Microsoft Word: Help Needed

[Ernest Buckley]

I`m trying to get a mailing list together.

 

I downloaded about 325 names from another file. The file opens in Word with all the names on the left side.

 

What I want to do is have 3 columns across the sheet with a total of 30 names per page.

 

I even have the Office 2004 "How to" book but cannot find any info on this. Its probably something fairly simple...but I`m not very smart.

 

Any help is appreciated.

Ernest

[Prague]

I would try to modify the page template and make 3 columns instead of the default 1 column. Look for Columns in modify or edit pull-downs.

[Billster]

There's a lot of ways to do that, but if you want a fully functional mailing list, you need to format the data into a database so that you can use it with great versatility.

 

If it is already in a simple list format, you have a heap of formatting editing to do.

 

If you just want columns, the command is under the format menu. Select the text you want, open the "columns" dialog, and select your choices.

 

Word's mail merge templates are very useful for creating mailing labels, postcards, form letters, and so on. I previously used Word to manage a 500+ name media contact list. If you want some insight on problems and fixes, I can offer some real world viewpoints.

[Michelle ggurl]

Sounds like you could do a mailmerge with these names, and print "labels." YOu don't actually have to print on label paper, but if you choose the correct label template (or make one of your own) you will get 30 names on a page.

[Ernest Buckley]

I`ve been fooling around with different settings for the last 90 minutes. Nothing...along the lines of what I need. When I use the merge data feature, I end up with another document that is blank. For some reason it is not taking the names and putting them in the columns. hmmm...

 

Keep the ideas coming, I`m sure we`ll get it. Thanks also.

[Hanshananigan]

First, make sure the text isn't in a table or formatted in some weird way. Highlight everything and choose "Normal" from the dropdown menu on the formatting toolbar. You may also want to manually reset tabs and such if it helps.

 

Then, while everything's highlighted, click the menu Table --> Convert..."Table to text" if the option is there. [this will get rid of a table if there is one]

 

Next,

Tools --> Columns..... make it "three."

 

That should do it.

[Angelo Clematide]

are those imported mailing names email adresses, resp. are on all adresses the hyperlinks activated?

 

I just tested it, made a table with 3 columns, copy and pasted a couple of email adresses into each colum, and it worked.

 

Do you want, that when someone clicks the adresses in this word document, a "NEW EMAIL" in Outlook starts up?

 

I have version: Microsoft Word 2002 (10.2627.2625)

 

.

[Ernest Buckley]

Thanks everyone.

 

Angelo-I just started my new business in Real Estate and have a small mailing list of about 325 people. So I will be using this simply as a mailing tool, not email.

 

Han- I`ll try your techniques and get back. Thanks.

[Rim]

To get your list of names into three columns:

1. to select all the names (or select them all with your mouse)

2. Click on Format menu and click on Columns

3. In Presets, click on Three (for three columns)

4. Click on OK.

 

If you're really set on having 30 names per page, you can play with the font sizes and/or play with the top/bottom margins (under File->Page Setup).

[deanmass]

email me the file and I will do it for you, then email it back. PM me for my email address.

 

After I do it, and you see it, I'll explain it. Makes more sense that way.

[Ernest Buckley]

Check your IM DeanMAss.

[Hanshananigan]

Originally posted by Ernest Buckley:

Thanks everyone.

 

Angelo-I just started my new business in Real Estate and have a small mailing list of about 325 people. So I will be using this simply as a mailing tool, not email.

 

Han- I`ll try your techniques and get back. Thanks.

For a mailing list there's a better way to do it with tables/labels than what I suggested, but I don't know how!

 

Deanmass, would you mind posting the instructions when you get it done? THANKS in advance!

[Ernest Buckley]

Han-

Your advice, though it worked somewhat, did not line the names up with the size I needed. I started to edit the 300+ names but then I realized I was insane so I stopped.

[Billster]

Ernest, I can e-mail you some templates if you want. You need a database format, a label master, and a form letter master. Let me know if you would like a set up.

[Hanshananigan]

Sorry it didn't work for you, Ernest. I can't figure out mailmerge myself...anyone else care to post detailed instructions?

[Billster]

Originally posted by Hanshananigan:

Sorry it didn't work for you, Ernest. I can't figure out mailmerge myself...anyone else care to post detailed instructions?

Look above Hans!

 

You need a database, and a form.

 

First set up the database:

• Create a table with a column for each part of the database entry: title, first name, last name, street address, city, state, zip code
  
• Make as many rows in the table as you have names on your list
  
• Enter your data. Be sure to use a "title" entry for Ms., Mr. or Mrs. (you'll see why in a moment)
  
• Save your database
  
• Pull down the view menu, and add the "mail merge" toolbar - there are buttons for all of these functions
  
• Open a new document to be your merge master. Choose letter for this example
  
• Link the new document to your database document by opening the data source.
  
• After linking the database, choose "add merge fields"
  
• Add all of the fields once, and then add title and last name again
  
• arrange the fields in the proper format for a business letter: title(space)first name(space)last name(return)street(return)city(space)state(space)zip(return)
  
• add the greeting line as merge fields:title(space)last name(comma-return)
  
• type the body of your form letter
  
• back on the merge toolbar, select "merge to new document"
  
• you will now have a big Word document with a letter page for everyone on your list - print your stack o' letters
  
• as you will have seen along the way, your master document can be letters, envelopes, labels, or whatever
  
• Also, if you want to merge straight to the printer, you can do that too, without creating a merged document that would be 325 pages long
  

 

You can have extra fields in your database that you do not use for merge fields. For instance, a comment field where you could add notes about particular contacts, or a telephone number field.

 

If Ernest or any of y'all want, I can e-mail templates that I have created for my own use.

 

--------------------------------

Mott this was Hoople

[Ernest Buckley]

Bill,

 

Thanks for all that work but I am not looking to send them their own letter with their name on it. I simply need to get this file of 325 addresses to sync up to the Avery 5960 template with 3 columns across and 10 rows down the page.

 

For some reason, when I import the File into Word, it appears as one column down the page for about 8 pages.

 

This seems like a simple little edit but for some reason, no one can figure it out!

 

I know this is possible because I did this back in February but my manager did it for me as I watched. He left so now I have to figure it out myself. The Missing Manual book I have does not give an example of how to do this.

[Billster]

Ernest, follow the instructions above, and choose "labels" instead of letters.

 

Down the line, having the database set up will give you great versatility.

 

A quick and dirty option would be to select the text and convert it to a table, using the option from the "table" menu.

 

You will need a delimit so the addresses are preserved as a block - the default is to use a paragraph return as a new table cell, which would break up the address blocks into separate cells.

 

The other problem is that the spacing must be precise to maintain the placement on a page of labels. The "envlopes and mailings" option on the tool menu has defaults for common Avery lables, but again, if the list you have has stray spaces of paragraph returns, you get junk that drifts off the label pattern.

 

If you want to do it right the first time, you need to set up a database and merge it to labels.

[Prague]

Originally posted by Ernest Buckley:

...Thanks for all that work but I am not looking to send them their own letter with their name on it. I simply need to get this file of 325 addresses to sync up to the Avery 5960 template with 3 columns across and 10 rows down the page.

...

Why didn't you just say this in the first place? That's a very simple thing to do. The Avery templates have been around for over a decade.

[Hanshananigan]

Thanks, Billster. By database I'm assuming you mean something like Access? I guess the next question would be, how can Ernest convert a Word file as described and convert it to a database, without retyping everything in a database form?

 

I have Office2000, so maybe the steps are different...

[Billster]

Hans: The data source for a mail merge can be a simple table in Word. See the long-ass post up above.

 

You can also use an Outlook address book supposedly, and I'm sure you could set up in Access, but I never have.

 

To convert to a database, the list would have to be put into a consistent delimited setup. A delimit is simply assigning a marker so that the database program knows where to start the next field. If the delimits are not consistent and accurate, you end up with names in the address field or other useless junk.