How to mail merge using MS-Word 97-2003

Intro: This video shows you how to mail merge a document using AVAPA.

Also How to mail merge using MS-Word 2007 2010

Using mail merging allows you to make letters addressed to different users with the same template or layout.

This video is meant as a simple guide to get you started, using the steps: Setting up a template using Microsoft Word, selecting the users to whom you wish to send the mail merger letter, importing the new template, matching your merging fields with those in AVAPA and finally merging the document.

 

The first step is setting up a template using Microsoft Word.

And we're using Microsoft 2003 in this demo.

So, open up Microsoft Word. Now you can either create a new mail merge template or use an existing document. If your document already exists, open it by clicking File - open, and navigating to the file. Otherwise just open a blank new document.

Now click File - save as. In the "Save as type" drop down box at the bottom of the window that appears, choose "document template".

Now if you notice it has taken us to a templates folder. It sometimes does this, and it's very important that if you don't want to lost where you saved it, that after selecting document template you just go back and navigate to the place you want to save it.

It is recommended if you're in a network or cloud environment to save the template in a shared network location: somewhere other users can find it in case they need it.

Now you will need to add a bookmark for each item you wish to merge. This will tell AVAPA where to insert bits of data, for example the recipient's first name, last name and address. For this, you need to allow bookmarks in word, so you need to go into tools, options, then in the view tab; you need to make sure the "bookmarks" check box is ticked.

This option is not a default so you have to make sure this is ticked!

If you want to add a date that updates according to the day you are on, there are other options that you need to configure.

So go "File -> Print -> "options" and make sure the "update fields" box is ticked and I will update your date fields according to the day you are on.

Here's an example…

Type in date, highlight it, then go "insert" > "Date and Time" > select your date format, and make sure the "update automatically" box is ticked.

…and here's what it looks like.

Now we are going to structure our letter.

Firstname is going to be our first bookmark and we do this by bringing up the bookmark window. So hold down ALT + I + K on your keyboard.

Alternatively you can go into the insert menu and click bookmark.

So we need to give the bookmark a name, then click add.

We might then want to bookmark the ADDRESS, so highlight it then "ALT + I + K" or "Insert" > "Bookmark", then type the bookmark name then click add.

Now we are going to type the body of our letter…

So this is going to be the template for our letter. Once you are happy with it, click File > Save.

Make sure that when you convert some text into a bookmark you have only highlighted the word you want to convert. It is easy to accidentally highlight, for instance, "first name" and "address" on the next line. This will result in both lines being converted into the bookmark.

So the next step is selecting the users to whom you wish to send the mail merged letter.

So open up AVAPA and click on "list everyone" on the AVAPA main menu.

Now, the list can also come from the user defined filter facility that allows you to build up a wide range of criteria for selecting names, or it can be one of the useful queries built into AVAPA.

Hold down CTRL on the keyboard and click on users to select them, or click and drag a box around all the users you want to select.

Hold CTRL + A to select all.

Then click File - Print - Mail shot.

A window may popup asking you to "set address tab". Select the relevant tab and click OK.

The next step is importing the template.

To locate your new template so AVAPA can use it, click the "Add new template" button shown on the bottom of the window.

Now navigate to the location of your mail merge template and click Open.

The final step is merging your fields with those in AVAPA.

Here you will see a two column list, "document bookmarks" and "Fields in AVAPA". The document bookmarks list shows all of the bookmarks you set up in your mail merge template. The fields in the AVAPA column lists all the different fields of data AVAPA can use to fill the bookmark.

You now need to match up the data types. So in the left column, select FIRSTNAME and in the right column select the appropriate data type. Then click the left arrow button.

Then the same process with "Address"

Once you are happy all the data types is properly matched up click the save button at the bottom left.

From here you have two options. You can either print the template with the print button OR you can click preview to review your document and make changes if you so wish.

So this is the example of how AVAPA has input the data into the template.

In Summary: This page allows you to set up a template letter form which AVAPA will input data from the users you select. You can then preview and make potential changes to suit you or click print and start sending out your letters.