SharePoint Document Issues

How to Use an Excel File in Teams or SharePoint for Word Mail Merge

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 19, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to use an Excel spreadsheet stored in SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, or OneDrive for Business as the recipient list for a Word Mail Merge.

How to Use an Excel File in Teams or SharePoint for Word Mail Merge

Product: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a mail merge in Microsoft Word using a cloud-hosted Excel document as the data source.
Observed behavior: Word Mail Merge cannot directly connect to an Excel file stored in SharePoint or Teams, often returning a file cannot be found error because it requires a locally available file.

Before you start

Ensure you have the OneDrive sync client installed on your computer and that you have the appropriate permissions to access and sync files from the target SharePoint or Microsoft Teams document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Sync the SharePoint or Teams Library to Your Local Computer

Since Word requires a local file for Mail Merge, you need to use the OneDrive sync app to create a local, synchronized copy of your SharePoint or Teams document library.

There is currently no built-in method to use an Excel file stored directly in cloud platforms like SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, or OneDrive for Business as a data source for a Word mail merge. Attempting to paste the web URL will result in an error. To bypass this limitation, you must sync the cloud folder to your local machine.

Access the cloud document library

Navigate to the document library in SharePoint Online or open the 'Files' tab in your Microsoft Teams channel where your Excel data source is stored.

Initiate the synchronization

Click the 'Sync' button located in the top menu bar. If your browser prompts you to open Microsoft OneDrive, accept it to start the syncing process.

Verify the local folder

Open File Explorer (on Windows) or Finder (on Mac) and locate the newly created SharePoint or Teams folder in your navigation pane to confirm the Excel file is available locally.

Select the data source in Word

Open your Microsoft Word document, go to 'Mailings' > 'Select Recipients' > 'Use an Existing List', and browse to the synchronized local folder to select your Excel file.

Sync the SharePoint or Teams Library to Your Local Computer

Keep the OneDrive App Running: Ensure the OneDrive app remains running in the background on your computer so that any updates made to the Excel file by your team are automatically synced to your local copy before you perform future mail merges.

WPS Office Mail Merge

Perform Mail Merge Easily with WPS Office

You can seamlessly perform a mail merge in WPS Office using an Excel spreadsheet as your data source. Simply download or sync your cloud file locally and follow these straightforward steps to generate your customized documents.

1. Prepare your Excel data: Download or sync your Excel recipient list from Microsoft Teams or SharePoint to a local folder on your computer.
2. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office, open a new or existing document, and navigate to the 'Mailings' tab on the top ribbon.
3. Select the data source: Click on 'Open Data Source' in the Mailings tab and browse your computer to select the downloaded local Excel file.
4. Insert merge fields: Click 'Insert Merge Field' to place your desired data columns (such as First Name, Last Name, or Address) directly into your document.
5. Complete the merge: Click 'Merge to New Document' or 'Merge to Printer' to quickly generate your customized letters, labels, or emails.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) formatsIntuitive Mail Merge interface designed for quick and easy setupLightweight installation for fast document processing and generationFree to use for everyday office productivity tasks

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an online Excel workbook link directly in Word Mail Merge?

No, Word Mail Merge requires the data source file to be accessible locally. You cannot paste a SharePoint web URL or OneDrive sharing link directly into the data source selection dialog without triggering a 'file not found' error.

Why do I get a 'file not found' error when selecting a SharePoint Excel file?

This error occurs because Microsoft Word cannot natively parse cloud-based URLs as a database connection for the Mail Merge feature. The file must be synced or downloaded to your local hard drive first.

Does this Mail Merge limitation apply to Mac users as well?

Yes, Word for Mac also requires the Excel data source to be saved locally. Mac users must use the OneDrive sync app to sync the SharePoint or Teams library to their local Finder storage before selecting the file in Word.

Document & File Issues