Mail merge I: Use mail merge for mass mailings

After you connect to the recipient list, you choose the recipients that you want to include in your mailing. For example, you might want to send a form letter to only those customers in your file with a specific postal code. Or, you might want to create a directory that includes only one product line.

You do all this in the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box that opens automatically after you connect to or create a recipient list. In the dialog box:

 All the recipients have a check mark next to their name and are included in the mailing by default. You can clear the check mark for individual recipients or clear all the recipients by clearing the check box in the column heading then check the box next to the name of the person you want to include in your mailing.

 Refine the recipient list by clicking Sort… to choose the column name that you want to view and arrange (either ascending or descending); or clicking Filter… to enter the fields and values of the recipients that you want to view. You can also click Find duplicates… to run a report that lists the recipients that might be in your list more than once; or click Find recipient… to locate a specific person. The Validate addresses… feature is available if you have a validation program installed.