How to Create Address Labels in Microsoft Word Using the Mail Merge

(for Windows)
Do you need to make address labels for a large mailing list? Save time and stay on schedule by utilizing the mail
merge feature in Microsoft Word. The following instructions will guide you through the process of creating a mail
merge. The number of addressees can range from small (10-20) to very large (100+).
Note: A mail merge can be created without an existing list but the instructions will not cover those steps as the intended
audience are those who need the mail merge for large mailings, which presumably means that a list of the addressees
will be available.
Minimum Level of Proficiency:
Ability to create and edit a simple letter or document in Word
Ability to create a simple list or table of information in Excel
Software Version Used in Instructions:
Microsoft Word 2013
Microsoft Excel 2013
Compatible Software Versions:
Microsoft Word 2007, 2010
Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010
Materials Needed:
Supply of address labels
Prepared list of addressees in an Excel spreadsheet (sample image below).
Each column should have an appropriate hea der (e.g., first column is Last Name, second column is First Name).
No special formatting of the content is required (e.g., borders, shading, color).

pg 1

START
1) Open Microsoft Word and create a new blank document. Click on the MAILINGS menu tab to reveal its menu options,
then click on the Start Mail Merge menu option and select Labels.
Al though the instructions here are s pecifically for making a ddress labels, the mail merge process is fairly similar regardless of the
type of document or task. If you have a letter that you want a ddressed to a large group of recipients, open that l etter (must be a
Word document) and here at this step select the Letters option. Skip to Step 4 a s the ensuing s teps for selecting label types would
not a pply to a l etter.

The mail merge menu

options are inactive until
you actually start one.

2) The Labels Options dialog box will appear. Find the Label Vendors drop-down field and select the vendor/manufacturer of
the address labels you are using. For the purpose of creating this guide, we used Avery brand address labels. Other
popular address labels are from Staples, Microsoft, and Office Depot. Below this field is the Product number field. Find
the product number for the address labels you are using and select it. Click OK to set and exit the dialog box.
The product numbers i n the dialog box are sorted by the first few digits (not the entire number).

The product number is

usually noted in the top
right area of the packaging.

pg 2

3) You will be returned to the mail merge document where gridlines outlining each label will be visible. If the gridlines are
not visible and you would like to see them, click on the TABLE TOOLS LAYOUT menu tab and then View Gridlines (far
left) to turn on gridlines.
The gri dlines a re visual aids; they will not print.

4) Select the source (i.e., the Excel file) from which the mail merge will pull information from. Click on the MAILINGS menu
tab, followed by the Select Recipients menu option, and then select Use an Existing List.
If a t a ny point beyond this step you find yourself lost, ra ther than clicking the undo button to try to fi nd your l ast error-free place
i t i s recommended that you simply cl ose the file (do not save i t) and start a new mail merge document. This will ensure that you a re
connected to the correct source file a nd that nothing errant is present unbeknownst to you .

pg 3

5) The Select Data Source dialog box will appear. Locate your Excel file. For example, if you saved it on your PCs desktop,
click the Desktop link in the directory (far left) to display all items on your Desktop. Select the file and then click Open.
After s electing the file, the file name will a ppear i n the File name field.

6) The Select Table dialog box will appear. Select the worksheet that contains the information of the addressees. Be sure the
checkbox for First row of data contains column headers is checked. Click OK to continue.
If you di d not specifically name the worksheet, i t will have a generic name as displayed in this i mage. Our information was entered
i n the first worksheet s o we have selected Sheet1.

pg 4

7) The next step is to edit/confirm the list of addressees. You will be returned to the mail merge document, which will now
display Next Record in each of the labels except for the top left label. On the MAILINGS menu tab, find and click on the
Edit Recipient List menu option.
The top l eft l abel will be referred to a s the workspace l abel; this is where all merge field i nserts a nd formatting of text a nd s pacing
wi l l be made. The workspace l a bel also holds the information to the first addressee on your Excel list.

Use this label to

make all inserts
and format edits.

The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box will appear. By default all records (i.e., addressees) are selected. If there is an
individual you do not want to include, uncheck their checkbox in the second column. Click OK to continue.

pg 5

8) On the MAILINGS menu tab, find and click on the Insert Merge Field option. A drop-down list consisting of column
headers taken from your Excel list will appear. Click on a merge field to insert it into your document.

After inserting the first name merge field, the mail merge document should look like the image below. Repeat step 8 to
insert additional merge fields. Note that you must enter any needed spaces or commas in between merge fields. For
example, the first line would follow as such: insert first name merge field; tap spacebar to insert a space; insert last name
merge field; and hit enter to start line 2 of the label.
Dont be alarmed that the other l abels continue to display Next Record.

pg 6

9) On the MAILINGS menu tab, find and click on the Update Labels option; this will apply all of the edits that you have made
to the workspace label (up to this point) to the rest of the labels.
You ma y perform this s tep after i nserting a merge field or you ca n wait until you have finished i nserting all fields and making any
forma tting changes; either way, i t does not a ffect the mail merge itself.

10) As you continue inserting merge fields it may be helpful for you to see your changes with the actual information of the
addressees. To do this, on the MAILINGS menu tab, find and click on the Preview Results button.
Us i ng the workspace label to i nsert merge fields and format text or s pacing will not change.

pg 7

11) Once you have finished inserting all of the desired information, you can turn your attention to formatting the text. For
example, if you want to increase the font size and center the text, simply select all of the text in the workspace label and
then use the editing options on the HOME menu tab. To update the other labels and view the changes, repeat steps 9
and 10.

Heres our mail merge document after a pplying formatting changes (text s ize, s pacing, a nd alignment) to the rest of the l abels.

To toggl e between the preview and merge field vi ews, s imply cl ick on the Preview Results button to turn i t on or off.

pg 8

12) Print directly from the mail merge document. If you need to make edits to individual labels or want to have an electronic
copy on hand, go to Step 13 to create a new regular document.
Wha ts the difference between a mail merge document and a regular document? A ma il merge document a pplies the same
cha nges and formatting to all labels; i t is actively connected to the source file and contains interactive merge fields, whose
i nformation is dependent on the source file. A regular document does not have these connected features a nd the content (all
text a nd formatting) in a regular document is native to that document, where edits to i ndividual l abels or text ca n be made.

On the MAILINGS menu tab, find and click on the Finish & Merge option to reveal three printing options . Select Print
Documents.

The Merge to Printer dialog box will appear. Select ALL and then OK to continue.

The Print dialog box will then appear. Be sure you have filled the printer with the appropriate number of sheets of
address labels. Click OK to print. Dont forget to save the mail merge document if you want to use it as a template for
future use.

pg 9

13) Create and print from a new regular document (all text and formatting will be kept). On the MAILINGS menu tab, find
and click the Finish & Merge option and select Edit Individual Documents. On the Merge to New Document dialog box,
select ALL and click OK. Dont forget to save the mail merge document if you want to use it as a template for future use.

The new regular document will be created. By default, the file is named Labels1. Print the document as you would any
Word document. Dont forget to save the new document if you want to keep it.

Why crea te a new regular document?

- Perha ps you need to add another a ddressee who was not on your Excel list.
- You need to delete a l abel because the person just cancelled their RSVP.
- Ma ybe s omeones address i s too long and you want to reduce the font size of the a ddress line for that label only.
- Or you s i mply wa nt to retain a copy to use as a record of who you sent the mailing to.

pg 10