How to do a Mail Merge in Access 2016

Combine Access 2016 with Word to address envelopes to a list of people.

A mail merge lets you address envelopes to all individuals in a table or query.

In the following example, we'll walk through the process of setting up envelopes with names and addresses, so that they're ready for printing and mailing.

  1. Screenshot of Access with the Word Merge button highlighted

    Launch the Mail Merge Wizard

    Select the table or query that contains the list of names and addresses.

    Click Word Merge in the Import & Link group from the External Data tab on the Ribbon.

  2. Screenshot of the Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Select the Document Option

    Select whether you want to link the data to an existing document or create a new document.

    For this example, we'll create a new document from scratch.

    Click Create a new document and then link the data to it.

  3. Screenshot of Microsoft Word popping up from the Taskbar

    Switch to Microsoft Word

    At this point, Microsoft Word should be open and blinking in the Taskbar.

    Click on the Microsoft Word button in the Taskbar to open Word.

  4. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Select the Document Type

    Select the document type that you'd like to work on.

    For this example, we're doing a mail merge so that we can put names and addresses on envelopes.

    So select Envelopes from the Mail Merge wizard at the right of the screen.

    Click Next: Starting document

  5. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Select the Envelope Size and other Options

    Select Change document layout then click Envelope options... to launch the Envelope Options dialog box.

    Click OK when done.

  6. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Review and Continue

    The Use the current document is now selected.

    The envelope is now displayed in relative proportions to the size that you selected.

    Check that it looks correct and click Next: Select recipients to continue.

  7. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Select Recipients

    This is where you get to select the recipients. However, Word recognizes that we're already using a table from Access, so Use an existing list is now selected, with the details listed below.

    Check that it looks correct and click Next: Arrange your envelope to continue.

  8. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Arrange the Envelope

    Click on the envelope where the address block should go.

    Then click Address block... from the Mail Merge Wizard.

  9. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Insert Address Block

    Use this dialog box to determine how the fields will be displayed on the envelope.

    Depending on how your database has been designed, you may be able to select Insert recipient's name in this format and Insert postal address.

    However, if the envelope preview is blank (like in this example), you will need to match the fields.

    To match the fields, click Match Fields....

  10. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Match Fields

    Use this dialog box to match the fields that appear on the envelope, with the fields from your database.

    Use the drop-down list to select a field from your database that matches the field on the left.

    In this example, there's only one required field (Company). We can use CustomerName from our database for this field (our database only has one field for the customer name). Had we selected Insert recipient's name and Insert postal address at the previous dialog box, there would be many more required fields — some of which we don't have matching fields in our database. Therefore, by deselecting that option at the previous step, the wizard is less restrictive and we can continue by matching some of the optional fields.

    If you find yourself in a similar situation, and you plan to do more mail merges in the future, you may wish to check Remember this matching for this set of data sources on this computer to save you from having to manually match the fields each time.

    Click OK once you've matched the fields you need.

  11. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Review and Close the Dialog Box

    Now the envelope preview is displaying an address from our list.

    Check that it appears in the correct format. Use the little arrows to step through the list if you need to.

    You'll also notice that Insert postal address is now selected.

    Click OK to continue.

  12. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Review and Continue

    The dialog box has closed and we're now back at the Arrange your envelope step.

    You'll notice that «AddressBlock» is now displayed on the envelope where the address will appear.

    Click Next: Preview your envelopes to continue.

  13. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Preview your Envelopes

    The preview envelope is now displaying the actual names and addresses from our database, exactly as they'll appear when they're mailed out.

    You can use the little arrow buttons to navigate through the list to see how other records appear.

    If all looks good, click Next: Complete the merge.

  14. Screenshot of Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard

    Complete the Merge

    Mail Merge is ready to produce your envelopes.

    Click Print... to print the envelopes.