Mail Merge using Excel in Python

Mail merge is a smart technique to generate personalized documents at scale. Whether it’s invoices, reports, or certificates, you can use a single template and populate it with data from a spreadsheet. Each row in your Excel file becomes a custom document. In this post, we will show you how to perform mail merge from Excel using Python with the Aspose.Cells library.

This article covers the following topics:

Python Excel Mail Merge Library

We will use Aspose.Cells for Python via .NET to perform the mail merge. It enables you to create, read, and manipulate Excel spreadsheets directly from Python code. With support for Smart Markers, the library allows seamless data binding and Excel automation.

To install Aspose.Cells for Python via .NET:

pip install aspose-cells

Mail Merge using Aspose.Cells for Python

Unlike Word, Aspose.Cells uses Smart Markers to perform mail merge. Smart Markers are special tags in Excel templates that the system replaces with actual data at runtime. You define markers like:

&=DataSource.ColumnName

Aspose.Cells processes these markers row by row, replacing them with real values from your data source, such as a list of dictionaries or a DataTable-like object.

Prepare the Excel Template

Create a file (e.g., Template.xlsx) with Smart Markers:

NameEmailAmount
&=Data.Name&=Data.Email&=Data.Amount

Step-by-Step Guide to Perform Mail Merge Using Python

This section outlines the procedure to execute a mail merge operation using Excel templates and the Aspose.Cells for Python via .NET API. The process includes loading a template workbook, binding it to a data source, executing Smart Marker processing, and saving the output.

Step 1: Load the Template Workbook

To begin, instantiate a Workbook object by loading the Excel file that contains predefined Smart Markers.

import aspose.cells as ac

workbook = ac.Workbook("Template.xlsx")

Note: The template must contain Smart Markers formatted as &=Data.FieldName.

Step 2: Create and Populate the Data Source

Create a DataTable to serve as the data source. Define the required columns and add data rows that correspond to the Smart Markers in the template.

table = ac.DataTable("Data")
table.columns.add("Name")
table.columns.add("Email")
table.columns.add("Amount")

table.rows.add(["Alice", "alice@example.com", 1000])
table.rows.add(["Bob", "bob@example.com", 1500])

Each column name in the DataTable should match the marker identifiers used in the Excel template.

Step 3: Bind the Data to the Workbook

Use the WorkbookDesigner class to associate the workbook with the data source. This enables you to automatically populate Smart Markers during processing.

designer = ac.WorkbookDesigner()
designer.workbook = workbook
designer.set_data_source(table)

Step 4: Process Smart Markers

Execute the Smart Marker replacement by invoking the process() method. This will iterate over the data source and insert values into the corresponding locations in the workbook.

designer.process()

Step 5: Save the Merged Workbook

Save the processed workbook to disk in Excel format.

workbook.save("MergedOutput.xlsx")

(Optional) Export the Output as PDF

To generate a PDF version of the merged workbook, configure PDF save options and specify SaveFormat.PDF during export.

pdf_options = ac.PdfSaveOptions()
workbook.save("MergedOutput.pdf", ac.SaveFormat.PDF)

Full Python Code for Mail Merge

The following example demonstrates the complete process for creating a mail merge from Excel using Aspose.Cells for Python.

import aspose.cells as ac

# Load template
workbook = ac.Workbook("Template.xlsx")

# Create data source
table = ac.DataTable("Data")
table.columns.add("Name")
table.columns.add("Email")
table.columns.add("Amount")
table.rows.add(["Alice", "alice@example.com", 1000])
table.rows.add(["Bob", "bob@example.com", 1500])

# Connect data source
designer = ac.WorkbookDesigner()
designer.workbook = workbook
designer.set_data_source(table)
designer.process()

# Save output
workbook.save("MergedOutput.xlsx")

# Export to PDF
pdf_options = ac.PdfSaveOptions()
workbook.save("MergedOutput.pdf", ac.SaveFormat.PDF)

Ensure that the Smart Markers in the Excel template match the column names defined in the DataTable. For example, &=Data.Name in the template corresponds to a column named "Name" in the data source.

This implementation automates document generation tasks, such as invoices, reports, or certificates without requiring Microsoft Excel to be installed.

Output

Each row in the data source generates a new personalized row in the Excel file where Smart Markers were placed.

Mail Merge from Excel in Python - Output

Mail Merge from Excel in Python - Output

Get a Free License

You can request a free temporary license to evaluate the full capabilities of Aspose.Cells for Python via .NET without evaluation limitations.

This license enables unrestricted testing of all API features, including mail merge, PDF export, and large dataset handling.

Excel Mail Merge in Python: Free Resources

Conclusion

Mail merge from Excel using Python makes it easier to generate documents at scale. With Aspose.Cells Smart Markers, you can quickly automate this process in just a few lines of code. Whether it’s sending invoices, building certificates, or generating reports, the Python API provides full control and flexibility.

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See Also