FAQ - How Do I

Question
Mail merge a document using AvaPA?
Answer

 One very useful feature within AvaPA is the ability to mail merge a document with users in your AvaPA database.

This how-to is meant as a simple guide to get you started, these are the steps you need to follow and below are the details of each step:

  • Setup a template using MS Word
  • Select the users to whom you wish to send the mail merged letter
  • Import the new template
  • Match your merge fields with those in AvaPA
  • Merge the document

Setup a template using MS Word

  • Open Microsoft Word
  • Follow the Instructions forCreating a new template on the Microsoft Website
  • Add a bookmarks for each item you wish to mail merge:
    E.g. type FIRSTNAME in your document
    Select this word and click the keyboard short cut: ALT + I + K
    Word Bookmark
    Using the Bookmarks dialog either select the FIRSTNAME bookmark or add it as a new item, this word will then appear with Square Brackets [  ] around it. If they do not appear, go to Tools - Options and turn on Bookmarks, or in Office 2007 - Word Options - Advanced - Show Document Content
    Bookmark Shown

 

Select the users to whom you wish to send the mail merged letter

  • Select users to mail merge
  • Then select File - Print - Mail Shot
  • Print Menu
  • Click the Add New Template button shown in the next screen shot and find your template

Match your merge fields with those in AvaPA

  • Once you have loaded your template you then need to ensure your Bookmarks are mapped across to the fields in AvaPA, select your bookmark on the left and then select the associated field in AvaPA on the right.

Merge.png

Merge the document

  •  Finally, click print or print preview to mail merge the document, it's that simple!
This FAQ was last updated on 02 November 2009

Contact Information

To find out more about Ava solutions you can contact us in a number of ways: