PUB97: Frequently Asked Questions about Mail Merge

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1. Q. What is mail merge?
   
   A. The mail merge feature allows you to create a single publication that is reused in multiple copies of the publication, where each copy may contain varying information. Use a mail merge to create form letters and mailing labels. The feature is also useful for creating certificates, name tags, and tent cards.
2. Q. How does mail merge work?
   
   A. To perform a mail merge, create an address list or data source file. The data source file contains the information that changes with each merged copy of the publication. The information must be arranged in a table, where each column of the table contains one type of information (called a field), and each row of the table contains information for each record.
   
   Next, create a publication. The dimensions of the publication determine the dimensions of the merged copies. Thus, if you create a set of mailing labels, create a publication that is the size of one label.
   
   After you create both of these files, merge the data source and the publication. After you merge the files, you can insert placeholders (or field codes) into the publication. Placeholders tell Publisher where to insert the information from the data source file.
   
   The final step in running a mail merge is to print the publication. You can print copies for all of the records, or print only specific records. In each printed copy, Publisher replaces the placeholders with the information that corresponds to each record in the data source file.
   
   NOTE: If you print a small publication, such as a label, multiple copies of your publication may print on a single sheet. In this case, Publisher considers a sheet of 30 labels to be thirty copies of a single, label-sized publication that is printed on a single sheet.
3. Q. Can I use Publisher to create a data source file?
   
   A. Publisher has a tool that you can use to create address lists and other simple data sources.
4. Q. What types of files can Publisher use as a data source file?
   
   A. Publisher can use databases you create in Microsoft Access, Microsoft FoxPro, and Microsoft Works. It can also use spreadsheets you create in Microsoft Excel or tables you create in Microsoft Word. Publisher can use files you create in several versions of dBase, as well as text files.
5. Q. How many fields can a data source file contain?
   
   A. Publisher can use files that contain up to 255 fields. Each field name can contain up to 64 characters.
6. Q. How many records can a data source file contain?
   
   A. There is no practical limit to the number of records a data source file can contain. The maximum number of records depends on your computer's memory and available disk space.
7. Q. What happens if I move my address list to another folder?
   
   A. The next time you open the publication, Publisher will prompt you for the new location of the address list.
8. Q. What happens if I add more records to the address list?
   
   A. The next time you open the publication, the new records will appear.
9. Q. Can Publisher control the order in which the records print?
   
   A. Yes. Publisher has a sorting feature that you can use to control the order in which the records print. Publisher also has a filter that allows you to print only records that meet certain criteria.
10. Q. Is Publisher's mail merge as robust as Word's feature?
    
    A. No. However, the feature is much easier to use.