In Excel: prepare one header row in Excel, save the workbook, then in Word use Mailings ▸ Select Recipients ▸ Use an Existing List and insert merge fields from that sheet.
On this page7
Put one clean header row at the top of the Excel list.
Remove blank rows, merged cells and totals from the recipient data.
Save the workbook, then open Word and start the mail merge from the Mailings tab.
Select the Excel workbook as the recipient list, insert fields, preview results and finish the merge.
What this does
Mail merge uses Excel as the recipient database and Word as the document template. Each Excel row becomes one letter, label, envelope or email; each column header becomes a merge field such as FirstName, Company or AmountDue. Clean headers and consistent data types matter because Word reads the first row as field names. Before you run it on a workbook other people depend on, try it on a copy or a few rows first. Undo only reaches back through the current session, so a quick trial run is the cheapest way to see exactly what will change before the file is saved and shared. For “create a mail merge from excel”, the reliable version is a short checking loop, not just the first command that appears to work. Run it on a deliberately small range first, watch how the affected cells change, and only then apply the same setup to the full sheet. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. That is what makes a layout choice that keeps the sheet readable and sortable useful in real work: repeatable, auditable, and not dependent on memory or luck.
A worked example
A sheet named Customers has headers FirstName, LastName, Address and Balance. Save and close the workbook, open Word, choose Mailings ▸ Start Mail Merge ▸ Letters, then Select Recipients ▸ Use an Existing List and pick Customers. Insert FirstName and Balance fields; preview shows each row merged into the letter. Mail merge is the practical bridge between spreadsheet lists and personalized documents: invoices, notices, labels, certificates and any message that repeats with row-specific details. When the result is not what you expected, undo straight away rather than repairing it by hand — undo restores the sheet exactly, while manual fixes tend to leave small inconsistencies behind that surface later.
In Google Sheets
This is a command rather than a formula, so there is no syntax to carry over. Google Sheets arranges its commands in menus across the top instead of a ribbon, names some of them differently and does not have every Excel command — look for the equivalent in the Sheets menus or its help before assuming the steps match. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, repeat the steps once in your own workbook — doing it yourself is what turns a copied answer into something you remember. If you take one thing from this page on “create a mail merge from excel”, make it the order of checks rather than the individual clicks: confirm what is selected, apply the step, and look at the result before moving on. That small routine is what keeps Excel work predictable when the same task comes back in a slightly different workbook.
Common mistakes
- Using merged cells or multi-row headers, which Word cannot treat as clean field names.
- Leaving the workbook unsaved or open in a way that prevents Word from reading the latest data.
- Formatting ZIP codes or IDs as numbers, which can drop leading zeros during merge.
- Forgetting to preview several records before printing hundreds of letters or labels.
Frequently asked questions
Can Word mail merge directly from Excel?
Yes. Word reads a worksheet or named range from an Excel workbook as the recipient list.
Why are leading zeros missing?
Excel stored the values as numbers. Store ZIP codes and IDs as text before merging.
Can I filter recipients?
Yes. In Word, use Edit Recipient List to filter and sort the Excel rows before finishing.
Other ways people ask this
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Why do people search for this in so many different ways?
Because the same task has many names. “create mail merge from excel”, “how do i create a mail merge from excel”, “create a mail merge from excel” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.