is in the upper left corner of the text box and click the "Insert Merge Field" button.

      10. Inserting field names in the Label document:

    10. Click the names of the fields you want for your label. Make sure you insert a space between fields, for example, First Name (space) Last Name, and a comma between the city and state.
    11. Repeat Steps 1-3 for each field you want to insert.
    12. After inserting the fields to set up your label, click"OK".
    13. You are finished creating your label document, now finish the "Merge".

 

 

Step 3: Merging the Data into the Label Document

After you set up the main label document, you are ready to merge the field data from your Access address file. Follow these steps:
    1. Click the Merge button. The Merge dialog box appears.

    2. Click the Merge button and wait
    3. Mail Merge will create another Word document with your address labels, based on the number of addresses in your address list (you can save the label document file to print from later).
    4. Place your labels into your printer and print the labels.