Mail merge to PDF
Mail merge from Excel to PDF
A mail merge from Excel fills the same PDF once for every row of your spreadsheet: certificates for a class roster, offer letters for a hiring class, receipts for every donor, or a government form for each client. Each column maps to a field on the PDF, and each row becomes its own file.
Reviewed
Why it works
Excel to PDF mail merge, explained
The PDF needs fillable fields to receive the data. If your document is a flat PDF or a scan, add fields first with Create fillable PDF, which can detect blanks and lines automatically for you to review. Give fields clear names; matching becomes almost automatic when a column called last_name meets a field called last_name.
Excel quirks are the usual source of surprises. A ZIP code stored as a number loses its leading zero, a date cell is really a serial number underneath, and formula cells are read as their last calculated value. Format ZIP codes and IDs as text, and save the workbook after recalculating. Runs of up to 50 rows can be generated in your browser for free, and the spreadsheet and PDFs never leave your device. Larger runs are generated on PDFBetter's servers and count toward your monthly spreadsheet fill rows: 25 on Free, 500 on Pro and 5,000 on Business.
How to do it
Mail merge from Excel to PDF in 5 steps
1A form
2Type into the fields
3A filled copy
- 1
Prepare the PDF
Open the PDF you want to fill. If it has no fields, add them with Create fillable PDF and give each one a short, clear name.
- 2
Prepare the workbook
Put one header row at the top and one record per row on a single sheet. Remove totals rows, merged cells and blank rows between records.
- 3
Upload and map columns
Upload the XLSX file and match each column to a field. Columns and fields with the same name are matched for you; leave unneeded columns unmapped.
- 4
Name the output files
File names come from a template you write with column names in braces, such as {last_name}-{first_name}. {#} inserts the row number and {#:3} pads it to three digits (007). Characters that aren't allowed in file names, such as slashes and colons, become spaces, and a row whose template comes out empty is named record-001 and so on.
- 5
Check rows and generate
Rows are checked against the fields' rules, such as required fields, email and ZIP formats and maximum lengths, and problem rows are listed so you can fix them in Excel. Then generate one PDF per row.
Start from a template
Templates that fit
Certificate of completion
12 fields · 1 page
Fillable certificate of completion for courses, workshops and training: recipient, program, date, hours or credits, certificate number and two signatures.
Job Offer Letter
31 fields · 2 pages
Employment offer letter with title, manager, start date, pay, exemption status, benefits, contingencies and at-will statement. Candidate signs to accept.
Donation receipt
18 fields · 2 pages
Fillable donation receipt for 501(c)(3) nonprofits with donor, date, cash or property gift, and the goods-or-services statement donors need for tax records.
Invoice
82 fields · 2 pages
A clean, fillable invoice with bill-to and ship-to, 12 line items, discount, sales tax and balance due that calculate as you type. Fill, sign and send free.
Rent receipt
20 fields · 1 page
Fillable rent receipt with property, rental period, rent due, late fees, other charges, amount paid and balance. Landlord signs; tenant keeps proof of payment.
Gift certificate
21 fields · 1 page
Fillable gift certificate for shops, salons and restaurants with a dollar value or service, number, expiry date, redemption terms and a business record stub.
Excel to PDF mail merge: questions people ask
Do I need Microsoft Excel installed?
No. You upload the .xlsx file; PDFBetter reads it directly. Any app that saves XLSX, including LibreOffice, works.
Why did my ZIP codes lose their leading zeros?
Excel stores them as numbers. Format the column as Text, retype or re-import the values, and save before uploading.
How are dates written into the PDF?
Cells formatted as dates are read as dates and written in the date field's format. Dates typed as plain text are inserted exactly as typed.
Can I fill checkboxes from a column?
Yes. Use one consistent value per column, such as Yes and No. Run a three-row test first to confirm checked boxes come out as you expect.
How many rows can I merge?
Runs of up to 50 rows can be generated in your browser for free, and the spreadsheet and PDFs never leave your device. Larger runs are generated on PDFBetter's servers and count toward your monthly spreadsheet fill rows: 25 on Free, 500 on Pro and 5,000 on Business.
Can I get one combined PDF for printing?
Generate the files, then combine them with Merge PDF, which runs in your browser.