Microsoft Word troubleshooting and how-to guides
When you run a mail merge in Word, dates from your data source often appear in raw formats like 2023-01-15 or 44563. This happens because Word pulls the underlying serial number or default source format instead of your preferred date style. You need a way to display dates as January 15, 2023 or 15/01/2023 without … Read more
Creating ID cards for employees, students, or event attendees usually requires a template and a list of names and photos. Word's mail merge feature can automate this process, so you do not have to type each card manually. This article explains how to set up a mail merge for ID cards using a data source … Read more
You need to send personalized letters, emails, or labels to many recipients at once. Mail merge in Word lets you create one document and fill in each copy with data from a CSV file. A CSV file stores your recipient information such as names, addresses, and email addresses in a simple table format. This article … Read more
When you run a standard mail merge in Word, each record from your data source starts on a new page. This wastes paper and makes printing labels, directories, or price lists inefficient. The cause is the default page break that Word inserts after each merged record. This article explains how to remove those page breaks … Read more
You run a mail merge in Word and the resulting documents show blank fields where names, addresses, or other data should appear. This usually happens because the data source — an Excel file, Outlook contacts, or a database — is not properly connected to Word or because field codes are mismatched. This article explains the … Read more
After running a mail merge in Word, you often end up with one large document containing all letters, invoices, or labels. Saving each merged record as a separate PDF file is not a built-in single-click feature. This article explains three reliable methods to split a mail merge output into individual PDFs: using a VBA macro, … Read more
You need to send the same email to many recipients without typing each one. Mail merge in Word combined with Outlook automates this task by pulling recipient data from a list and generating personalized messages. This article explains how to set up a mail merge from start to finish, covering the data source, the main … Read more
When you run a mail merge in Word, the default greeting line inserts a generic salutation for every recipient. You need a greeting that changes based on data like gender, title, or relationship type. Word does not offer a built-in button for conditional salutations, but you can achieve this using the IF field code combined … Read more
You need to send personalized letters, emails, or labels to a group of people whose contact information is stored in a SharePoint list. Word’s mail merge feature can pull data directly from that SharePoint list instead of requiring you to export or copy the data first. This article explains how to connect Word to a … Read more
When you run a standard mail merge in Word, each recipient gets their own letter. But sometimes you need one letter addressed to multiple people at the same company or household. For example, you might want to send a single notice to both John Smith and Jane Smith at the same address. The default mail … Read more