Explain the process of mail merge with example.

Mail Merge is an MS-Word feature that creates many personalized letters, notices or certificates from one main document + one data list. It saves time when the same letter must go to hundreds of people with only name/address changed.

Practical example: District Administration Office must send invitation letters to 200 schools. Body is same, only School Name, Principal and Address differ.

Process (MS-Word steps):

Step 1 — Prepare Data Source: Create an Excel file with columns: Name, School, Address. Each row = one recipient. Example: Ram Sharma | Shree Janata School | Surkhet.

Step 2 — Create Main Document: Type the common letter in Word. Example: “Dear Sir/Madam, You are invited to training…”

Step 3 — Start Mail Merge: Mailings → Start Mail Merge → Letters → Select Recipients → Use Existing List → choose the Excel file.

Step 4 — Insert Merge Fields: Place cursor where name should appear → Insert Merge Field → Name, School, Address.

Step 5 — Preview and Finish: Preview Results to check each letter → Finish & Merge → Print Documents or Send Email.

Benefit for exam: One typing, hundreds of outputs; no copy-paste errors; widely used in Nepal government offices for salary slips, admit cards, meeting notices and certificates.