It is possible to create a merge file in Microsoft Word or Open Office and export information from the Owner, Tenant and Vendor Letters function in PROMAS to fill in that merge document. When you set this up for the first time, you must create a letter in PROMAS with the fields you want to export, create the letter in Work or Open Office, execute the mail merge in PROMAS, create the Data Source in Word or Open Office, enter the merge fields in the Word document and save. You are then ready to merge the data. Also see How To pdf document #291 for instructions on the merge with Word.
If you choose an Open Office document, a CSV file will be created which can be used in the mail merge function in that program. See below.
After the first time, the process is easier because you don’t have to create all the files, only the export document in PROMAS. Step by step instructions follow. These instructions are based on Microsoft Word 2003. If you are using another version of Word the procedure may differ slightly.
If you do not have an understanding of Microsoft Mail Merge, In Word, type "Mail Merge" into the Microsoft Assistant or Microsoft Office Word Help to get a basic understanding of how it works.
For versions of Word prior to 2007:
FIRST TIME
1.
|
In <<Mailings, Edit Letters>>, create a letter with the text substitutions you want to use. The letter does not need to have formatting. It is simply identifying the fields for export.
|
2.
|
In Word, create the letter you want to use, without text substitutions or merge fields. This file should have the formatting you want in your finished product.
|
3.
|
In <<Mailings, (Owner, Tenant, Vendor) Letters>>, select letter you just created. Enter any selection criteria.
|
4.
|
Compile letters. You are now on a Send Letters screen.
|
5.
|
Click <Select Document>. An Open Word Document screen will display.
|
6.
|
Choose the letter you created in step 2 by highlighting and clicking <Open>. (You may need to Browse to the correct folder.)
|
7.
|
Click <Execute Mail Merge>. Word will come up with letter you selected in step 6.
|
8.
|
In Word, click on Tools, Letters & Mailings, Mail Merge.
|
9.
|
Click on Next: Starting Document, Use Current Document; then Next: Select Recipients.
|
10.
|
Under Use an Existing List click Browse. You will be on the Select Data Source screen. Find the folder contains your letter. Change Files of Type to "All Files" and select the *.AML file created in step 7.
|
11.
|
The Header Record Delimiters screen comes up. As record delimiter choose |.
|
12.
|
A Mail Merge Recipients list displays with the Recipients based on your parameters. Click <OK>.
|
13.
|
The first time you do this, you may get a message that says "Word found no merge fields in your main document…". Click <Edit Main Document>. In Word, use the Insert Mail Merge Field to enter your merge fields. The merge fields from your source file will be available.
|
14.
|
Save your document. You are then ready to merge.
|
EACH TIME
1.
|
In <<Mailings, (Owner, Tenant, Vendor) Letters>>, select letter you want. Enter any selection criteria. Compile letters.
|
2.
|
In the Mail Merge Action field choose Select Document.
|
3.
|
Click <Execute Mail Merge>.
|
4.
|
Your letter will display without the merged information.
|
6.
|
Then click File and choose the document you just closed. A screen will display with a message - click <Yes>.
|
7.
|
Your letter will display without the merged information. If your mail merge toolbar is displayed you can click View Merged Data to merge the letter. If the Toolbar does not display, click on Tools, Letters & Mailings, Mail Merge.
|
Word 2007 / 2010 / 2016
FIRST TIME
1.
|
In <<Mailings, Edit Letters>>, create a letter with the text substitutions you want to use. The letter does not need to have formatting. It is simply identifying the fields for export.
|
2.
|
In Word, create the letter you want to use, without text substitutions or merge fields. This file should have the formatting you want in your finished product. Save as an *.doc file, not an *.docx.
|
3.
|
In <<Mailings, (Owner, Tenant, Vendor) Letters>>, select letter you just created. Enter any selection criteria.
|
4.
|
Compile letters. You are now on a Send Letters screen. For Notice letters, in the Choose Merge Field Source field choose the Master Merge letter created in Step 1.
|
5.
|
Click <Select Document>. An Open Word Document screen will display.
|
6.
|
Choose the letter you created in step 2 by highlighting and clicking <Open>. (You may need to Browse to get to the correct folder.)
|
7.
|
Click <Execute Mail Merge>. Word will come up with letter you selected in step 6.
|
8.
|
In Word, click on Mailings to display the tool bar with merge choices.
|
9.
|
Click on Select Recipients.
|
10.
|
Click Use an Existing List. You will be on the Select Data Source screen. Find the folder that contains your letter. Change Files of Type to "All Files" and select the *.AML file created in step 7.
|
11.
|
The Header Record Delimiters screen comes up. As record delimiter choose |.
|
12.
|
Click Insert Merge Fields to choose the fields you want to use in your letter.
|
13.
|
Save your document. You are then ready to merge by clicking Preview Results.
|
EACH TIME
1.
|
In <<Mailings, (Owner, Tenant, Vendor) Letters>>, select letter you want. Enter any selection criteria. Compile letters.
|
2.
|
In the Mail Merge Action field choose Send to New Document. For Notice letters, in the Choose Merge Field Source field choose the Master Merge letter created in Step 1 of First Time.
|
3.
|
Click <Select Document>. Choose the letter you created in step 2 and saved in step 14 under FIRST TIME.
|
4.
|
Click <Execute Mail Merge>. An Open Word Document screen will display. Click <Open>. If an error message displays, click <Close>.
|
5.
|
Your letter will display without the merged information.
|
6.
|
Click <Close>. Then click File and choose the document you just closed. A screen will display with a message - click <Yes>.
|
7.
|
Your letter will display without the merged information. If your mail merge toolbar is displayed you can click Preview Results to merge the letter. If the Toolbar does not display, click on Mailings, then on Preview Results.
|
Open Office
FIRST TIME
1.
|
In <<Mailings, Edit Letters>>, create a letter with the text substitutions you want to use. The letter does not need to have formatting. It is simply identifying the fields for export.
|
2.
|
In Open Office, create the letter you want to use, without text substitutions or merge fields. This file should have the formatting you want in your finished product. Save as an *.odt file.
|
3.
|
In <<Mailings, (Owner, Tenant, Vendor) Letters>>, select letter you just created in step 1. Enter any selection criteria.
|
4.
|
Compile letters. You are now on a Send Letters screen.
|
5.
|
Click <Select Document>. An Open Document screen will display. IN Files of Type field, choose Open Office Document *.odt.
|
6.
|
Choose the letter you created in step 2 by highlighting and clicking <Open>. (You may need to Browse to get to the correct folder.)
|
7.
|
Click <Execute Mail Merge>. A Windows screen will display in the folder where the CSV file has been saved. It will be the same folder containing your letter.
|
8.
|
In Open Office, choose File, New, Database.
|
9.
|
Select Connect to an existing database, with Text as the format. Click Next.
|
10.
|
Specify the directory where the CSV file is (as indicated in step 7. Choose Comma separated values. The Field separator should default to a comma. Click Next.
|
11.
|
Unmark the option to open the database for editing. Click Finish.
|
12.
|
Save the data source.
|
14.
|
Choose View, Data Sources. Everything you have created will be displayed.
|
15.
|
Click the + sign by the data source you want to use, then click + by Tables until you see the data you want to use.
|
16.
|
Click on the field name that you want in the document and drag it into the document and release. The field name will appear.
|
18.
|
Choose File, Print. A message will display asking if you want to print a form letter. Click Yes.
|
19.
|
In the Mail Merge window, select the records you want.
|
20.
|
Choose a printer and click OK.
|
|