Word Document (Office XP)

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Hello

Can anyone advise me the best possible method to use, pertaining to a single document that needs to be sent to multiple individuals.

I have thought about using the mail merge, the only problem is that sometimes there are only two prospective clients and others days there could be up to ten prospective clients, and I didn’t want to have all these different merge files; not to mention that each client has a different email address.

what I have been doing is copying and pasting the information from the excel spread sheet that stores the list of prospective clients, then I paste the client’s information into the word document. I did save the file as a template, but realize that I would still have to store the basic particulars one at a time.

Thanks

dillon

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Hi Dillon:
Mail merge is one method designed to send a single document to varying individuals. You do NOT need to have “all these different merge files” lying around. You create your datasource. In this case, you have an Excel worksheet. Each column should be a different field: e.g. Title, FirstName, MI, LastName, etc.

Then you follow the instructions in the mail merge helper. You create a single form letter with boilerplate text & graphics, plus mergefields. Then you generate your letters. You will get one file with each letter in a different section. You can print & save them, or print & delete them. You can filter which of the reciepients will be inlcuded in the merge.
Hope this helps,

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Hello Phil:

Thanks for your quick reply, the instructions sounds really difficult, almost like walking through a mine field. I will give your suggestions a try.

Much appreciated,

Dillon

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Hi Dillon:
Although it sounds confusing, basic mail merge is straight forward. You have 3 items & the mailmerge wizard walks you though them. You have a datasource, which contains all your records (like name, etc.). You have a main document that you type boilerplate & enter mergefields from a toolbar to wherever you want them. Then you merge & get your merged document or, in this case, perhaps merge to email. Post back if you run into trouble.
Cheers,

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Hi Dillon:
Although it sounds confusing, basic mail merge is straight forward. You have 3 items & the mailmerge wizard walks you though them. You have a datasource, which contains all your records (like name, etc.). You have a main document that you type boilerplate & enter mergefields from a toolbar to wherever you want them. Then you merge & get your merged document or, in this case, perhaps merge to email. Post back if you run into trouble.
Cheers,

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Hello Phil:

I have created a data source before, so I can get through the basic steps, the problem is that my excel spread sheet has conditional formatting; will this be a problem? My reason for asking is I want to know if I can some how use the information from the spread sheet without typing out the information again; better yet is it possible to pick and choose which cell of information I want and some how import the data into the data source.

I do apologise if I have not made myself clear.

Regards,

Dillon

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Hi Dillon:
I’m not an Excel expert & haven’t used conditional formatting. If you are trying to keep Excel’s formatting, try this:
1. After you create your main document, press Alt+F9 to show field codes. You will see something like:
{ MERGEFIELD FirstName }
2. In each of the fields, delete just the Word “MERGEFIELD” & then press Alt+F9 again.
3. Run the merge & click OK if an error message complains.

In Word 2000, which I have, I must leave the word “mergefield” in at least one field. However, HansV told me that you can delete all instances of “mergefield” in Word 2002. If you try this, please let me know how it works out for you, especially with conditional formatting.
Cheers,

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Hello Phil:

Thanks a lot for your kindness and support; I will be post again if I am having a difficulty.

Dillon

Reply | Quote

Hello Phil:

Thanks a lot for your kindness and support; I will be post again if I am having a difficulty.

Dillon

Reply | Quote

Hi Dillon:
I’m not an Excel expert & haven’t used conditional formatting. If you are trying to keep Excel’s formatting, try this:
1. After you create your main document, press Alt+F9 to show field codes. You will see something like:
{ MERGEFIELD FirstName }
2. In each of the fields, delete just the Word “MERGEFIELD” & then press Alt+F9 again.
3. Run the merge & click OK if an error message complains.

In Word 2000, which I have, I must leave the word “mergefield” in at least one field. However, HansV told me that you can delete all instances of “mergefield” in Word 2002. If you try this, please let me know how it works out for you, especially with conditional formatting.
Cheers,

Reply | Quote

Hello Phil:

I have created a data source before, so I can get through the basic steps, the problem is that my excel spread sheet has conditional formatting; will this be a problem? My reason for asking is I want to know if I can some how use the information from the spread sheet without typing out the information again; better yet is it possible to pick and choose which cell of information I want and some how import the data into the data source.

I do apologise if I have not made myself clear.

Regards,

Dillon

Reply | Quote

Hello Phil:

Thanks for your quick reply, the instructions sounds really difficult, almost like walking through a mine field. I will give your suggestions a try.

Much appreciated,

Dillon

Reply | Quote

Hi Dillon:
Mail merge is one method designed to send a single document to varying individuals. You do NOT need to have “all these different merge files” lying around. You create your datasource. In this case, you have an Excel worksheet. Each column should be a different field: e.g. Title, FirstName, MI, LastName, etc.

Then you follow the instructions in the mail merge helper. You create a single form letter with boilerplate text & graphics, plus mergefields. Then you generate your letters. You will get one file with each letter in a different section. You can print & save them, or print & delete them. You can filter which of the reciepients will be inlcuded in the merge.
Hope this helps,

Reply | Quote