In Microsoft Word, a Fill-In field adds a prompt to a mail-merge document so the person running the merge can supply a value—such as an event date—that is missing from the recipient list. Word inserts that answer into the merged output; it is not a field that recipients complete in the delivered document.
What a Fill-In field does
Fill-In is a Word field code used in mail merge. Add it where a value should appear, and Word asks the person operating the merge for that value when the merge is completed. Microsoft’s example is a meeting date that is not stored in the recipient data source but belongs in each invitation. See Microsoft’s field-code reference and mail-merge rule instructions.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Insert a Fill-In field in a mail-merge document
-
Open the mail-merge main document in the Word desktop application and place the cursor where the prompted value should appear.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallSpecial offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Select Mailings > Rules > Fill-in.
-
Enter a concise prompt, such as Event date?, in the dialog, then confirm it.
-
When the document is ready, select Finish & Merge > Edit Individual Documents. Word prompts for the response and inserts it into the generated document or documents.
The prompt is for the merge operator, not the recipients. The answer supplies a value outside the recipient data source; recipient-specific information should remain in the data source and be inserted through the appropriate merge fields.
Rank #2
Use Ask when the same answer belongs in several places
A Fill-In field is suited to inserting the prompted response at its field location. If you need to ask once and reuse the answer in multiple places, Microsoft documents a different mail-merge workflow: an Ask rule associates the response with a bookmark, and references to that bookmark can place the answer at multiple locations. Follow Microsoft’s instructions for mail-merge rules to choose and set up the appropriate rule.
Choose the right Word feature
| Feature | Who supplies the value? | When and where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Fill-In field | The person running the merge | During mail merge; inserts a prompted value into the merged document. |
| Ask field | The person running the merge | During mail merge; associates a response with a bookmark so it can be referenced in several places. |
| Content controls | The person completing the form | In a form recipients or other users fill in and save or print; examples include text boxes, date pickers, check boxes, and drop-down lists. |
If the recipient should enter information in a document themselves, use content controls rather than a Fill-In field. Microsoft’s form guide describes creating forms users can complete or print.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use Word desktop to add or edit field codes
Word for the web can preserve field codes already present in a document, but Microsoft’s guidance says it does not provide a way to add or edit them. Open the document in Word desktop to insert or change a Fill-In field. See Microsoft’s guidance on field codes in Word for the web.
Microsoft’s field-code documentation lists Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 as applicable versions, and also lists corresponding Mac editions for several versions. Menus and availability can vary by edition or change over time; use the desktop app’s Mailings tab when following these steps. The field-code reference has Microsoft’s stated applies-to list.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
