Google Docs

How to do a Mail Merge via Google Docs

February 17, 2021

Are you struggling to handle all your documents and address them correctly? Too many email addresses can create confusion, and you’re probably looking for a tool to make your life easier.

And you’re not alone! Many people who regularly send newsletters struggle with handling all the subscribers while trying to make the emails as personal as possible. One way to do so is to address each person by name, but how can you do it when your list is so long?

Well, worry not. If you’re looking for a way to do a mail merge, Google Docs has a way to turn your address book from a nightmare to a well-organized list. This will make working with your data more manageable. A click here and there, and personalized emails won’t be a hard-to-reach dream, but a reality.

This article will give you a complete guide to using Google Docs to build your email list and send multiple emails at once.

Still copying content into WordPress?

You’re doing it wrong… say goodbye forever to:

  • ❌ Cleaning HTML, removing span tags, line breaks, etc.
  • ❌ Creating your Table of Contents anchor ID links for all headers by hand,
  • ❌ Resizing & compressing images one-by-one before uploading back into your content,
  • ❌ Optimizing images with descriptive file names & alt text attributes,
  • ❌ Manually pasting target=“_blank” and/or “nofollow” attributes to every single link
Get 5 free exports

How to Do a Mail Merge via Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Struggling with your mailing list? You may have asked around about what you can do to make sending emails an automatic action, but heard you need to do some coding to make it work.

If that has discouraged you, you should know that your troubles have come to an end. This section will give you a detailed walkthrough on how you can do a mail merge using a Google doc and save time when sending personalized emails.

And there’s no coding required – all you need to do is install a script in Google Sheets and follow the instructions below to connect it with your Google document.

  • Open your Google Drive and create a Google doc where you’ll enter the text of the email you want to send.
  • Use double brackets to mark the mail merge field identifier. That’s where the recipient’s first name will be placed later. You can add other mail merge fields, too, depending on how personalized you want the email to be.
enter recipient data
  • Now create a spreadsheet where you’ll enter the recipients’ data. When done, click on Insert and then on Script.
script editor tool
  • Go to add-ons on the toolbar and search for AutoCrat. Install it.
Autocrate
  • Install this script and allow it to access your document. You’ll now find it in the toolbar at the top.
  • Click on the script and wait until the configuration is completed.
open AutoCrat
  • In the next window, choose a template from Drive, which is the Google doc you’ve created.
choose template
  • Click on Save settings and then select the sheet within your spreadsheet with the data you want to merge. Click Save to continue.
  • In the next window, click Submit.
  • This step allows you to connect the appropriate column with the corresponding merge field. Make sure your <<firstname>> field corresponds with the right column header in your Google sheet, and repeat that for each merge field you have in the email.
map source data
  • After this step, you only need to name your document and choose a destination folder in Google Drive where you want to keep it. You can also choose to save the document as a Word doc or a PDF file. An individual document will be created for each “first name” you have in the spreadsheet.
document file settings
  • Suppose you have an email address column in your spreadsheet with the recipients’ data. In that case, you’ll also see an option to send the merged files and decide if they can view or edit them.

By merely setting up a Google account, you gain access to incredibly useful tools. This particular action is a real timesaver. By setting up mail merge this way, you can send mass emails and control what each recipient can do with them.

Note that you can also install the autoCrat extension to Google Chrome to do this task. Don’t forget to choose an appropriate template for your emails, too.

Another way to do this is to install the Mail Merge add-on available on the Google Workspace Marketplace. The next time you open a spreadsheet or a Google document, you will see it under Add-ons in the toolbar.

Send Personalized Emails at Once

Email marketing will never become outdated – it’s still one of the best ways to build an audience and stay in touch with your potential buyers and clients.

However, it may be challenging and time-consuming to create emails that will speak to each of them individually. A personalized approach is essential because it generates better results. That’s why Google made sure to provide a simple way to merge mail using Google Docs and Google Sheets apps.

By setting up the autoCrat script or trying the Mail Merge add-on, you can easily create personalized emails and communicate with your audience in the best way possible.

Kevin Kessler
Kevin J. Kessler is a published author of five fantasy novels, a professional wrestler, and a puppeteer (not all at the same time). Kevin is a content writer at Codeless.
Kevin Kessler
Kevin J. Kessler is a published author of five fantasy novels, a professional wrestler, and a puppeteer (not all at the same time). Kevin is a content writer at Codeless.