How to Mail Merge with Attachments

Gmail and Outlook allow mass email sending, but their mail merge function does not natively support attachments.

Fortunately, there are solutions to overcome this limitation! This article provides a step-by-step guide to help you understand all the available options. Of course, we also offer detailed tutorials.

How to mail merge with attachments with Gmail ?

Does Gmail allow attachments in mail merge?

The answer is no: Gmail’s native mail merge feature (introduced in 2023) does not support the automatic addition of attachments. However, there are several ways to bypass this limitation.

The first method is to use an extension such as "Mail Merge for Gmail," available on the Google Workspace Marketplace. Tools like Yet Another Mail Merge (YAMM) or GMass allow personalized attachments for each email and work directly with Gmail and Google Sheets.

The second method involves using a Google Apps Script to automate email sending with attachments stored in Google Drive.

👉 We invite you to check out our article What is Mail Merge in Gmail, which provides a detailed overview of using scripts. Of course, you will need to adapt Google's provided scripts to fit your needs.

The third method is to use a tool like Zapier, an automation platform that can connect Gmail with other services. For example, Zapier can send an email via an external SMTP service (e.g., SendGrid, Outlook), generate a link to a Google Drive file, and include it in the email or connect Gmail to a CRM that supports sending attachments.

We have written a comparison of these three mail merge solutions with attachments.

Now, let's dive into the details of how to manage attachments using the Mail Merge for Gmail extension.

How to add an attachment with the Mail Merge for Gmail extension?

It’s actually very simple:

Step 1: ensure your attachment meets these two criteria

• It is smaller than 5 MB.

• It is uploaded to your Google Drive.

Step 2 (Optional): upload your attachment to Google Drive

• Go to Google Drive and find the New button in the left-hand menu. Click it and choose File upload from the dropdown list.

• Browse your computer to locate the file you want to upload. Once selected, click Open to begin the upload process. You can upload a ZIP file if you want to attach multiple files, but you cannot attach multiple files individually.

• Once uploaded, your file will appear in Google Drive. 

Step 3: open the Mail Merge for Gmail extension

• Open Google Sheets.

• Go to Extensions > Mail Merge for Gmail > Start.

• Access your email template.

Step 4 : add your attachment

• Click the dropdown menu labeled More options.

• Click Attachment, then select Add from Google Drive.

• Choose your file and click Select.

A confirmation window appears.

How to mail merge with attachments using Microsoft tools: Outlook, Word, Excel

Tools that support attachments

Hold on tight—this isn’t as simple as it seems!

Microsoft Tools for Mail Merge

• Word natively allows email mail merge, but it requires Outlook to send the emails and Excel to store contacts.

• Outlook can also send mass emails using a VBA script.

• Excel alone does not support mail merge, but it can be used with a VBA script to prepare data and trigger email sending via Outlook.

Microsoft Tools for Mail Merge with Attachments

Word does not support adding attachments by default.

Outlook (using a VBA script) can add attachments, but it requires coding knowledge.

👉 In summary: Mail merge with attachments using Microsoft tools is not natively possible. You will need either a VBA script or a third-party tool.

💡 Useful definition: what is a VBA Script? VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a programming language built into Microsoft applications (Excel, Outlook, Word...). It allows users to automate repetitive tasks and add features that are not available by default.

Examples:

Sending personalized mass emails via Outlook.

Adding a specific attachment to each email sent.

Comparison of different methods for adding attachments to mail merge with Word, Outlook, or Excel

We have identified four methods to add an attachment:

1️⃣ Use a Third-Party Extension

Third-party extensions like Mail Merge Toolkit or Outlook Mail Merge Attachment (OMMA) are the most well-known and widely used tools for adding attachments in a mail merge with Microsoft Outlook. However, other extensions are also available on Microsoft AppSource.

2️⃣ Use a VBA Script

• VBA script in Outlook (sending emails with attachments directly from Outlook).

• VBA script in Excel (generating and sending emails with attachments via Outlook).

3️⃣ Use Power Automate

Automate email sending with attachments by connecting Outlook with OneDrive/SharePoint.

4️⃣ Use an SMTP Server with Excel or Outlook

Send emails with attachments via an external SMTP server configured in Outlook.

💡 Pro Tip from Mail Merge for Gmail: Instead of adding an attachment, you can always insert a Google Drive, OneDrive, or SharePoint link in the email message.

Let's compare these methods for adding attachments based on their ease of use.

No surprise here—using a third-party extension is the clear winner!

So, let’s dive into how the two most popular extensions, Mail Merge Toolkit and Outlook Mail Merge Attachment (OMMA), work.

Expert Insight: Comparison between Mail Merge Toolkit and Outlook Mail Merge Attachment (OMMA)

Extensions are our specialty! 😉 Comparing tools is also something we love to do. In fact, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide ranking the best tools for cold marketing.

And as they say, a good table is worth a thousand words!

How to mail merge with attachments using Mail Merge Toolkit: step-by-step tutorial

Mail Merge Toolkit allows you to send mass emails with specific attachments for each recipient.

Step 1: Install Mail Merge Toolkit

• Download the extension from the official Mail Merge Toolkit  (MAPILab) website.

• Activate the extension in Word and Outlook: Open Microsoft Word and go to File > Options > Add-ins. 

• Ensure that Mail Merge Toolkit is activated.

💡 Outlook must be closed during installation to prevent conflicts.

Step 2: Prepare the Recipient List

Open Microsoft Excel and create a spreadsheet with the following columns:

• Email (recipient's email address).

• Name (or any other personalized field).

• Attachment (the filename of the specific attachment, if applicable).

Save the Excel file as .xlsx.

Close the file if it is open.

Step 3: Draft the Email in Word Using Mail Merge

• Open Microsoft Word and go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > E-Mail Messages.

• Click on Select Recipients > Use an Existing List, then select your Excel file.

• Click on Insert Merge Field, then add {Name} or any other field into the email text.

Step 4: Add an Attachment with Mail Merge Toolkit

• In Word, click on Finish & Merge, then choose Send E-mail Messages via Mail Merge Toolkit.

• Fill in the required fields:

"To" field: Select the column containing email addresses (e.g., {Email}).

Subject: Enter the subject of your email (e.g., "Your Invoice {Name}").

Message format: Choose "HTML" for a formatted email.

• Check the box "Add an attachment".

• Click Browse and select the file to attach.

• If each recipient needs a unique attachment:

• Select "Merge Field", then choose the "Attachment" column from your Excel file.

Étape 4 : Ajouter une pièce jointe avec Mail Merge Toolkit

• Dans Word, cliquez sur Terminer & Fusionner, puis choisissez Envoyer par e-mail via Mail Merge Toolkit.

• Remplissez les champs suivants :

-Champ "À" : Sélectionnez la colonne contenant les e-mails (ex. : {Email}).

-Objet : Entrez l’objet de votre e-mail (ex. "Votre facture {Nom}").

-Format du message : Choisissez "HTML" pour un e-mail stylisé.

• Cochez "Ajouter une pièce jointe".

• Cliquez sur Parcourir, puis sélectionnez le fichier à joindre.

• Si chaque destinataire doit recevoir un fichier spécifique, sélectionnez "Champ de fusion", puis choisissez la colonne "Attachment" de votre fichier Excel.

💡 If the "Attachment" column only contains filenames, the files must be stored in the same folder as your Word document. Otherwise, you need to specify the full file path.

Step 5: Send the Emails

• Click Preview Results to ensure each email is personalized correctly.

• Test the process by sending an email to yourself.

• Click Send, and Outlook will take care of sending each email with the corresponding attachment.

💡 Mail Merge Toolkit uses Outlook for sending emails, so Outlook must be open and properly configured with a valid email account.

How to mail merge with attachments using Outlook Mail Merge Attachment (OMMA): step-by-step tutorial

Unlike Mail Merge Toolkit, this extension allows you to add a single attachment to emails sent via Microsoft Word and Outlook mail merge.

Step 1: Download and Install OMMA

Go to the official GitHub page of Outlook Mail Merge Attachment (OMMA).

Click on Download ZIP, then extract the files to your computer.

Install the OMMA script:

3. Open Outlook, then press ALT + F11 to open the VBA editor.

4. Click on Insert > Module, then copy-paste the VBA script from the downloaded OMMA file.

5. Save and close the VBA editor.

Enable macros in Outlook:

6. Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Macro Settings.

7. Select "Enable all macros" and check "Trust access to the VBA project object model".

💡 The installation may require enabling specific VBA references for Outlook (via Tools > References in the VBA editor).

Step 2: Create an Excel File with the Contact List

• Open Microsoft Excel and create a spreadsheet with at least the following columns:

Email (recipient’s email address).

Name (or any other personalized field).

• Save the file as .xlsx and close it before using it in Word.

💡 If you add other custom fields (e.g., Company, Job Title), they must be integrated into Word using merge fields.

Step 3: Draft the Email in Word Using Mail Merge

• Open Microsoft Word and go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > E-Mail Messages.

• Click on Select Recipients > Use an Existing List, then select your Excel file.

• Click on Insert Merge Field, then add {Name} or any other field in the email text.

• Format the email in HTML for a more visually appealing result.

Step 4: Start the Mail Merge in Word

• Click "Finish & Merge" > "Send E-mail Messages".

• In the dialog box, fill in the following fields:

"To" field: Select the column containing the email addresses (e.g., {Email}).

Subject: Enter your email subject.

Message format: Choose "HTML" for a styled email.

💡 Make sure Outlook is set as your default email client; otherwise, the email sending may not work.

Step 5: Add the Attachment Using OMMA

• Once the mail merge is complete in Word, Outlook will open the Outbox with all the generated emails.

• Press ALT + F8 to open the Macros list and select "OMMA_AddAttachment".

• Click Run and choose the file to attach.

• OMMA will automatically add the attachment to all pending emails in the Outbox.

💡 The attached file must be accessible without restrictions (i.e., not password-protected or stored on a network requiring additional login).

Step 6: Send Emails with the Attachment

• Go to Outlook > Outbox to review the emails with the attachment.

• Check the email content and recipient addresses to ensure everything is correct.

• If everything looks good, click "Send/Receive" to finalize the sending process.

Our answers to your most Frequently Asked Questions about attachments in mail merge

Can You Attach an Excel File (XLSX, CSV) in a Mail Merge?

Good news! Among the different methods listed in this article, all support sending attachments in PDF or Excel format:

• Third-party extensions (Mail Merge Toolkit, OMMA, Mail Merge for Gmail)

• VBA scripts (Outlook, Excel)

• Power Automate

• SMTP server with Excel or Outlook

Can You Add a CC or BCC in a Mail Merge with Word or Gmail?

By default, Word does not allow adding a CC field in a mail merge. When using Word’s mail merge with Outlook, there is no option to include recipients in CC or BCC.

For Gmail, CC and BCC fields are not supported by its native mail merge feature.

However, the Mail Merge for Gmail extension does allow this. We have covered this in two resources:

1. A detailed article explaining What is mail merge in Gmail ;

2. A dedicated documentation page about multiple recipients with Mail Merge for Gmail.

Can You Personalize the Email Subject in a Mail Merge?

Absolutely! All the methods presented in our article support custom subjects. The only exception is Gmail’s native mail merge feature, which does not allow subject line customization.

Conclusion

Adding attachments to a mail merge doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you use Gmail or Outlook, extensions, scripts, or automation tools can help streamline the process.

For the easiest and fastest way to send personalized emails with attachments, try Mail Merge for Gmail!