How to Set Up Your First Mail Merge
From install to your first personalized document in about 3 minutes. The 5-step wizard guides you through every decision.
What You Need Before You Start
Two files: a Google Sheet with your data (one row per document) and a Google Doc template with merge tags like {{First Name}} or {{Company}}. SmartMerge AI auto-detects every {{tag}} in your template and matches them to your spreadsheet columns.
Google Sheet
Column headers become your merge fields. One row = one document.
Google Doc Template
Write {{tags}} anywhere in the document. Formatting is preserved.
Step 1: Install and Open SmartMerge AI
Install SmartMerge AI from the Google Workspace Marketplace — it takes about 30 seconds. Then open any Google Sheet, go to Extensions > SmartMerge AI > Open Sidebar, and the wizard appears on the right side of your spreadsheet.
New users get a 7-day free trial with 30 AI uses and full feature access including PDF export and password protection. No credit card required.
Step 2: Template Selection
Click "Select Template" and the Google Picker opens — browse or search your Google Drive for the Doc template you want to use. SmartMerge AI uses the narrow drive.file scope, so it can only see files you explicitly select. No broad Drive access.
SmartMerge instantly scans the template and lists every {{tag}} it finds. If a tag has a typo or doesn't match a column header, SmartCheck flags it before you proceed.
Step 3: Column Mapping
SmartMerge AI auto-matches columns in under 60 seconds — it reads your spreadsheet headers and pairs them with template tags automatically. Review the matches, adjust any that need it, and move on. Most users complete mapping without changing a single field.
SmartCheck pre-flight validation runs automatically: it catches empty required fields, mismatched tags, and formatting issues before any documents are created.
Step 4: AI Configuration (Optional)
Enable AI personalization and SmartPrompt automatically reads your template structure — headings, sections, merge tags — and writes an optimized prompt. No prompt engineering required. You can preview the AI output for any row before committing to a full batch.
AI uses Google Gemini 2.0 Flash to generate unique content for each row. Skip this step for a standard tag-replacement merge with no AI content.
Step 5: Preview and Merge
Preview a sample document to confirm everything looks right, then click Merge. SmartMerge AI generates one personalized document per row and saves them to a new folder in your Google Drive. A 30-row merge with AI personalization takes roughly 2 minutes. Without AI, the same merge completes in under 30 seconds.
Batch processing handles large datasets automatically — 150+ documents generate in under 5 minutes with automatic subfolder organization.
3 min
Install to first merge
<60 sec
Auto-matches columns
150+
Documents in under 5 min
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to set up SmartMerge AI?
About 3 minutes from install to your first merged document. Install from the Google Workspace Marketplace, open any Google Sheet, launch SmartMerge AI from the Extensions menu, and the 5-step wizard walks you through template selection, column mapping, AI configuration, preview, and merge.
Do I need to know how to code to use SmartMerge AI?
No. SmartMerge AI is a no-code tool. You write merge tags like {{First Name}} in a Google Doc, and the wizard handles everything else — including auto-matching your spreadsheet columns to template tags. SmartPrompt even writes the AI instructions for you.
Can I use SmartMerge AI on a Chromebook?
Yes. SmartMerge AI runs entirely inside Google Sheets as a sidebar add-on. It requires no desktop software, no browser extension, and no local file storage. Any device that can open Google Sheets — including Chromebooks, iPads, and shared lab computers — can run SmartMerge AI.
What Google account do I need?
Any Google account that has access to Google Sheets and Google Docs. SmartMerge AI works with personal Gmail accounts, Google Workspace for Education accounts, and Google Workspace business accounts. Install it from the Google Workspace Marketplace.
Next Steps
Stop Filling in Blanks. Start Filling in Understanding.
Your first personalized document is 5 minutes away. What will you do with the time you save?