To conduct a mail merge with postage in Microsoft Word 2003, follow these easy steps:

1. Create Recipient Address List (using Microsoft Excel)
   1. In an Excel document, create a table and set up the following data headers:
      <FirstName>, <LastName>, <Company>, <Address1>, <City>, <State> and <PostalCode>.

   2. Add recipient address information to the appropriate columns as shown below.

      FirstName	LastName	Company	Address1	City	State	PostalCode
      John	Smith	ABC Corp	123 1st St	Anytown	CA	90000
      Jane	Doe	--	456 1st St	Anytown	CA	90001

   3. If you would like to view a sample document, download the 'sample.xls' spreadsheet. We will be using this spreadsheet later.

2. Next, open Microsoft Word and go to Tools -> Letters and Mailings -> Mail Merge. The mail merge toolbar will appear to the right of your screen.

3. Choose 'Envelopes' as your document type and click 'Next: Starting Document' at the bottom of the mail merge toolbar (shown in screenshot below).

   

4. Select the option to 'Change document layout' from the mail merge toolbar and click on the link called 'Envelope options...'

   

5. If necessary, change the envelope options so that they match your envelope size. For this example we will use a #10 (Business) size envelope.

   

6. Once you have changed the envelope options, click 'OK'. This will change the layout of your Word document to resemble an envelope. Now, click on 'Next: Select Recipients' from the mail merge toolbar.

7. Click on 'Use an existing list' and click on 'Browse' to locate the document that you created in Step 1. You will get a menu called 'Select Table'. Click 'OK' to continue.

   

8. The table will appear on your screen as shown below. Click 'OK' to accept and close the table.

   

9. Back in the mail merge toolbar, click 'Next: Arrange your envelope'. Click on your envelope in the area that normally contains your recipient's address. This will outline around this area. See image below:

   

   In your Mail merge toolbar, click on the link labeled 'Address block...', this will bring up the 'Insert Address block' window.

   

   We will leave the default options and click 'OK' to continue.

10. Next, click on the link labeled 'Electronic Postage'. This will bring up your Stamps.com password prompt. Enter your password and click on 'Connect'. Once connected, you should have a 'VOID Sample' indicium image on the top-right hand corner of your envelope. See sample below:

    

    NOTE: If you are experiencing problems connecting, please visit the 'Troubleshooting' portion of our website at http://www.stamps.com/support/

11. After you have finished inserting the fields, click 'Next: preview your letters'. You will now see the first address recipient from your table merged into your letter. You can use the << to go backward and >> to go forward when viewing your recipients.

    

12. Once you have completed previewing your letters, click on the 'Next: Complete the merge' link in the mail merge toolbar.

13. Use the 'Print...' link in the mail merge toolbar to bring up the 'Merge to Printer' window. For this example, click on the 'All' option, then click 'OK'.

14. Select the printer that you want to print to in the 'Print' dialog box and click 'OK'.

15. Your addresses will now be verified using the Stamps.com software. When this has completed, click on the 'OK' button.

16. Congratulations! You have reached the final step. Simply click on the 'Print' button to finalize your mail merge!