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Printing Labels or Envelopes for Contacts

You can use Microsoft Word to print labels and envelopes in several different ways, including mail merge. A mail merge using Outlook and Word can handle not just built-in fields, but also custom fields added to Contact items. 

Some of the Other Tools can also do general mail merge chores. 
 

Outlook Mail Merge | Word Envelopes and Labels | New Letter to Contact | Word Template (VBA) | Windows Scripting Host | Other Tools | Notes | More Information

Outlook Mail Merge

 You can start the merge from any Outlook contacts folder:
  1. Select one or more names in the contacts folder. 
  2. Choose Tools | Mail Merge.
  3. Make your choices on the Mail Merge Contacts dialog box, then click OK.
  4. After Word displays the merge document, add merge fields, other text and formatting as needed. Save the merge document if you think you might use it again. 
  5. In Outlook 2002, follow the instructions in OL2002 Merge to Create Labels from Contacts Not Complete to turn on Propagate Labels.
  6. Click the Merge button. 

If you want to see custom fields in the Word merge field list, make sure you choose All contact fields under Fields to merge in step 3.

You can also mail merge in earlier versions of Outlook and Word, but the process starts in Word with Tools | Mail Merge and doesn't have all the options of the Outlook merge. Under Office XP, if you start the merge in Word, you will not be able to use any contacts folders from the Public Folders hierarchy. This is a known bug; see OL2002 The Operation Could Not Be Completed Because of Dialog or Database Engine Failure Error Message If You Use Outlook Contacts for a Mail Merge

Also see:

  • WD2000 Outlook Categories Field Unavailable in Mail Merge
  • OL2002 How to Broadcast Mail with Outlook
  • OL2002 Cannot Connect to Outlook Contacts Folder in Word Mail Merge by Using a New Profile
  • OL2002 Duplicated Contact List Displayed When You Open a Personal Address Book File
  • Microsoft Word MVP FAQ - Mail Merge
  • OL2000 Error When Attempting to Start Mail Merge in Outlook -- problems with Norton Antivirus
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    Word Envelopes and Labels

    		 In Word, choose Tools | Envelopes and Labels. You'll find a button for inserting a name and address from the Address Book. It uses the AddressLayout format, which you can change (see Inserting Addresses in Microsoft Word Documents).
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    New Letter to Contact

    		 This method also requires that you have the Office Assistant installed. In Outlook, Select the contact, then choose Contact | New Letter to Contact. When the Letter Wizard dialog box appears, you can go through the wizard and check the address information on the Recipient Info and Sender Info tabs, or you can just click Finish. After the address text is inserted in the letter (you can just close the letter later), the Office Assistant pops up, offering to create an envelope or label. Thanks to Jerome Slote at The Cooperstown Network for his article on Address Selection in Outlook and Word -- Contacts, PAB, LabelWriter Tips, which pointed out this method. 

    Outlook 2007 does not have this option.
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    Word Template (VBA)

    		 Download Helen Feddema's Printing Labels with Outlook Contact Info from Word 97 sample template (code sample #40), which uses VBA code to pull in all the contacts in an Outlook folder called "Labels," putting one address in each cell of a table sized to print on Avery #5160 address labels. Modify to suit your own needs.
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    Windows Scripting Host

    		 Use a VB Script and the Windows Scripting Host -- This method, also by Jerome Slote at The Cooperstown Network, requires that you open, not just select, a contact. It uses Word 97.
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    Tools
    Aladdins Envelopes and Labels   Quickly print envelopes and labels directly from selected Outlook contacts or custom information entered by the user. Many envelope and label styles with numerous customization options, including AutoFit. Shareware.
    Brother Label Printers   Brother label printers allow you to print labels from MS Word/Outlook/Excel by highlighting the information that is to appear on the label and clicking the label pritner icon. This pulls the information into the label creation software for you to either print or make any other edits. Perfect for creating labels for envelopes, packages, file folders, CD/DVD.
    Dymo LabelWriter   Software for LabelWriter printers. Two clicks let you print a label using different label templates. Includes filtering capability
    Envelopes For Outlook   Envelopes for Outlook is an add-in that places a button on each MS Outlook contact toolbar for simple one click envelope printing. All versions of Outlook from 2000 to 2007 are supported. POSTNET barcodes and logo printing supported.
    Find Contacts   Tool for Microsoft Word that allows you to search any Contacts folder (including one in another user's mailbox), then insert their address into a Word Document.
    Outlook2WordPro   Tool for creating Word 95, 97 or 2000 documents from Outlook 2000 contacts. Supports custom fields and many filter options. German only. Version 2.7.
    ProWrite   Create letters, faxes, email messages, envelopes and labels using Word and Outlook Contact and other address book data. Supports workgroup templates, multiple languages, reusable distribution groups and sending personalized attachments with e-mail messages. Displays the Outlook Email Security Update prompts.
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    More Information 
  • Start a Letter from an Outlook Contact
  • Printing Custom Outlook Forms and Reports
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    Updated Jul 15 2008
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