Generate Mailing Labels or Envelopes - Microsoft Word

Note: For information on creating and printing an individual label, please see Create and Print an Individual Label.

TAM enables you to create and print mailing labels or envelopes using TAM Reports. Please check the Applied Compatibility Grid to ensure compatibility with your version of Microsoft Office.

• Set up the Marketing Search
• Create the Mailing Labels or Envelopes
• Print or Save the Labels or Envelopes

Before you begin, you must know the type of labels or envelopes you are using (brand and style number) as well as the group of clients for which you are generating labels or envelopes (e.g., all clients, all prospects, those who meet certain criteria, etc.).

Set up the Marketing Search

Use the following steps to set up and run a marketing search to select the clients for whom to print labels or envelopes, and what information prints on them.

1. At Home Base, click Reports.
2. On the TAM Reports screen, click the Search button.
3. On the Report Selection tab, select a Report Type based on the people for whom you are creating labels or envelopes (customers, prospects, etc.).
4. Select the desired Report Choice.
   
   Note: For the purpose of a general mailing, a Report Choice of Customers-Main File is generally sufficient. However, for a more specialized report, other choices may be necessary. For example, selecting Policies-Current enables you to find only your active customers.
5. In the Output Destination frame, click the Word Mailmerge radio button.
6. Click the Criteria tab.
7. Set up the criteria to filter out the customers you do not want to include.
8. Click the Fields/Sort tab to select the information to print on the labels/envelopes.
9. Select fields that should appear on the labels. For more information, see Fields/Sort Tab.
   
   Note: A quick way to add fields is to click on the Address button in the middle of the screen. This adds the most commonly used fields, and you can add or remove items based on your needs.
10. When you are finished selecting fields, click Run. Proceed to Create the Mailing Labels or Envelopes.

Create the Mailing Labels or Envelopes

Use the following steps to set up the label or envelope format.

1. After the search runs, the Word Documents screen displays. Select the Send output to a new file name radio button.
2. In the File Name field, enter a name for the mailing labels or envelopes document you are creating.
   
   Note: When choosing the name, do not add a period and three letter extension. This is done automatically. Also, pay attention to where the document is stored, so you will know how to locate your data in step 15.
3. Click OK, and click Yes to create a new file.
4. Wait for Word to open the new document. (First Word opens, then a blank document opens, and then the new document you are creating appears, displaying a date field.)
5. The Header Record Delimiters screen may appear. Click OK.
6. Click the Mailings tab.
7. Click Start Mail Merge.
8. Click Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard. The Mail Merge task pane displays on the right. 
9. The bottom of the Mail Merge task pane indicates that you are on Step 3 of 6. Click Previous twice to return to Step 1 of 6, the Select Document Type task.
10. Under Select document type, click Labels or Envelopes, and then click Next: Starting Document.
11. You are on Step 2 of 6. Under Select starting document, select Change document layout. 
12. Click Label Options/Envelope Options to bring up the Label/Envelope Options window.
13. Ensure that all information is correct. After making any necessary changes, click OK. A message displays stating that Word must delete the current contents of your document. Click OK.
14. Click Next: Select Recipients.
15. You are on Step 3 of 6. Under Select Recipients, select Use an existing list. You should see that a DAT file was found with the same name that you chose for your label/envelope document, except that it has a DAT extension instead of a DOC extension.
16. Click Next: Arrange your labels/envelopes.
    • If you are creating envelopes:
    • 1. Manually type the return address you would like to use in the top left corner.
      2. Click toward the bottom center of the envelope to select the mailing address frame. Click Address Block.
      3. Click Match Fields. In the Match Fields window, change the settings in the Required for Address Block section as follows.
         Note: Leave all items under Optional Information as (not matched). In addition, you MUST choose the NAME variable for the First Name instead of the Last Name to prevent the insertion of an extra space at the beginning of each envelope.
         • Last Name: (not available/matched)
         • First Name: NAME
         • Courtesy Title: (not available/matched)
         • Company: ATTN (available only if you included ATTN as a field selected in TAM Reports)
         • Address 1: STREET
         • City: CITY
         • State: ST
         • Postal Code: ZIPCODE
         • Spouse First Name: (not available/matched)
      4. Click OK to close the Match Fields window.
      5. Click OK to close the Insert Address Block window.
    • If you are creating labels:
    • 1. Click Address Block. Follow the instructions in steps c-e for envelopes above.
      2. Make sure to click Update all labels when you are finished formatting the label.
17. Click Next: Preview your labels/envelopes.
18. You are on Step 5 of 6. Click Next: Complete the Merge.
19. On Step 6 of 6, under Merge, click Edit individual labels/envelopes.
20. In the Merge to New Document window, select All and click OK.

Print or Save the Labels or Envelopes

Use the following steps to send the labels or envelopes to the printer now or to save them to print at another time.

Note: A benefit of saving the labels/envelopes to print later is that they can be accessed in Word outside of TAM. This gives you the option to choose exactly how many envelopes/pages of labels you want to print at a time instead of printing them all in one batch, which could possibly overload the printer depending on the printer.

Save or Print Later

1. To save the file, click File > Save As and enter a new document name and location.
2. To print the labels or envelopes in the future, access this document through Word (outside TAM) and print the labels or envelopes.

Print Now

1. Click File > Print.
2. Verify that the labels or envelopes are ready at the printer. In the Print window, verify that the printer settings are correct and click OK to print the labels/envelopes.