How to create mailing labels from an excel spreadsheet
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Creating mailing labels from an Excel spreadsheet is a straightforward process that involves preparing your data, connecting it to a word processor, and formatting the labels. Here is a detailed guide:
What is required to create mailing labels from Excel?
You need two main components:
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Excel spreadsheet – This should contain all recipient information organized in columns such as:
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First Name
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Last Name
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Address Line 1
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Address Line 2
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City
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State
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ZIP Code
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Word processor with mail merge capabilities – Microsoft Word is commonly used. The spreadsheet must be saved in
.xlsxformat.
How to prepare the Excel spreadsheet?
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Open Excel and create a new sheet.
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Add column headers at the top row. Each column header represents a data field for the mailing label (e.g.,
First Name,Last Name,Address,City,State,ZIP Code). -
Enter the recipient details under the appropriate columns.
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Remove any blank rows or unnecessary formatting.
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Save the spreadsheet.
Example structure:
| First Name | Last Name | Address | City | State | ZIP Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | Smith | 123 Main St | Springfield | IL | 62701 |
| Mary | Johnson | 456 Oak Ave | Dallas | TX | 75201 |
How to start a mail merge in Word for labels?
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Open Microsoft Word.
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Go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels.
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Select the label brand and product number. The product number is usually printed on the label.
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Click OK. Word will create a document formatted for the labels.
How to connect an Excel spreadsheet to Word?
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In Word, under the Mailings tab, click Select Recipients > Use an Existing List.
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Navigate to your saved Excel spreadsheet and select it.
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Choose the correct sheet containing your data.
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Ensure the First Row of Data Contains Column Headers box is checked.
How to insert data fields into labels?
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In Word, click Insert Merge Field and select the columns from Excel.
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Arrange fields in the desired order. For example:
«First_Name» «Last_Name»
«Address»
«City», «State» «ZIP_Code»Format the text as needed (font, size, alignment).
Click Update Labels to apply the layout to all labels on the page.How to preview and complete the mail merge?
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Click Preview Results under the Mailings tab to check how the labels will look.
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Scroll through the records to verify accuracy.
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Once satisfied, click Finish & Merge > Print Documents.
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Select whether to print all records or a specific range.
Tips for accurate mailing labels
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Remove duplicate addresses in Excel to avoid printing the same label twice.
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Ensure ZIP codes have leading zeros if applicable (format as text in Excel).
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Test-print one sheet on plain paper to confirm alignment before printing on actual labels.
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Keep all text within the label’s printable area to prevent cut-off.
This method works efficiently for hundreds of labels. It can also be used to create envelopes or personalized letters using the same Excel data.
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