Mail merge is a feature in word processing applications that allows users to create multiple documents that are personalized for each recipient. It is useful for producing letters, labels, envelopes, name tags, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet. Here are the steps to perform a mail merge:

1. Pick a data source: The first step in setting up a mail merge is to pick the source of data youll use for the personalized information. Excel spreadsheets and Outlook contact lists are the most common data sources, but any database that you can connect to Word will work. If you dont yet have a data source, you can even type it up in Word, as part of the mail merge process.

2. Create a starting document: This is the document that contains the information that is the same for each merged document. The starting document contains the field names for the variable information, like the names and addresses that will be inserted.

3. Insert merge fields: Merge fields are placeholders in the document for unique information from the recipients list. Youll need to add placeholders for the recipient data so Mail Merge knows exactly where to add the data.

4. Preview and edit: Preview the merged documents to ensure that the data is correctly inserted into the document. You can also edit individual documents if needed.

5. Complete the merge: Once you’ve added the list of recipients and filled out a document with merge fields, the last step is to finish the merge by making a separate version of the document for each recipient. There are a couple of different ways you can finish the mail merge.

Here is an example of how to create a form letter and merge the letter with a recipient list:

1. Open a new or existing Word document.
2. Click on the Mailings tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on the Start Mail Merge button and select the type of document you want to create.
4. Click on the Select Recipients button and choose the source of data youll use for the personalized information.
5. Insert merge fields into the document where you want the personalized information to appear.
6. Preview the merged documents to ensure that the data is correctly inserted into the document.
7. Complete the merge by making a separate version of the document for each recipient.

Mail merge is a useful tool for creating personalized documents in bulk. It can save time and effort when sending out mass communications.