Unlocking Efficiency: Bulk Adding Names to Certificates with Mail Merge in Word and PowerPoint

Have you ever found yourself needing to create certificates for a large group, only to hit a wall with subscription fees or tools lacking crucial functionalities? Recently, I faced this dilemma when tasked with generating certificates and exploring options for bulk name imports.

Initially, I turned to Canva, a popular design platform, but soon realised the subscription requirement posed a significant obstacle. Determined to find a workaround, I shifted my focus to PowerPoint in search of a feasible solution.

After scouring various resources and experimenting with different approaches, I stumbled upon a method involving Mail Merge in Microsoft Word, seamlessly integrated with PowerPoint. This resolved my immediate task but also ignited a desire to share my newfound knowledge with others encountering similar challenges.

In this blog post, I aim to offer a comprehensive guide detailing the process of bulk importing names into certificates, utilising accessible tools and techniques. By documenting my journey and sharing insights gleaned along the way, my goal is to empower individuals to tackle similar scenarios with confidence and efficiency.

Join me as we unravel the intricacies of certificate creation, demystify bulk name importation, and pave the way for smoother workflows in document design and distribution.

How to guide:

Images are below instructions for a visual guide

Create your certificate template with a blank space for names. I used Canva to create this certificate. Save it as a PNG or JPEG file.

Create an Excel spreadsheet with your data in and save it.

HINT it is worth creating a folder for ease of finding things at this stage as you will end up with multiple files.

In this case, we are creating a list of names. I have used celebrity names for the purpose of this tutorial.

Save this file as a .csv file.

You can close this file now.

Create a Word document and save it with something like certificatesMailMergeInitial

Click on the Mailings tab.

Click on the Select Recipients and Use an Existing List…

Select the relevant CSV file that you just saved.

Click ok for the first popup.

Click ok for the second popup.

Now it won’t look like anything has happened.

Click on the Insert Merge Field.

Select the option that comes up here.

In the case of this example, it is Names (the 1st header cell of the CSV file)

It should now look like this:

At this point, we now need to do some editing in the Home tab. Each new slide we will create is always created with a Heading 1 Style.

NOTE: If we had other merged fields we wanted to include on the same slide (if you were creating Revision Cards for example) then you would need to select the Heading 2 Style to keep them on the same page.

In this case, we just need a Heading 1 Style.

It’s useful to note that if you choose the default style it will make your heading blue and this will carry through to your slides later on, so change the colour to Black (Or your chosen colour) now.

After you have made your style changes, right-click on Heading 1 and click Update Heading 1 to Match Selection.

Now save this file and return to the Mailings tab.

Click check for errors and in the pop-up select: Complete the merge without pausing. Report errors in a new document.

When you click ok, this will create a new Word document with the names from the CSV file added individually to new pages in the document.

Save your new document with something like CertificateMailMergeComplete so that you know this is the final Word doc and the one you will use in the PowerPoint Certificate.

These files can all be closed now and you need to open a new PowerPoint presentation.

Click on the New Slide and select Slides from outline.

Select your last saved file: CertificateMailMergeComplete.

This will open each name on a new slide.

Click on the View tab and then select Slide Master.

Here you can style the PowerPoint with your certificate image and place the text where you want it.

Select the first slide and edit it how you want for your certificate.

To add the certificate image, go to the insert tab, click Pictures and insert your picture from your saved location. The likely choice will be This Device…

For this tutorial, I have added the blank certificate image and moved the Title box (which links to the name you have just added to each slide). I deleted all the other boxes.

NOTE: At this point, it is a good idea to resize the slide to be A4, especially if you are printing. This will remove any unwanted white space when you go to print. (29.7cm Width and 21cm Height for a Landscape Certificate)

In Master Slide click Slide Size and Custom Slide Size.

Now exit the Slide Master tab by clicking close Master View.

At this point, you may need to select all the slides and change the layout to the title slide if the slides contain a body section as well as the title.

It should look like this:

If you are happy with the certificate you are ready to print or save them as a pdf file.

Congratulations you have mastered importing bulk names from a CSV file into a PowerPoint certificate.

About the author

Alana Barrett-Frew is an Associate Consultant here at Version 1.