How do I email to a distribution list with MS Word 2007?

If you use Outlook as your email client,  you can use the Mail Merge feature in Word to create a group e-mail distribution by following the instructions below:

Steps to email to a distribution list with MS Word
Instructions and Screenshots
Step 1

Open a New Blank Document in MS Word by clicking on Microsoft Office Button and selecting New

image of opening a blank document
Step 2

From the Ribbon, click on the Mailings tab, click on the Start Mail Merge icon and select  Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard...
image of selecting the mail merge wizard
Step 3

From the Mail Merge Task Pane on the right hand side, under Select Document Type select  E-mail messages.
image of Select document type menu
Step 4

Click the link Next: Starting document located in the lower right hand corner of the Mail Merge Task Pane.
image of Next: Starting dcument link
Step 5

You will be prompted to Select the starting document.  Click Use the current document.
image of Select starting document menu
Step 6

Click Next: Select recipients
image of Next: Select recipients
Step 7

Under Select recipients, select Use an existing list. Click Browse
image of Use an existing list; select Browse
Step 8

In the Select Data Source dialog box (MS Word defaults to the My Data Sources folder), locate and select the data source file (the file that contains the email addresses) by clicking of the down arrow after the Look in: box.  Select the file and click Open.

Note: Depending on the type of data source you select, other dialog boxes may appear asking you to provide specific information.  For example: if your data source is an Excel workbook, you will need to select the worksheet containing the data.
image of Select Data Source dialog box
Step 9

The Mail Merge Recipients box will open. If there are no recipients to include or exclude,  click Ok to continue.
image of list of mail merge recipients
Step 10

Click Next: Write your e-mail message
image of Next: Write your e-mail message
Step 11

In the main document, compose your email message.

Note: It is here that you can insert merge fields where you want to merge names and other information.
image of written email messge
Step 12

If you want to save the completed  email message and inserted merge fields, click on File and Save As.  Name the document and then click Save.
image of saving the email message
Step 13

Click Next: Preview your e-mail message
Step 14

To preview the emails click on the arrow buttons.
image of Preview your letters menu
Step 15

Click Next: Complete the merge
image of Next: Complete the merge
Step 16

To complete the merge, click  Electronic Mail
image of selecting Electronic Mail
Step 17

In the Merge to E-mail dialog box, finalize the distribution settings.

In the To: box, verify that Email_address field is displayed.  This ensures that MSWord merges e-mail addresses into the To field of your messages.

In the Subject line: box type the subject you want to use for all the messages.

In the Mail format: box select the mail format you want to use by clicking on the down arrow . To avoid being alerted on every record regarding an Outlook security measure, select HTML.  If you wish to send the message as Plain Text, click on the down arrow at the end of the mail format box and select Plain Text.
image of merge to e-mail dialog box

Note: if you choose Plain Text, please see Steps 18 and 19)

Under Send records, select which records(s) you want to include: All or Current Record or select only certain records by entering the appropriate  values in the From and To fields.

Click OK.  The email messages are now sent to the recipients.
Step 18

If you change the Mail Format to Plain Text, the Microsoft Office Outlook Window will appear.  Click Yes to allow Outlook to access and check the email addresses.
image of Outlook requesting access to email addresses
Step 19

Another Outlook window will appear. Click Allow to let Outlook to send emails.

Note: You will be alerted on every record regarding an Outlook security measure.

Once you do this, the emails will be sent automatically and you will not be able to cancel them.
image of Outlook requesting permission to automatically send email
 

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