Open the program, Microsoft Excel. (If you forgot how to use EXCEL...go to Essentials...Basic Tutorials)

In cell A1, type Parent’s Name.

If the cell is not wide enough to fit the words you typed, place your cursor at the top of the column heading entitled "A." The cursor will turn into a plus sign with arrows. To allow the text to fit in the cell, double click with the mouse. The cell width should automatically adjust in size.

In cell B1, type Student’s Name.

Change the column width, using the procedure above if the text is too long for the cell.

Under the heading, Parent’s Name, type these names…

Cell A2- Mr. Jones

Cell A3- Mr.& Mrs. Smith

Cell A4- Ms. Stanley

Cell A5- Mr.& Mrs. Wallace

Cell A6- Mrs. Joyce

Under the heading, Student’s Name, type these names…

Cell B2- Jackie

Cell B3- Samantha

Cell B4- Timothy

Cell B5- Robert

Cell B6- Mike

Let’s save our work to a disk.

Insert the floppy disk into drive A

Select File from the main menu

Highlight Save As

Give it the name Test

Be sure that the "Save in" box says 3 ½ floppy (A)

Now click Save

Now open the program, Microsoft Word.

Select Tools from the menu bar and highlight Mail Merge.

This combines the two documents, Excel has the names and Word has the letter to go home.

Click Create, and then highlight Form Letter.

10.Click the button that says Active Window.

11.Next, click the button that says Get Data.

12.Highlight Open Data Source and click

You should now see and open window, the "save in" box shows 3 ½ floppy drive

13.To find the "Test" file, change the File Type to All Files.

14.Select Test from the 3 ½ floppy drive. A box will appear with the words, "Entire Spreadsheet" highlighted. Click OK.

15.Click on Edit Main Document.

16.After getting back to Word, type the following letter:

Dear and,

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for helping as a chaperone on our recent field trip. It was generous for you to give your time. I hope I can call on you in the future when I need help with additional projects.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

 

17.Using the mouse, position the cursor after the word Dear, and before the comma, click.

18.Press the spacebar 1 time to insert a space.

19.With the mouse, click on the words Insert Merge Field (found on the toolbar below and to the left of the font selections)

20.A drop-down menu will appear. Click on the field, Parent’s Name. The phrase <<Parent’s Name>> will be displayed in the letter.

21.Next, click between the comma and the word and.

22.Press the spacebar 1 time to insert a space.

23.Click on Insert Merge Field. At the drop-down menu, select Student’s Name. The merge field will be displayed in the sentence.

24.To view each of the parent’s letters: Click on the button along the same toolbar that says <<abc>>

25.By clicking on the right arrow along the same toolbar line, each parent letter will be displayed.

26.To complete the merge from the Tools menus choose Mail Merge…in the Mail Merge Helper Window, click the Merge button. In the Merge window- merge to: should say New Document. Click the merge button to complete the operation.