You can use mail merge to quickly format and print mailing labels in Microsoft Office Word 2003. If you already have a file that contains your customers' names and addresses, you can connect that file to your label main document. When you're finished, the document that contains your labels will remain connected to your data file. Although it takes a little extra time to set up an initial mail merge process, the next time you print labels it will be a snap.

Set up the label main document

Play Demo 

The mail merge task pane guides you through the process of setting up a label main document — a page of blank labels that are the size and shape of the labels that you want to print.

How to do it (text version:)

• Set up the label main document in Answer Box: Print mailing labels in Word

Connect to a data file

Play Demo 

When you have set up your label main document, you can connect it to the data file that contains your recipients' names and addresses. This lets you get the names and addresses from your data file onto your labels. Word can connect to several different types of data files. This example uses a Microsoft Office Excel 2003 worksheet.

How to do it (text version:)

• Connect to the data file in Answer Box: Print mailing labels in Word

Add placeholders and information that stays the same

Play Demo 

When you format your labels, you can add the information that will be the same on every label, such as your return address or company logo. Next, you can add placeholders — also called fields — for the information that will be different on each label, such as recipients' names and addresses. After you set up the first label, its layout is copied to all of the other labels so that you don't have to format each label separately.

How to do it (text version:)

• Add placeholders and information that stays the same in Answer Box: Print mailing labels in Word

Preview and print labels

Play Demo 

Before you print the labels, you can preview them to make sure the information from the data file merged the way you wanted. When you're done printing the labels, save the label main document so that it remains connected to the data file. The next time you print labels, you'll have less work to do.

How to do it (text version:)

• Preview the merged labels and complete the merge in Answer Box: Print mailing labels in Word

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