How to Create Mailing Labels From an Excel Database

1. Open Microsoft Word. Click the 'Mailings' tab and click 'Start Mail Merge.' Select 'Labels.' The 'Label Options' dialog box will open, where you can set up the labels.
2. Select the type of printer you are going to use under 'Printer Information.' Click the 'Label Vendors' list and select the manufacturer of your label sheets. Select the product number listed on your label sheet packaging from the 'Product Number' list. Click 'OK.' The sheet of labels is set up as a table in your document.
3. Click the 'Mailings' tab, then 'Select Recipients' in the 'Start Mail Merge' group. Click 'Use Existing List.' In the dialog box, browse through your computer files to select the Excel database file containing your address list. Double click the file.
4. Select particular recipients if you don't want to use your whole Excel list. To do so, click 'Edit Recipient List' in the 'Start Mail Merge' group on the 'Mailings' tab. Choose individual records by checking the box next to each record you want and unchecking the ones you don't want to use.
5. Set up the mail-merge fields, which will match each address component from your list to a placeholder on your label document. Click 'Match Fields' in the 'Write Insert Fields' group on the 'Mailings' tab. The dialog box will open, showing a list of address elements on the left side and corresponding column headings from your address list on the right side. Click each drop-down menu and select the correct column heading you want to use for each address element. Only select the address elements you want to use in your labels.
6. Click the first label on your Word document. Add any content, such as text, picture or logo, that you want to appear on each label. To insert an image, click the 'Insert' tab, then 'Picture' in the 'Illustrations' group. Select an image file from your computer, then click 'Insert.'
7. Insert the mail-merge fields, which serve as placeholders until you merge the labels with your address list. Click where you want to insert the address on the first label. Click 'Address Block' in the 'Write Insert Fields' group on the 'Mailings' tab. Select the address elements you want to insert and how you want them formatted. Click 'OK' to insert the address block.
8. Click 'Update Labels' in the 'Write Insert Fields' group to duplicate the data from the first label onto all the other labels.
9. Preview the merge results before completing the labels. Click 'Preview Results' on the 'Mailings' tab. If you're satisfied with them and are ready to print, click 'Finish Merge' in the 'Finish' group on the 'Mailings' tab. Click 'Print Documents.' Specify whether you want to print the whole set of labels or just a portion of them.
10. Connect your printer to the computer and feed it with the labels sheets. Click 'Print' and wait while your labels print out.