Mail Merge is a common term you often hear in Office environments but they can be useful for home users as well. . It is used to create a set of documents that are basically the same but needs to contain certain unique elements, such as the address and greeting line. So when might one want to use a mail merge? Two examples include:

• When you need to create labels or envelopes and the mailing address needs to be different on each one.

• A set of faxes or emails that contain the same basic information but also need to contain some piece of unique information.

By using a mail merge, all you have to do is create one fax, envelope, email message, etc. and use placeholders where you want the unique information to be added. You can start the mail merge process in Word 2003 using the steps listed below:

1. Open Word.

2. From the Tools menu, point to Letters and Mailings, and click Mail Merge. If you are working in Word 2002, click Mail Merge Wizard.

The Mail Merge task pane should appear. The various links available will assist you in creating a mail merge.