5-1-2 Merging Data with Documents

Key Concepts

• Data Sources
• Mail Merge
• Templates
• Field Codes
• Final Output

Data Sources

Data sources are the repositories from which information is retrieved for merging into documents. These can include spreadsheets, databases, or even simple text files. The data is typically organized in rows and columns, with each row representing a record and each column representing a field of information.

Imagine data sources as a library of books. Just as a library contains various books organized by categories, a data source contains various records organized by fields.

Mail Merge

Mail merge is a process that allows you to create multiple documents from a single template by merging data from a data source. This is particularly useful for generating personalized letters, envelopes, labels, or emails. The process involves linking the template with the data source and specifying which fields to merge.

Think of mail merge as a printing press. Just as a printing press can produce multiple copies of a document with slight variations, mail merge can produce multiple documents with personalized information.

Templates

Templates are pre-designed documents that serve as the foundation for the final output. They contain placeholders for the data that will be merged from the data source. Templates can include text, formatting, and layout elements that remain consistent across all merged documents.

Consider templates as blueprints for a house. Just as a blueprint defines the structure and layout of a house, a template defines the structure and layout of the final documents.

Field Codes

Field codes are placeholders within the template that indicate where data from the data source should be inserted. These codes are replaced with actual data during the merge process. Common field codes include names, addresses, and other personalized information.

Imagine field codes as empty slots in a puzzle. Just as empty slots are filled with specific pieces to complete the puzzle, field codes are filled with specific data to complete the document.

Final Output

The final output is the result of the mail merge process. It consists of multiple documents, each containing personalized information from the data source. The final output can be saved, printed, or sent electronically, depending on the intended use.

Think of the final output as a completed puzzle. Just as a completed puzzle shows the final picture, the final output shows the completed documents with all the personalized information merged in.

Examples and Analogies

Imagine creating personalized letters for a mailing campaign. The data source could be a spreadsheet with columns for "Name," "Address," and "Salutation." The template would include placeholders for these fields. During the mail merge process, each row of the spreadsheet would generate a unique letter with the corresponding name, address, and salutation.

In another example, consider generating personalized certificates for a class of students. The data source could include fields like "Student Name" and "Grade." The template would have placeholders for these fields. After merging, each student would receive a certificate with their name and grade.