Create a Word mail merge with Excel data

In Microsoft Excel, set up the data to use in the mail merge.

1. Make sure the data is in list format: each column has a label in the first row and contains similar facts, and there are no blank rows or columns within the list. You'll use the column labels to specify what data goes where in the mail merge.
2. Make sure the column labels clearly identify the type of data in the column; this helps you select the right data as you construct the mail merge. For example, labels such as First Name, Last Name, Address, and City are better than Column 1, Column 2, Column 3, and Column 4.
3. Make sure you have a separate column for each element that you want to include in the mail merge. For example, if you're creating form letters and want to use each recipient's first name in the body of the letter, make sure you have a column that contains first names, rather than a single column with both first and last names. If you want to refer to each recipient by title and last name, such as Mr. Smith, you can use a single column containing both titles and last names, or use one column for title and another for last name.

1. Select the entire list.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define.
3. Type a name for the list.
4. Click Add, and then click Close.