Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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: Grouping Records in a Mail Merge.

Grouping Records in a Mail Merge

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 17, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365


Erin wants to do a mail merge using source data that is in an Excel worksheet where it is possible for a given individual to have multiple rows of data. She notes that if she was using SQL she could use "GROUP BY" to make sure that all the records of a given individual were grouped together. She wants to "group" records so she can put all the records for a given individual into a single merge document.

This is not something that can be easily done with Word's mail merge capabilities, with one exception: You can do it if you are doing a directory-type merge. If you are doing that type of merge, you can find full information on how to group records at this Microsoft Office Support article. (Scroll down on the page and click the link for creating a directory.)

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/use-mail-merge-for-bulk-email-letters-labels-and-envelopes-f488ed5b-b849-4c11-9cff-932c49474705?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US

If you are doing any other type of merge (such as merging to letters or to labels), then you are pretty much out of luck. The merge feature generally takes information as it is fed from the source document. This means that it may be best to examine the source and do any sorting, condensing, and selecting in the workbook before you do the merge. There are numerous ways that you can work with your data, including the removal of duplicate records or using macros to condense duplicate records into a single record. (Full information on some of these methods can be found on the ExcelTips site: https://excelribbon.tips.net.)

The other option is to forego Excel and place your data in a real database program, such as Access. There you can do many types of processing—just as you can with an SQL database—in order to create views of information (queries) that can be used as the source data for a Word mail merge. This would allow you to easily use the GROUP BY capabilities that you seek.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13158) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Grouping Records in a Mail Merge.

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

Looking Backward through a Data Table

Sometimes you need to look backward, through the information above your formula, to find the data you need. This can be ...

Discover More

Stopping Validated Data from being Overwritten

Data Validation is a great tool to make sure that data entered in a cell meets whatever criteria you decide. Its ...

Discover More

Creating Categories for Your Table of Authorities

A table of authorities is normally divided into separate sections based on categories you define. Here's how to create ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Merging and Printing a Series of Documents

Do you need to merge and print a number of documents in a particular order? Perhaps the best approach is to record a ...

Discover More

Formatted Merging

When you use the mail-merge capabilities of Word, the information merged takes on the formatting of your source document, ...

Discover More

Attaching Specific Files to Mail-Merge E-Mail Messages

Want to add attachments to each e-mail message created in a mail merge? Word doesn't include the capability to do this, ...

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 4 + 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


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.