The easiest way to get started with a form letter is to use the Word Mail-merge documents template that comes with Works Suite 2005.

1. In Task Launcher click Templates, and then point to Letters & Labels.
2. Select Mail-merge documents, this will open Word.
3. Select Form Letter from Select document type for mail merge.

In the Open Data Source dialog box, do one of the following:

	If you’re merging from the Works Address Book click – well, click Merge from the Address Book.
	If you’re merging from another type of file, such as an Excel spreadsheet or a Works database, click Merge information from another type of file, and then browse to the location of your data source. When you find it, click Open.

The Mail Merge toolbar isn’t visible by default, so you may need to turn it on.

1. On the View menu in Word, point to Toolbars, and ensure that Mail Merge is selected.
2. To the right of the Mail Merge toolbar, click the down arrow.
3. Point to Add or Remove Buttons, point to Mail Merge, and then ensure that both Insert Merge Fields and Insert Merge Field are selected.

Here’s where you get to choose the people you want to send the letter to.

If you’re using the Address Book as your data source

1. On the Tools menu, point to Address Book Mail Merge, and then click Select Names.
2. Click the name of a person to whom you want to send the letter, and then click Select. To select more than one name, hold down the SHIFT key while you click the names you want.
3. Repeat until you’ve selected all the recipients.

If you’re using a different type of file

Click the Mail Merge Recipients button on the toolbar. (Hint: it’s the third button from the left …) Then follow the instructions on your screen.

Here’s where you specify the information you want to appear in your letter, and where it should go.

In a typical form letter, you’ll want to add fields for the recipient address block, as well as for the greeting line (Dear <<First name>>, for example).

1. On the Tools menu, point to Address Book Mail Merge, and then click Insert fields.
2. Click in your document where you want to insert a field. For example, click where you want to include the recipient address.
3. In the Insert Fields dialog box, under Mail Merge fields, click the name of the piece of information you want to include in your document, and then click OK.
   Hint: if you’re merging from the Address Book, just click Address Block to insert the name and address in a single step.
4. Repeat for each field you want to add.

You’ll probably want to customize the way fields appear. For example, you might have entered your fields so they look like this:

<<firstname>><<lastname>><<address1>><<city>><<state>><<zip>>

This would appear in your final letter like this:

JillShrader2345 Main StPortlandOR36542.

Not exactly Emily Post-style. Not to worry - just insert line spaces and other punctuation so that the fields appear like this:

<<firstname>> <<lastname>>
<<address1>>
<<city>>, <<state>> <<zip>>

This will then make Jill Shrader’s address look like this:

Jill Shrader
2345 Main St
Portland, OR 36542

The final steps automagically create a brand-new document, with a copy of the letter for each of the recipients you’ve chosen. Once this new document is created, containing your merged information, you'll be able to review and edit individual copies of the letter if you’d like.

1. On the Mail Merge toolbar, click Merge to New Document.
2. You can then print, save, or edit this document, just as you would any other.

Congratulations! You’ve just mastered one of the trickiest, and yet most useful, tasks you can do with Works. We'll assume that the holiday newsletter is in the mail.

For technical issues, please visit our Support page. Thank you!