Creating a professional-looking picture directory does not require expensive software or complex tools. In fact, with just Microsoft Word and Excel, you can easily create a clean, organized, and printable picture directory perfect for businesses, schools, churches, and organizations of all types. In this tutorial, Mike Worley of Symboc Designs walks you through the process step by step.

Why a Picture Directory?

Picture directories are a valuable way to help people put faces to names and titles. Whether for staff listings, membership rosters, or classroom directories, these documents offer an easy reference point for everyone involved.

What You’ll Need

  • Microsoft Excel for managing data
  • Microsoft Word for formatting and layout
  • A folder of headshots or profile images
  • Basic knowledge of using Mail Merge

Step-by-Step Overview

1. Prepare Your Excel Spreadsheet
Start with a spreadsheet that contains all your individual data entries. This includes columns for name, title, address, phone numbers, and a final column labeled “Images” where you’ll paste the image file paths.

2. Set Up Your Image Paths
Navigate to your folder of images and copy the full path of each file. Paste each image path into the corresponding cell in the “Images” column of your spreadsheet. Keep file names simple and consistent such as Pic1, Pic2, and so on. Then, use Excel’s Find and Replace feature to change all single backslashes to double backslashes for compatibility.

3. Save Your Excel File
Once your image paths and data are correctly entered, save the file.

4. Set Up Mail Merge in Microsoft Word
Create a blank Word document and go to the Mailings tab. Choose “Start Mail Merge” and select “Directory.” Then click “Select Recipients” and choose “Use Existing List” to connect to your Excel file.

5. Design the Layout
Insert a table with one row and two columns. In the first column, use Insert Merge Field to add personal data such as name, title, address, phone, and specialty. This is where all the text data will go.

6. Insert the Image Field
In the second column, go to Insert > Quick Parts > Field. Choose “IncludePicture” and set it to pull from the “Images” column in your spreadsheet. Use Alt+F9 to edit the field code and insert the actual merge field for images.

7. Complete the Merge
Click “Finish & Merge,” then “Edit Individual Documents.” After the new document is generated, press Ctrl+A to select everything, and then press F9 to render the images. You may see a security warning—simply click “Yes” to proceed.

Final Tips

  • Be sure to save both the Word template and the final directory.
  • Keeping your images and data files in the same folder simplifies path entry.
  • Test your merge with a few entries before processing the full list.

Watch the Full Tutorial

Want to see this process in action? Watch Mike Worley walk you through each step in this helpful video tutorial below.

Symboc Designs offers expert guidance on building user-friendly, efficient digital tools for real-world applications. From website development to document automation, we help you get the most out of the tools you already use.

Need help building custom digital solutions for your team? Contact Symboc Designs today.