I’d like to create an envelope template with a
logo, and then use the Mail Merge Helper in Microsoft Word to
personalize the envelope template with customers’ mailing
addresses.
Edmond P. van Westen
Editor's Response:
another Small Biz Tech Talk free Word
Templates tutorial
In June, we looked at how to Use
Microsoft Word Templates to In-Source Your Envelope Printing.
However, that article assumes you’ll only be creating
a few envelopes at a time. So you can simply choose the File, New
command in Microsoft Word, to create a blank envelope template document,
based on the Microsoft Word 2000 templates for envelopes with your logo.
Now your question...how can you use these same custom
Microsoft Word 2000 templates you’ve created to ramp up for a
high-volume Microsoft Word mail merge? It’s actually pretty
straightforward. We use this technique internally at Small Biz Tech
Talk on a regular basis. It’s MUCH more “elegant” and
cost-effective than printing peel-and-stick labels.
Since the envelope template we created in the June 4th
issue is really just based on standard Microsoft Word 2000 templates, mail merging to
envelopes is no different than mail merge with a standard form letter
type of document.
Create your data source in whatever compatible program
you like for this purpose. We tend to use Microsoft Outlook Contacts
most often, but you could just as easily have your customer database in
Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel. The Microsoft Word Mail Merge
Helper is quite versatile -- and will be a huge help as you marry the
worlds of Microsoft Word 2000 templates and your custom envelope template.
Once your blank envelope template document, based on
Microsoft Word 2000 templates, is ready to go, simply choose Mail Merge from
the Tools pull-down menu in Microsoft Word. The Mail Merge Helper will
walk you through three simple steps to mail merge your customer address
information onto blank, customized envelopes – which can include your
company logo, as a TIF or another common graphics file format.
