creating an access database for use with mail merge in ms web viewcreating an access database for...

Click the Start button / All Programs / Microsoft Office Access 2007

Click "Blank Database" then enter the name you would like to use.

Creating an Access Database for use with Mail Merge in MS Word

Now let's minimize this window so we can look at our data in Excel.

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Notice the spaces in some of your field names. You want the field names to be consistent. This isn't a problem for tables but when you want to start creating Macros - they don't allow spaces so it's best to start with proper naming conventions now rather than trying to figure out why things don't work later.

Let's resize all of our columns at once by clicking this icon to select the entire spreadsheet and then mouse over the area in between two columns until your cursor becomes a line with two arrows then double click.

Now select the first row by clicking on the number 1.

Click on the Home tab and then click the Find & Select button (or you can hold the "Ctrl" key and the "H" key) - this will open the "Replace" window.

In the "Find what" box put a space (just hit the space bar on your keyboard). In the "Replace with" box enter nothing. Now click on the "Replace All" button to replace all of the spaces.For those of you who choose not to do this be sure that creating a table is all you will ever do with this data. It is an extremely simple process to normalize your fields! It's better to do this now than regret it later.

Navigate to the location of your Excel file and open it.

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Click on the "External Data" tab and then the "Excel" button.

Then click "Open".

Click on the "Browse" button to navigate to the place where your Excel data is saved.

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Make sure "First Row Contains Column Headings" is selected (only if your data contains column headings). I recommend naming your columns if they aren't already named. It will save you a tremendous amount of work later. Then click "Next".

Click on the columns to be sure the data type is appropriate for the data it contains. If it doesn't, use the drop down to select the appropriate data type.

When you're satisfied, click "Next".

Yes/No - True/False, Yes/No, On/OffByte - Binary data - this data type can include negative numbers.Long integer - this data type can include equations.Currency - this is $ so it will include the $ and 2 decimal points.Single - just 1 decimal point.Date / Time - this can include just a date, just a time or both.Text - this can hold up to 255 characters.Memo - this can hold up to 65,535 characters.Hyperlink - this can link to a document on your network or the web.

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By default, Access wants to add it's own primary key (the data in each row must be unique). If you already have a unique data field - click "Choose my own primary key". In this case, the field Access selects is ContactID because that's the first field it finds unique data in. Then click "Next".

Click "Save Import Steps", if you intend to do this again. Then click "Close"Now - click "Finish".

There are several queries you can create with Access. For most of them, you can use the Query Wizard. Make sure you're on the "Create" tab. Then click the "Query Wizard" button.

Click on the "Simple Query Wizard" then click "OK".

Now lets create a query!

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The only table we have is the one we just imported. If there were more though, you can select the table you want to work with by clicking the drop down.

If you only want some of the fields, select the field and use the single arrow (>) button to move it into the "Selected Fields" group.

If you add a field but decide you don't actually want it, click the left arrow button (<). If you want to start over, click the left double arrow button (<<).

When you're finished with your selection, click "Next".

Typically, you will choose "Detail" because that is what you will want to show. Clicking on "Summary" will give you totals of the fields you select. Then click "Next".

The choices in this window allow you to "Open the query to view information". This option allows you to view the data the query contains. "Modify the query design" allows you to modify the design of the query. This option is the option we will choose now so I can show you more about what the options are. The click "Finish".

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If you want to show additional fields, you should resize the table window so you can see them all. Click on the corner (wait until you see 2 arrows) of the window and drag it.

These are the fields that will appear in the table. Notice the check marks in the "Show" row. If you uncheck them, they will not show up when you click the view button to view your query.

Click twice on the field you would like to add. You will see the fields you add here.

Notice the different types of queries you can create.

Make Table: this will create a new table.

Append: this is usually used with two tables and you want to add data from one table to another. This is why it's important that your table have unique data fields like a customer ID. This will allow you to match data in another field of another table.

Update: this will update data in an existing table. Use this one with caution.

Delete: this will delete the queried records. Again, use this one with caution.

There are others but these are the most common.

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To see / edit the recipient list, click "Edit Recipient List".

Go to the "External Data" tab (make sure the table that you want to merge with is selected) then click the "More" button. Go to "Merge it with Microsoft Office Word".

Click "OK" to navigate to your letter. If you haven't created a letter yet, select "Create a new document and then link the data to it" then click "OK".

Now, let's setup a Mail Merge with Microsoft Word.

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You can deselect the recipients who shouldn't receive your letter by clicking on the check marks. This will remove the checkmark therefore removing them from the mailing.

If you have more than a few names that you want to filter - this is a better option.

Use the drop down to select the field you want to filter on then enter the comparison operator and enter the data to compare the field to.

To accept the data - click "OK" and then "OK" again. Type your letter.

For the address, click on "Address Block". This will put the entire address in rather than doing each field individually.

Notice there is no street address or PO Box. This is because the fields aren't matched properly with the Access database. Click "Match Fields".

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Click the dropdown for "Address1".

Click "OK" to accept the mapping.

Notice the change!

When you click "OK" - this is what your Address Block will look like before it's merged.

If you have an individual field you want to merge, click the field and then click "Insert". For instance, you may want to say "Dear <First>," which translates to Dear Tonya.

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Click here when you are ready to see what your letters will look like after they are merged.

Click on the arrows to navigate the different recipients.

To finish the merge - click "Finish and Merge".

Clicking on "Edit Individual Documents" allows you to see / edit individual documents before they are printed.

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