Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Adding Text to an Envelope.

Adding Text to an Envelope

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 21, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Roy is using Word to create envelopes for his mailings. The program does great at placing both the "return" and "to" addresses, but Roy needs to add the wording "First Class Mail International" in the lower-left corner of the envelope. He wonders if there is a way to have Word add this automatically when it creates an envelope.

There are a couple of different ways you can approach this issue. The first is that you can do something simple, like create your envelopes (do the merge operation to create them, if necessary), and prior to printing add a footer for the envelope that has the desired wording in the desired place. Since footers can appear on every page printed, your wording appears on each envelope created.

Another approach is perhaps the most flexible—create your own envelope template. Your template can include all the wording and element positioning you need. If you are creating the envelopes using mail merge, the template can even include merge fields to indicate where your data in placed on the envelope. Save the template and then use it as the basis for your source document in your future mail merges.

You can find some great ideas on modifying information on envelopes at these pages on Graham Mayor's web site:

http://www.gmayor.com/Alternative_Return_Addresses.htm
http://www.gmayor.com/changing_envelope_layout.htm

Graham has also been kind enough to provide some ready-made templates for envelopes. Perhaps one of them could be used as a starting point for your own envelope template:

http://www.gmayor.com/downloads.htm#AirmailTemplate

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1230) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Adding Text to an Envelope.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Word Count for a Section

Dynamic word counts for your entire document are easy to get when you use using fields. There is no built-in method to ...

Discover More

Paragraph Formatting Shortcuts

Paragraphs are one of the elemental building blocks in a Word document. Formatting those paragraphs is easy to do if you ...

Discover More

Printing a List of Building Blocks

Building Blocks are a great way to semi-automate the creation of common documents. At some point you may want to get a ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Using FIM Barcodes

Adding a Facing Identification Mark (FIM) barcode to your envelopes.

Discover More

Changing the Default Font for Envelopes

When you create an envelope, Word assumes you want to use the font it has decided should be used for the envelope. If you ...

Discover More

Multiple Envelopes in One Document

Want to save a bunch of envelopes in a single document so that you can print them all out as a group? Here's how to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one less than 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.