3. Mail Merge
• Mail merge refers to a process by which a
WordprocessingML document is:
– Connected to external data sources
– Populated with external data
• The information about what data source top
connect to, and where to put that data is part
of WordprocessingML
– The actual merge is a runtime operation
4. Mail Merge Documents
• A mail merge document can exist in two
states:
– A source document, the document that contains
the data needed to connect to an external data
source for a mail merge
– A merged document, the document that contains
the data above *plus* the values from and a
reference to a single record from that data source
• One source document creates many merged
documents
5. Source Document Data
• The presence of a mailMerge element creates
a source document
• The data connection information is then
stored in the mailMerge element:
– Where the external data is located
– Type of external data
– The query to be run against that data
6. Source Document Data Example
Connection
String
Query
Link to Data
Source
Document
‘Type’
7. Source Document Content
• A source document contains the contents of a
standard WordprocessingML document with:
– Static content such as paragraphs and tables
– Mail merge fields that specify the location of the
external data within this static document content
8. Source Document Content Example
• Standard
WordprocessingML
document with:
– Two mail merge
fields for Courtesy
Title and Last Name
– Static content such
as paragraphs and
tables
9. Importing External Data
• Once we have a source document and the
ability to connect to data, we need to do
something with it
– i.e. perform the mail merge
• This is done via mail merge fields,
WordprocessingML fields that server as
markers for a particular column of external
data
10. Importing External Data (cont.)
• Mail merge fields can have two types of
references to column data:
– The column name from the data source
– A mapped name (a mapping to a predefined set
of merge field names with WordprocessingML)
• The latter is present to create one standard
set of field names regardless of data source
(e.g. to create standard address blocks)
11. Importing External Data Example
• Two mail merge
fields for Courtesy
Title and Last Name
• These are mapped
fields, so we need to
map these
predefined names to
columns in the data
source
12. Field Mappings
• The information linking a column to the
database column name and a mapped name
• A single field mapping contains:
– A column number
– The field mapping type
– The data source’s column name
– (optionally) A mapping to a predefined merge
field name
13. Field Mappings Example
• Looking at the first
field map:
– The fifth column
– Is a database
column
– Has a database name
of Content Model
– And a mapping to a
predefined name of
Job Title
14. Field Mappings Example (cont.)
• The resulting mapping allows the content of
that fifth column to be referenced by:
– A merge field specifying Content Model
– A merge field specifying Job Title
15. The Merged Document
• A merged document is the result of the mail
merge operation against a source document:
– The information to connect to the data source
– A cache of the contents of a single record
– A reference to that record
16. Merged Document Example
• Once a source document’s mail merge fields
have been mapped to external data, an
application may populate the fields with
external data
• Consider a source document from the
previous example
– Assume the external data source has one record:
Mr. Doe
17. Merged Document Example (cont.)
• A document is created containing:
– The static contents of the source document
– A single record of the external data
• In other words, a merged document is
generated as a result of the mail merge
20. Appendix (cont.)
• Merge field names (cont.)
– Nickname
– Job Title
– Company
– Address 1
– Address 2
– City
– State
21. Appendix (cont.)
• Merge field names (cont.)
– Postal Code
– Country or Region
– Business Phone
– Business Fax
– Home Phone
– Home Fax
– E-mail Address
22. Appendix (cont.)
• Merge field names (cont.)
– Web Page
– Spouse Courtesy Title
– Spouse First Name
– Spouse Last Name
– Spouse Nickname
– Phonetic Guide for First Name
– Phonetic Guide for Last Name
24. Disclaimer
This presentation is for informational purposes only, and should
not be relied upon as a substitute or replacement for Microsoft
formal file format documentation, which is available at the
following website: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/cc313118(v=office.12).aspx. Any views or opinions
presented in this material are solely those of the author and do
not necessarily represent those of Microsoft. Microsoft
disclaims all liability for mistakes or inaccuracies in this
presentation.
