Mail merge is a versatile tool that can make your workflow and your life much easier. It might seem daunting at first but it’s actually very simple once you become familiar with the process. We’ll walk you through all of the steps for mail merge in Design & Print so that you can shave valuable time off of your next project.
What You Need to Use Mail Merge
The most important document you will need for a mail merge is a spreadsheet with all of the data you need to import. Many programs allow you to export data into spreadsheets but you can also create your own in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft® Excel® or Google Sheets™.
The data in your spreadsheet should be organized in columns, with the first row of your spreadsheet listing headers for what each column contains. For example, if your first column contains everyone’s first names then cell A1 could say “First Names”. Here is a sample XLS file you can download for reference.
Also, make sure that the database you are importing your data from:
– Is an XLS, XLSX or CSV file
– Has a maximum of 3,000 rows and/or 20 columns
– Has a file size of 600kb or less
If your file is larger than the maximum size, we recommend dividing it into smaller files and creating multiple projects.
How to Use Mail Merge in Avery Design & Print
Step 1: Choose Template
If you have an Avery product, type in the 4-5 digit Avery product or template number in the quick search field. Or, if you don’t have that number, you can try to find your product by browsing the various product categories on the left side of this step.
Once you find your template, double-click on it to move on to the next step.
Step 2: Choose Design
Double-click on the design you would like to use.
Step 3: Customize
If you chose a blank design, with no text or images, click on the “Import Data / Mail Merge” icon on the left side of this step. If the design you choose has text, click on the text box first and then click on the “Import Data / Mail Merge” icon. Click on the “Start Import/Merge” icon to begin the mail merge process.
Step 4: Select File
Click on “Browse for File” to find the spreadsheet from your computer. You can also click on “My Account” to upload a file from your Avery account or “Google Drive” to upload a file from that account.
Step 5: Confirm List
All of the rows and columns from your spreadsheet will be included by default. Make sure to uncheck any columns or rows that you don’t want to be included. If everything looks correct, click on the green “Next” button in the lower right corner to move to the next step.
Step 6: Arrange Fields
Double click on the fields you would like included or drag those fields over to the right side into the “Arrange fields:” section. You can also add in spaces, line breaks, and punctuation in between the fields or delete spaces to move fields closer together. You won’t be able to adjust the font and size on this step but you will be able to once the mail merge process is complete. Once you’re ready, click on “Next” to move forward.
Step 7: Finish
In this final step, you can find the different features to keep in mind to make editing your mail merged data easier. As soon as you have finished viewing these tips you can click on “Finish” to complete the merge and return to the original “Customize” step.
From here, you can make adjustments to your text, insert images from your computer or our gallery, add barcodes and make any other changes before printing your file.
Additional Tips
– If you need your mail merged data on both sides of a card, you can copy the text box with your mail merged information and paste it onto the other side. But make sure that you are in the “Edit All” editing mode so that the information is applied to every card.
– In some cases, the mail merge database can produce a “File is Corrupt” error message. Some quick workarounds include copying and pasting the data on the sheet to a new document, checking the file for hidden rows or columns, and removing any special characters.
– You can also upload a spreadsheet to create barcodes using the “QR and Barcodes” tool.
– If you ever need help, feel free to chat with one of our Avery consumer care specialists using the “Live Chat” feature in the upper right corner of Design & Print Online.
Microsoft®, Excel® and Google Sheets™ are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
