How To Create A Recipient List For The Main Document

(Archives) Microsoft Word 2003: Mail Merge: Working with the Recipient List

Last updated Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, at 10:35 a.m.

This article is based on legacy software.

For a successful Mail Merge, you will need to establish a recipient list, also referred to as the data source. This contains the information that will vary with each record, such as names or identification numbers. If you are creating a mailing list, for example, names and addresses will be included in your data source.

You can either create a new data source or use a pre-existing source, such as your Outlook Contacts. You may also wish to alter the entries in your data source without having to open it, change the appropriate entries, and then save the changes. Mail Merge allows you to specify which individual entries you want to include as well as add and delete data document entries and fields.

For more information on the data document, refer to The Mail Merge Wizard: An Overview.

Creating a New Data Source

Before creating the data document, take a moment to plan out the information you want to include. While creating your data document, you can add or remove fields to tailor the document to suit your needs. Creating a new data source is an option in the third step of the Mail Merge Wizard.

From the Tools menu, select Letters and Mailings » Mail Merge...
The Mail Merge task pane appears.
Under Select document type, make the appropriate selection
Click NEXT: STARTING DOCUMENT
Under Select starting document, make the appropriate selection
Click NEXT: SELECT RECIPIENTS
From the Select recipients section, select Type a new list
From the Type a new list section, click CREATE...
The New Address List dialog box appears.
In the Enter Address information section, enter the appropriate information in the desired fields
OPTIONAL:
1. To remove fields, refer to Deleting Fields below
2. To add fields, refer to Adding Fields below
3. Repeat steps a and b until you are left with the desired data fields
4. Click OK to return to the New Address List dialog box
When all entries are complete, click CLOSE
The Save Address List dialog box appears.
NOTE: The default save location is My Data Sources and the file extension is .mdb (Microsoft Office Address Lists).
OPTIONAL:
1. To add additional entries, refer to Adding an Entry below
2. To delete an entry, refer to Deleting an Entry below
3. Repeat steps a and b until all of your entries have been made
4. To return to the New Address List dialog box, click OK
Using the Save in pull-down list, navigate to the desired save location
In the Field name text box, type the desired name for your address list
Click SAVE
The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears.
OPTIONAL: Click on the desired heading which you want the list to be sorted by
HINT: You can use the check boxes and buttons to include/exclude recipients in the merge.
When finished typing the list, click OK

Accessing the Data Document

Once your data source has been created, you can continue to make changes to it. In order to do so, you must open the data source.

Open the main document
From the Tools menu, select Letters and Mailings » Mail Merge...
The Mail Merge task pane appears.
In the task pane, verify that you are on Step 3: Select recipients
HINT: To move to a next or previous step, at the bottom of the task pane, click the appropriate link.
Under Select recipients, click EDIT RECIPIENT LIST...
The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears.
Select the desired entry by clicking it once
Click EDIT...
The Address List dialog box appears.

Adding and Deleting Data Source Fields

You can add field names or delete field names even after you have merged the data and main documents.

Adding Fields

Access the Data Document (above)
From the Address List dialog box, click CUSTOMIZE...
The Customize Address List dialog box appears.
Click ADD...
The Add Field dialog box appears.
In the Type a name for your field text box, type the desired field name
Click OK
The new field appears in the Field Names section.
Repeat steps 3 - 5 until all desired fields have been added
Click OK
For the added field(s), type the appropriate information
Click CLOSE
The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears, with the new field and information added.

Changing Field Order

Access the Data Document (above)
From the Address List dialog box, click CUSTOMIZE...
The Customize Address List dialog box appears.
From the Field Names scroll list, select the field name you want to move
Click MOVE UP or MOVE DOWN
Repeat steps 3 - 4 until all desired field names have been repositioned
Click OK
Click CLOSE
The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears.

Deleting Fields

If you delete a field, the data in the field is also deleted.

Access the Data Document (above)
From the Address List dialog box, click CUSTOMIZE...
The Customize Address List appears.
In the Field Names section, select the field you want to remove
Click DELETE
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Respond appropriately
Repeat steps 3 - 5 until all desired fields have been added
Click OK
Click CLOSE
The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears.

Adding and Deleting Data Source Entries

You can add, edit, or delete records even after you have merged the data and main documents. For the changes to take effect, however, you will have to re-merge the documents. If you want to create a new data document, refer to Creating a New Data Source above.

Adding an Entry

Access the Data Document (above)
Click NEW ENTRY
HINT: If you previously had four records, the number shown in Total entries in list should change to five.
Type the new record information
Repeat steps 2 - 3 as necessary
To save the new information, click CLOSE

Deleting an Entry

Access the Data Document (above)
In the View Entries section of the Address List dialog box, click the buttons to display the record you want to delete
Click DELETE ENTRY
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Respond appropriately
Repeat steps 2 - 4 as necessary
To save the data document, click CLOSE

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