Merging and Printing

In a previous tip you learned how to check your data file against your master document to make sure Word could read both and merge them correctly. The next step is to actually merge your main document and data file to create the finished, merged documents. Word allows two different ways of doing this: you can merge to a new document, or you can merge directly to the printer.

Which method should you use? It depends on your comfort level with your final document. If you are fairly certain that your main document is set up properly and there is little chance for errors, then you can print directly to the printer. If, on the other hand, you may need to make some last minute changes before printing or you just want to see what the final output will look like, then you should print to a new document.

To merge directly to the printer, click your mouse on the Merge to Printer tool on the Mail Merge toolbar. To merge to a new document, click your mouse on the Merge to New Document tool. Both of these tools are right next to each other, and just to the right of the Check For Errors tool described in the previous tip.