# Microsoft Office/Edit your Cover Letter into a form letter with mailing labels
## Objectives

The Student Will Be Able To (TSWBAT):

## Vocabulary

* Business Form Letter - Letter used by a business to announce sales to customers, confirm a sale, or communicate with employees.
* Personal Form Letter - Cover letter for a job, invitations to participate in a sweepstakes give away, or a holiday letter.
* Merging - combining two or more objects together. In this case it is combining a data source with the contents of a main document.
* Main Document - This is the text that does not change and the place holders for the information that will be pulled from the data source.
* Data Source - A database that holds records of data that will be placed into the document, such as names, addresses, job titles, ...
* Mail Merge - To take the main document and a data source and combine them into a set of similar documents.
* Template - A document that contains text and formatting that is similar for all documents of this type, such as with letters.
* Placeholder Text - Text that you select and replace to personalize a document. <<First Name>>, or <<City>>
* Modified Block Style Letter - The date line, complimentary close, and signature blocks are slightly to the right of center and all the rest is flush with the left margin.
* Letter Head - Company Name and Logo at the top of your document, or your personal information - It could just be a graphical design.
* Record - Each row in a data source. Each record contains one set of related data - the information for Mr. Smith
* Header Record - The first row in a data source, this is the label for each field, or the name of each column.
* Data Record - Each row below the header is the text that will vary from each copy of the merged document. Row 2 could be Mr. Smith's information and row 3 could be Mrs. Doe's.
* Data Field - Each column is a data field and represents a group of similar data - the street address
* Field Name - Each column of data is identified by a name such as LAST NAME
* If Field - A field in a document that allows for a condition. If the statement is true use A and if the statement is false use B.
* Condition - This is the statement that is being tested in an IF Field. If Money Owed > 0, State money due, Else State Paid In Full.
* Field Results - The value that will be displayed after Word evaluates the If field instructions
* Field Codes - The instructions of the IF field

## Lesson

People are more likely to open and read a letter that is addressed to them, and their name is spelled correctly. Typing a group of letters that are identical except for a few minor changes can be very time consuming. For this we use a form letter. As students this will be very useful for you to use to send out cover letters to each prospective employer or college.

### Use a Template to Format your Letter

For this sample we are going to create a personal form letter thanking people for a gift.
* Format the page
** Open Word to a blank document
** Go to the HOME Tab
** Click on the Show formatting marks button (the backwards P)
** Go to the View tab
** Click on Page width
* Use a Template
** Click on the Office Button
** Click on NEW
** Click on Letters
** Double Click on Thank You Letter for Personal Gift
This is a Personal letter in block style. Everything is lined up on the left side.

### Create a Letter Head

* Click in font of the place holder for your name
* Press Enter twice
* Fill in the place holders for
** Name
** Address
** City, State, and zip code

#### Create and Format an AutoShape

* Go to the Insert Tab
* Go to the Illustrations Group
* Click on the Shapes Drop Down
* Click on a banner style you like that goes across, not the first one that goes down.
* Click in the header area of your document and drag down one inch and over 6 inches
* Right Click on the banner
* Click on Format AutoShape
** Change the fill color
** Change the line color
** Change the line wight to 2pt

#### Add Text to an AutoShape

* Right Click on the banner
* Click on Add Text
* Type in THANK YOU
* Go to the HOME Tab
* Center the Text
* Use the Grow Text button to find a "good" Size
* Change the font

#### Edit the Date field

* Click on the Data Field
* Click on the HOME tab
* Go to the Paragraph Group
* Click on the Dialog Box Launcher
* Change the spacing before to 6pt

### Create a Data Source

* Click on the MAILINGS tab
* Click on Start Mail Merge drop down
* Click on Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard
* Step 1
** Make sure the Letters radio button is selected at the top of the task pane
** Click on Next: Starting Document at the bottom of the task pane
* Step 2
** Make sure Use The Current Document radio button is selected
** Click on Next: Select Recipients at the bottom of the task pane
* Step 3
** Click on the Type a New List radio button at the top of the task pane
** click on CREATE in the middle of the task pane
** click on Customize Columns at the bottom of the New Address List Window
** click on Title and click on Rename
** Change to NickName
** Click on Company Name and click on Delete
** Click on Country or Region and Click on Rename
** Change the name to Family or Friend
** click on Home Phone and Click on Delete
** Click on Work Phone and click on Delete
** Click on ADD
** Type in Present
** Click on OK
** Type in five friends and family members - make some of each
** Click on OK
** Specify where to save the list- put it in your HOME storage spot
** Leave all recipients chosen and click on OK
** Click on NEXT: Write Your Letter at the bottom of the task pane

### Compose the Main Document

* Step 4

#### Edit Data Line

* Click in the date line
* Right Click the Date
* Click on Edit Field
* Choose the format you would like the date to display with
* Click OK

#### Edit the Recipient Address

* Select the Recipient Name down to the City, State and Zip
* Delete them
* Go to the Task Pane
* Click Address Block
* Go to the bottom of the document and place your name there as well.

#### Edit the Greeting Line

* Change the DEAR to Hi, make sure you have a space after it.
* Select the Recipient Name and delete it
* Go to the Mailings Tab
* Go to the Write&Insert fields Group
* Click on Insert Merge Field drop down
* Choose Nick Name

#### Preview the Letter

* Go to the Mailings Tab
* Go to the Preview Results Group
* Click on Preview Results button and view the document
* You can scroll through the documents with the arrows in the Preview Results group
* When you are done click the Preview Results button again

#### Type the Body of the Letter

* Read the document
* Edit the second sentence to fit your personality

#### Insert a Merge Field into the Main Document

* Find the word Flowers in the body of the letter
* Delete it
* Click on Insert Merge Field drop Down
* Click on Present

#### Insert an IF condition into a form

* Go to the closing of the letter
* Select the word Warmly
* Delete the word Warmly
* Go to the Mailings Tab
* Go to the Write&Insert Fields Group
* click on Rules drop Down
* Click on If..Then..Else
* Fill in the form
** Field Name - NickName
** Comparison - Equal to
** Compare To - Family
** Insert this Text - It is nice to have you in our family
** Otherwise insert this text - Warmly
** Click on OK
* Preview the final document and scroll through watching the changes

#### Display Field Codes or Field Results

* Click on the closing
* Right Click
* Click on Toggle Field Codes
* Do this again to turn them back off and see the actual text

#### Print Field Codes

* Click the Office Button
* Click PRINT
* Click Options
* Go to the Advanced group on the left
* Scroll down Show Document Content section
* Click the check box for Show Field codes Instead of the Values

### Merge and Print

* Step 5
** Click NEXT: Preview your letters in the task pane
** From this pane you can limit what recipients you want to print a letter for by clicking on the Exclude this Recipient button in the middle of the task pane.
* Step 6
** Click NEXT: Complete the Merge

#### Merge the Form Letter to Print

* Click PRINT from the middle of the task pane

#### Merge the Form Letter to E-Mail

* Go to the MAILINGS tab
* Go to the Finish group
* Click on the Finish&Merge drop down
* Click on Sent Email Message
* Fill in the form - NOTE this only works if you have Microsoft OUTLOOK set up.
** To: leave this email_address
** Subject Line - fill in what you want the subject of your email to be
** mail Format - choose if you want this as part of the email, or as an attachment
** Choose what records to sent
** click OK

#### Print Mailing Labels

* Start a new blank document
* Go to Mailings Tab.
* Go to Start Mail Merge Group
* Click on Start Mail Merge Drop Down
* Click on Step By Step Mail Merge Wizard
* Step 1 - Select Document Type
** Click on Labels
** Click Next: Starting document
* Step 2 - Select Starting Document
** click on Label Options
** Find the type of label you are using from your box of labels - Standard is Avery 5160
** click OK
** Click NEXT: Select Recipients
* Step 3 -Select Recipients
** click Use an Existing List radio button at the top of the task pane
** click Browse in the middle of the task pane
** Find the list of recipients you created for the thank you letter
** Click NEXT: Arrange your labels
* Step 4 - Arrange your labels
** Click on Address Block at the top of the task pane
** Click on OK
** Click on Update all Labels in the middle of the task pane
** click on NEXT: Preview your labels at the bottom of the task pane
* Step 5 - Preview your labels
** Click on NEXT: Complete the merge
* Step 6 - Complete the merge
** Print the mailing labels
** Peel the mailing labels off and put them on envelopes

#### Print Envelopes

* Open a new blank document
* Start a mail merge wizard
* Choose Envelopes
* Follow through the wizard
* When you go to print carefully place your envelopes in the printer

### Create return mailing labels

* Open a new blank document
* Go to the Mailings tab
* Go to the Create group
* Click on the Labels button
* Fill in the Envelopes and Labels dialog box
** Fill in your name and address in the Address block at the top of the window
** Make sure the Full page of the same label button is checked
** Place your mailing labels in the printer
** Click Print - you never get to see them they just go straight to the printer
** If you want to see them click new document instead of print

### Peer Reviewing a Document

* Save the document in a way that another student can open it, or E-mail it to them.
* Open the document and read it
* Review the Document
** Go to the Review Tab
** When you make a change it should place the change off to the side
** If you want to make a comment, click the New Comment button in the Comments Group
** When you are done with your edits save the document and get it back to the author
* Go over the edits
** Open the edited document
** Read the edits
** Right click on the edit and either accept or reject the edits

## Project

* Use the internet to find a Cover Letter for a college application, or a group of jobs that fit your interest areas from our job surveys
* Find recipients
** Use Monster.com to find openings in your career area and yellowpages.com to find their addresses
** Use the Internet to find address to universities that interest you
* Use the Mail Merge Wizard to create a form cover letter
* Requirements:
** Five letters in proper letter format - use a template
*** Letter head
*** Date Line
*** Return Address Block
*** Recipient Address Block
*** Greeting Line
*** Body of Letter
*** Closing
*** Signature Area
** Letters tied to a data source
** Complete addresses for each recipient
** One merge field within the body of the letter
*** In the one to a university you might want it to by your major
*** In the one for a career it would be the position you are applying for
* Formatted letter head area - be creative
* Peer review someone else's document and have someone else peer review yours with the use of the reviewing tab.

## Rubric

Form Letter Rubric :
| Standards | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points |
| Letter Format | Missing 4 parts or more | Missing 3 parts | Missing 2 parts | Missing 1 part | Document contains all parts of a standard letter: date line, return address, recipient address, greeting line, body, closing, and signature. |
| Body of letter | Many sentence fragments or run-on sentences OR paragraphing needs lots of work. | Most sentences are complete and well-constructed. Paragraphing needs some work. | All sentences are complete and well-constructed (no fragments, no run-ons). Paragraphing is generally done well. | Sentences and paragraphs are complete, well-constructed and of varied structure. | Sentences and paragraphs are complete, well-constructed and of varied structure. Hire this person or accept them to the college. |
| Use of Merged Fields | Fields that are changing are set up as merged fields to the data source. | Students have developed a plan for the information into a final letter. Fields that are changing are set up as merged fields to the data source. | Students have developed a plan for organizing the information into a final letter. Most fields that are changing are set up as merged fields to the data source. | Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information into a final letter. Most fields that are changing are set up as merged fields to the data source. | Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information into a final letter. All fields that are changing are set up as merged fields to the data source. |
| Data Source used for letter | A data source is used for the letter. | All fields are created for the data source that are needed in the letter. | All fields are created for the data source that are needed in the letter. New fields are added. | All fields are created for the data source that are needed in the letter. New fields are added. Fields have a descriptive name. | All fields are created for the data source that are needed in the letter. Extra fields are deleted, and new fields are added. Fields have a descriptive name. |
| Letter Head | The letter head is messy or poorly designed and is distracting. | The letter head is messy or has typos. | The letter head is acceptable in terms of design, layout, and neatness. Title is creative. | The letter head is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. Text creative. | The letter head is attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. Text is quite creative. |
| Peer Review | Rarely provides useful ideas. May refuse to participate. Provides work that needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality. | Rarely provides useful ideas. Provides work that usually needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality. | Sometimes provides useful ideas. A satisfactory group member who does what is required.Provides work that occasionally needs to be checked/redone by other group members to ensure quality. | Usually provides useful ideas. A strong group member who tries hard! Provides high quality work. | Routinely provides useful ideas and contributes a lot of effort. Provides work of the highest quality. |
| Five Contacts | Found 3 or less contacts for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Found 4 contacts for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Found 4 contacts for the letter to be sent to. Has complete addresses and has filled in all fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Found 5 contacts for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Found 5 contacts for the letter to be sent to. Has complete addresses and has filled in all fields so that the letter could be delivered. |
| Mailing Labels | Created 3 or less mailing labels for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Created 4 mailing labels for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Created 4 mailing labels for the letter to be sent to. Has complete addresses and has filled in all fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Created 5 mailing labels for the letter to be sent to. Has addresses and has filled most fields so that the letter could be delivered. | Created 5 mailing labels for the letter to be sent to. Has complete addresses and has filled in all fields so that the letter could be delivered. |