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Mail-Merge

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    Mail-Merge

    Hello all,

    I had not even heard of Alpha 5 until yesterday, so forgive me if this is a basic query.

    How easy is it in Alpha 5 to either:
    1. Perform a mail-merge for a current selection (several records) or just one record, from a choice of, say, one of many RTF document templates kept in one of several folders and/or child folders? How easy is it to attach a "history" note to each record to show that a mail-merge was done with such and such an RTF file on such ans such a date?

    2. How easy is it do basically the same as above, but instead of just making a hisory log of the mail-merge action, saving a copy of the entire document to the record.

    For example, I want to send Mr Smith a standard form letter so I merge his record with one of my form letter templates and print. I want to save a "history action" that on this date this particular form letter was sent to Mr Smith (But it does not save the entire letter). Next day, I send Mr Smith another letter, only this time I have merged his record with a blank template letter that of course fills in his name & address etc from the record fields, and proceed to type a unique letter for him. This time when I save I choose to save a copy of the entire letter so that I can reveiw it at a late date.

    Later, I want to review all correspondence with Mr Smith so I check his history log. It shows that on the 4th Jan 01 he was sent such and such form letter. The next entry shows an individual letter was sent on 5th Jan 01, but this entry is, say, in bold type, so I know that if I double click it will open a copy of the original.

    TIA for any replies.

    Shaun Kenehan (Newbie - be gentle with me)

    #2
    RE: Mail-Merge

    Shaun,

    Alpha Five includes a Letter Editor which permits you to create customized letter layouts that will merge seamlessly with your data at print time. Yes, using this you can print a single letter, or multiple letters to lots of different recipients. The Letter Editor is fairly sophisticated (supports conditional paragraphs for example), but it's not a word processor. I don't believe it can directly 'merge' with external RTF files.


    It's also easy to export fields from one or more records, and then import them into your favorite word processor and do the merge there.


    I don't believe Alpha Five can easily be used to store formatted copies of the mail merge letters you produce with it, at least not in the current version. However, it's easy to update a running history journal or log to show that a particular form letter went out on such and such date...


    Shaun, these are features I don't use a great deal, so perhaps others will chime in to correct or expand on my comments.


    -- tom

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