How to Mail Merge from Outlook to Labels

After many years of struggle and hour after hour going around in ever tighter circles, I have finally cracked it. Note that the following works for Outlook03 and Word03 and may not be applicable to Express Outlook. From experience I suggest in the full name edit box you use Title, to record your preference, such as Mr & Mrs and use the Suffix to record ‘and Family’. When you enter an address double check and make sure you enter it into Home Address and NOT the default Business Address, unless of course that is what you intend.

Step1 In OUTLOOK Select CONTACTS. In CONTACTS view Select EDIT, then Select CATEGORIES, in the dialogue box that opens Select the ‘Master Categories’ TAB. In this new ‘Master Categories’ dialogue box, in the ‘New Category’ enter a name for a Category, let us call it XmasCards. So ENTER ‘XmasCards’ into the New Category box. Close the dialogue boxes by Selecting OK, then OK.

Step2 Go to each record in your CONTACTS list in turn, Select it by DbleClick and the record dialogue box for that contact opens up. With the GENERAL tab selected, Select the CATEGORIES button along the bottom, the dialogue box for CATEGORIES opens up. In the list of categories you will see your new category ‘XmasCards’. Pick the check box next to it, so a bold green tick appears. Exit it with OK. Now XmasCards will appear in the box alongside the CATEGORY pick button. Go through each record in your CONTACTS and repeat until you have added the category ‘XmasCards’ to everyone you want to receive them.

Step3 Still in CONTACTS, Select VIEW, take your time it can be tricky, still holding onto VIEW, slide down to open up the drop down, still holding move onto ARRANGE BY then slide to the right to reveal the side expansion box, slide onto CURRENT VIEW, still holding move across to reveal the side expansion box, still holding move across and down onto DEFINE VIEWS, right at the bottom, Select this (let go of the mouse button) and the CUSTOM VIEW ORGANIZER dialogue box opens. Select the NEW button on the right and the CREATE A NEW VIEW dialogue box opens. In the NAME OF NEW VIEW box override the default name (New view) with your own name, let us call it XmasPosting, so ENTER ‘XmasPosting’ in the box. Have a look below and see the layout for this new view, TABLES is fine and have a look to see who has access to this new View, THIS FOLDER, VISIBLE TO EVERYONE is fine. Accept OK button to EXIT and Close the CUSTOM VIEW ORGANIZER box.

Step4 Still in CONTACTS you will now see in your dataset of contacts a new view, ‘XmasPosting’ in addition to NORMAL has now appeared with a radial button beside it. Select this new view by Checking the radial button. The layout appearance of all your contacts may now change because this new view is in a TABLE layout. Go back to and Select VIEW, slide down and across as before to the first side expansion box. Select CURRENT VIEW and slide across to the right to the second expansion box. You should now see ‘XmasPosting’ has a tick beside it and it is highlighted, (the current view, if not make it current), slide down and Accept CUSTOMIZE CURRENT VIEW (just above DEFINE used in Step 3). The dialogue box CUSTOMIZE VIEW: XMASPOSTING appears. Select the forth button FILTER, in the FILTER dialogue box that opens be sure to move and Select the MORE CHOICES tab. With this open there is a CATEGORIES button, Select this and the available categories are listed, put a check against ‘XmasCards’ that you made earlier. Now when you Accept OK out of that box you will see that your category XmasCards is now the selected filter. Accept OK to go back to the CUSTOMIZE VIEW: XMASPOSTING dialogue box and move up and Accept the FIELDS button and the SHOW FIELDS dialogue box opens. You are a bit on your own here. If you are lucky and by choosing from the SELECT AVAILABLE FIELDS FROM drop down such as NAME FIELDS or ADDRESS FIELDS you want to see and find preferably in the FIELDS AVAILABLE box below, FULL NAME and just HOME ADDRESS. When you do find them, pick them they become highlighted and the Press the ADD button and they will appear in the list box on the right. If you do not manage to find them you will need to select all the component part fields, such as TITLE, FIRSTNAME, LASTNAME, SUFFIX, ADDRESS1 and so on. Accept OK, OK to close the boxes and now just your contacts to receive Xmas Cards, or whatever, are listed with just your chosen fields showing. Nearly there.

Step 5 Still in CONTACTS with your new view XmasPosting showing go to and Select TOOLS then MAIL MERGE from the drop down. The MAIL MERGE CONTACTS dialogue box opens up. In the DOCUMENT TYPE drop down at the bottom Select MAILING LABELS (or ENVELOPES), check the radial buttons for ALL CONTACTS IN CURRENT VIEW, ALL CONTACT FIELDS under FIELDS TO MERGE and NEW DOCUMENT in DOCUMENT FILE are Checked and Accept OK. A new blank WORD document opens with a message box. The message says that the mail merging has been done and you need to Select SETUP in the following dialogue box. Just what we are going to do. So Select OK to exit the message box and a new dialogue box appears, MAIL MERGE HELPER with the SETUP button highlighted. Accept the SETUP button, only this one. The LABELS (ENVELOPE) OPTION dialogue box opens. Navigate to and Select the label (envelope) template, make sure the other radials are acceptable and Accept OK to close then just Close the MAIL MERGE HELPER dialogue box. Important, do not use any of the other buttons on this dialogue box..

Step 6 The new blank WORD document changes to suit your selected template for labels (envelopes). Position your cursor over the first text entry point then go along the ICONS along the top until you find MAIL MERGE RECIPIENTS and Accept. The MAIL MERGE RECIPIENTS dialogue box opens (or you can scroll down and deselect those you do not want to post to), then Accept OK. The new WORD template document is peopled after the first cell with ‘Next Record’. Place your cursor in the first text entry position in the first cell and look along the top row of ICONS find and Accept the INERT MERGE FIELDS, do not use the INSERT WORD FIELDS drop down. Use the scroll bar to find and Select FULL NAME, it is now highlighted, Select the INSERT button and then close the dialogue box. You will see the FIELD name FULL NAME has been put in the document. At the end of the fieldname Press RETURN to put in a new line and repeat this time selecting HOME ADDRESS. (If you did not manage to find Full Name and Home Address in Step 4 you may have to enter all the component fields instead). Copy and paste these two fields into each label text position on the line after ‘Next Record’, to fill the sheet. You are now ready to print, look along to find the ICON and Accept MERGE TO NEW DOCUMENT. The MERGE TO DOCUMENT dialogue comes up, Accept ALL RECORDS and after a pause, the new labels document will appeared based on the selected template. Review each label for presentation issues and then, finally, print. Done.

If you are merging to envelopes then your task is much simpler. Follow Step 6 until the fields FULL NAME and HOME ADDRESS appear and then go straight to MERGE TO NEW DOCUMENT.

Daily we should give thanks to Microsoft for making these essential tasks so easy and simple to follow.