When unique information is organized in a data file, you can control where specific pieces of that information appear in a mail merge document.
Data file is an umbrella term that covers a whole category of files you work with all the time. For example, your Microsoft Office Outlook® contacts list is a data file.
Other examples of data files include a table you create in Microsoft Office Word, a worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet, a Microsoft Office Access database, or even a text file.
Unique information, such as names and addresses, that you want to use in a mail merge must be stored in a data file. The structure of a data file makes it possible to match specific pieces of that information with placeholders in the main document.
You'll learn about what types of data files you can use in a mail merge and how to set up and connect to them in the next lesson.
