Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Merging and Printing.

Merging and Printing

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 24, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016


1

In a previous tip you learned how to check your data file against your master document to make sure Word could read both and merge them correctly. The next step is to actually merge your main document and data file to create the finished, merged documents. Word allows two different ways of doing this: you can merge to a new document, or you can merge directly to the printer.

Which method should you use? It depends on your comfort level with your final document. If you are fairly certain that your main document is set up properly and there is little chance for errors, then you can print directly to the printer. If, on the other hand, you may need to make some last minute changes before printing or you just want to see what the final output will look like, then you should print to a new document.

You can merge directly to the printer by first making sure that the Mailings tab of the ribbon is displayed. Click the Finish & Merge tool in the Finish group, and you can see your options. You'll want to click Print Documents in order to merge directly to the printer, or click Edit Individual Documents if you want to merge to a new document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9740) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Merging and Printing.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

A Ruler in Excel

A few workarounds for the fact that Excel does not have a built-in ruler.

Discover More

Getting Rid of Fixed Objects

Some dialog boxes in Excel refer to "fixed objects" in worksheets. What are they and how do you get rid of them?

Discover More

Can't Place Merge Field in Header of a Catalog Merge Document

Word can perform several different types of mail merge operations, and the type you choose can affect how you are able to ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Selecting Different Trays in a Mail Merge

When you create a mail-merged document, you might want some pages of the document printed on paper from one printer tray ...

Discover More

Maintaining Leading Zeroes

When merging ZIP Codes from a data source such as Excel, you might find that Word ends up dropping out leading zeroes in ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Spaces in Merged Data

When you merge information with a Word document, you may not be completely satisfied with the appearance of some of the ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one more than 9?

2017-10-07 10:17:38

Mike Nteu

How can I stop Word 2016 running on Windows 10 from autocompleting a file name when I am saving a Word document?


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.