Merge allows you to add names and addresses into a drawing. This is similar to the mail merge function of a word processor. For example, you want to send a post card to inform your friends of a party. You create a design for the post card, and you want to print your friends' names and addresses on the cards.

Using the Address List, you can enter names and addresses, specify on the drawing which information from the Address List you want to print, then print the post cards. A post card prints for each person you selected from the Address List!

The Address List is where you enter names and addresses. When you open the Address List dialog box, you have ten fields in which you can enter information. There is no limit to the length of the information in each field.

The first time you open the Address List, a new file is opened called Untitled.txt. This is the file in which the information is stored. You can add names and addresses or delete them from the list. When you save the file, you must specify the location and filename.

You do not have to worry about adding or deleting names used for a specific drawing. You have the opportunity to select names for a drawing when you print.

If you need to keep more than one address file, you can create a new address file. The easiest way to do this is to use the File menu on the Address List dialog box to start a new file. A blank untitled file opens in which you can save new names and addresses.

Use the File menu in the Address List dialog box to open an existing address file into the Address List. You can open either comma-delimited text files, tab-delimited text files, or Print Shop Address List files. When you open the Address List dialog box, the last file you had open is the file that opens.

When you create a drawing on which you want to include fields from the Address List, you must insert placeholders for the actual information contained in the Address List. The Field From Address List command on the Insert menu lets you select the fields you want to appear on your drawing. When you select a field, a placeholder is inserted into your drawing. When you print the drawing, the information from the Address List replaces the placeholders.

When you print a drawing containing field names, Windows Draw gives you the opportunity to choose names from the Address List to print. A drawing is printed for each name selected.

To preview a drawing before printing, you can use the Print Preview command on the File menu. When you preview drawings with field placeholders, you will see the actual information from the last address list opened rather than the placeholders.

Step-by-Step Mail Merge

These instructions use Labels as an example, but Mail Merge will work with any type of project in Draw. For instance, you can use Mail Merge to make a card or brochure a self-mailer.

• Open Draw
• Start with a blank page -> Label
1. Select a label (I choose 8160 because that is the Avery # for the labels I will be using)
2. Orientation -> landscape
3. Same label repeated
• Display printer boundaries, then click finished.
• You now have a blank label on the screen.
• Go to tools -> address list -> file -> open
• Choose an address list to open.  (If you don't have an address list yet, go to file -> new and create one.)
• Now you should see names and addresses in the address list, you can scroll through them if you want... otherwise, just hit close.
• Then go to Insert -> field from address list -> complete address
• Now you should see the address fields surrounded by marks like <<this>>. At this point you can select the entire text box and change the font or color and add any graphics that you might want. You can also place additional text between the address fields, for instance, a comma between the city and state fields.
• When you are finished, go to print preview.
• Zoom in and make sure nothing is overlapping... if it is, reduce your font size.  Also check the left and right edges, you might need to move text in from the edge of the label to prevent it from being cut off by your printer margin.
• Once you have a good print preview, hit the print button....
• You will be presented with a dialog box asking if you want to use an address list.  Choose Yes, then next.
• The next dialog box should already be filled in with the file because we opened it in our document. You can change the sort options if you want or select a different address list to use.  Click next
• In the next dialog, you can select all the names, or just certain ones.  (Hold the control key down as you select multiple names, or the shift key to select several consecutive names.)
• Now hit print and your merged list will print.... one label for each person in your address list.