Mail merging above my abilities...

December 19, 2005 6:07 AM

I need help with the Microsoft Word mail merge feature.

I interview people and I take notes on the computer during the interviews. I have some basic text that should always stay the same, and I also have various merge fields (sorry if the terminology is wrong) so that, for example, I don't have to type in the applicant's name, address, etc. This seems like the typical use of the mail merge feature. But then it gets more complicated, because I would like to be able to take notes in one record without having those notes be duplicated in the following (or previous) records. Essentially, I'd like to be able to do 3 things in the same document: (1) some text that remains constant in every record - e.g. interview factors; labels, etc. (2) some text that changes consistently - mail merge fields - e.g. applicant's name, DOB, etc.; (3) some text that I add to each record that can't be encapsulated in a mail merge, but that I don't want copied to other records - my interview notes. Is this possible using Microsoft Word's mail merge feature? If so, how?

posted by Amizu to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

You are trying to turn Word into a database. If you can, look into using Access instead. A single table should be able to handle what you want to do, and then use a wizard to create a report.
posted by lester at 6:15 AM on December 19, 2005

If not Access (it doesn't come with all installations of MS Office - only the Pro version - and has quite a steep learning curve...) you should be able to set up something similar using Excel.
posted by Chunder at 6:30 AM on December 19, 2005

Another possibility is to use a Word template. You can create a template (think a 'form') that contains the interview factors, labels and etc. This is labelled as a .dot file by Word.

First, create the Word doc that has all the information that you want to be standard in all docs. When you save, choose the file type as .dot. Word will automatically store it in the correct directory.

Then when you need to create a new document, choose File/New. On the left side of the window, Word displays some options. Under the heading "New from template" click on General Templates" Then there's one more window where you can select the custom template you just made. A new document will open with all the standard text that you created.

I would suggest the following: Create this interview template, enter each person's name, address, and etc on each one and then fillin your interview notes. I suspect you don't need mail merge as you need your notes to match the addressee.

I used to do this sort of thing for a living and did this sort of thing every day. It's not difficult at all.
posted by Red58 at 6:32 AM on December 19, 2005

oops, that's "On the **right** side of the window, Word displays some options."
posted by Red58 at 6:40 AM on December 19, 2005

Response by poster: In addition to adding the data about the interviewees in my interview notes, I also add it to about 10 different letters/waivers/assessments, etc. That is why I want to use the mail merge feature, so I can type the personal data once and don't have to type in all their personal data in 10 different documents. Does that make sense? That's all set up and works fine, but I'm having trouble with the Interview Notes document, because part of the text changes for every single applicant, and I'm having trouble with the Assessment document, because there part of the document includes an individualized assessment each time as well. Time is a major factor in my work, so I'm trying to figure out how to save as many minutes as possible for each interview.
posted by Amizu at 6:44 AM on December 19, 2005

Amizu, how are you currently storing the data you use for the mail merge? It sounds like lester is right and you need a database. Access is quite difficult to set up but it sounds ideal. Word can pull data out of it for mail merges. If you don't have Access, or don't have the time/energy to set it up, you might be able to make do with an Excel spreadsheet, depending on your requirements (that too works fine with Word's mail merge).

Red58's template idea is good too if you need to produce a lot documents of the same kind. You could set it up with mail merge fields to pull in personal data from the data file (whatever you use). Then use the query options to specify the specific interviewee (making sure each one has a unique field like a reference).
posted by londonmark at 7:05 AM on December 19, 2005

Response by poster: how are you currently storing the data you use for the mail merge?

I am using a datasource document - it's a sort of spreadsheet in word - created by someone in my office. It works fine for inserting the mailmerge data I need, but wouldn't work for the interview notes, which can be 10 pages long.
posted by Amizu at 7:12 AM on December 19, 2005

I'll go ahead and make confirm the database suggestions. I used to work in direct mailing. We had many jobs that required exactly what you are looking for (static text, variable fields, and hidden data) a dedicated database was the most robust solution. Further it allows you to add more data to each record either individual or all at once in a straightforward and easy way. It also has the nice consequence of allowing you to use one database for every mailing or form that you need. (This works by adding extra fields and then selecting names according to the values of those fields.)

Access is somewhat difficult to set-up but it is not really that hard. You could probably mess around with various wizards and figure it all out in one weekend (I assume you are at least a little tech savvy since you've set-up the mail-merge). If not there are one or two day seminars that you can take and plenty of tutorials (in CD's etc) that will show you what you need to know.
posted by oddman at 7:17 AM on December 19, 2005

I'm not sure if Access could cope with that volume of information but then I'm not an Access expert. I suppose if you used a different field for each question/answer it could work.

On principle though, it doesn't seem like the best use of a database. Maybe what you need is some sort of document management, so that you can call up your interview notes easily through the database. But I'm definitely out of my depth there!
posted by londonmark at 7:43 AM on December 19, 2005

I am using a datasource document - it's a sort of spreadsheet in word - created by someone in my office. It works fine for inserting the mailmerge data I need, but wouldn't work for the interview notes, which can be 10 pages long.

One of the options in mailmerge in Word is to "Merge to
New Document", which will be called something like Letters1. Letters1 (or 2 or 3 ... ) is a temporary document that you can edit, then print.

Would it work to just insert the interview notes into this temporary document, just before you print it?
posted by WestCoaster at 10:25 AM on December 19, 2005

Response by poster: Would it work to just insert the interview notes into this temporary document, just before you print it?

Maybe, but I'm trying to avoid that, because I need to save all the work that I do as part of my record. Plus, time is a real issue, and even that little time spent would be time lost.
posted by Amizu at 6:28 PM on December 19, 2005