Creating a mail merge and linking data

How to take advantage of the smooth interface of office suite applications

by Kirsten Smestad

Many offices and small businesses purchase office suites as a single product solution to their data management needs. Microsoft Office Professional, Corel WordPerfect Professional and Lotus Smart Suite include word-processor, spreadsheet and database applications.

The programs in the office suites are designed to work together. For example, information compiled in a spreadsheet can be used by a word processor. One way to tie the applications together is the Copy, Paste and Paste Special commands located under the Edit menu. In this way, you can share information between applications using the object linking and embedding (OLE) capability of Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 (see the January 1997 issue of The Computer Paper for more details).

Using an office suite's word processor as your main application, the merge feature can also be used to bring in data from either a spreadsheet or database application. The following discusses the merge command and how to use it to integrate the applications.

What is a merge?

A merge is a word-processing command that you can use to personalize a standard form letter, create invoices and generate mailing labels. Using the form letter example, a mail merge automates the procedure of repeatedly typing a number of letters that remain mainly the same with only the salutation, address, etc., changing.

With mail merge, only one letter has to be created, yet it can be reproduced many times, each copy of the letter with a different name and other made-to-order data.

The word-processing component of each office bundle has a mail-merge feature that is similar. For Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect, the merge command is located under the Tools menu; for Lotus Word Pro, the merge command is located under the Text menu. By activating the merge command, a dialogue box is initiated, which steps you through the merge process. While the exact sequence of steps for creating a merge varies slightly in each of the word-processing applications, in general, creating a mail merge is a process that requires three separate components.

One, set up the data

The first component is the data file or the document that contains the names, addresses and other information. For maximum flexibility with this data document, it is useful to separate information into individual fields. For example, separate a person's name into two fields, i.e. "FIRSTname" and "LASTNAME" rather than a single "NAME" field. A complete unit of information (firstname, lastname, address, phone, etc.) is called a record.

The data file can be created in a spreadsheet, database or using the word-processing application itself. In general, creating the data file with the word processor is done by activating the merge command. Specify when prompted that the data source be created and go through the procedure of setting up the field names to categorize the data.

How the actual data source file is structured varies with the specific word processor. In Microsoft Word, the data file is set up in a table format, with the fields in columns (top row of the table is the header row that contains the field names) and the records in rows. In Corel WordPerfect and Lotus Word Pro, the data file has a unique structure with special codes to identify the separate fields. If you are interested in technical details take note that while Corel WordPerfect and Lotus Word Pro do not create a table for the data source file, both accept a table set up outside the merge process as a data source file in a merge as long as the table is the first item in the document. This is done by associating the file as a data source in the merge process.

Two, make the form

The second component of the merge process is the creation of the form or main document. This is where you enter in the general text and apply formatting with the field codes inserted into the appropriate spots. The field codes are entered by using the insert field command on the Merge toolbar. If you want to create mailing labels using your data file, activate the label command before inserting the field codes.

Three, merge

The final component of the merge process is the merge itself. In completing the merge, you create a third document that places the actual names and other information from the data source into the places where the field codes were entered on the main form. A merge can appear as a separate document on screen (which you can review and save) or can be sent directly to the printer. In general, all the data from the data source is merged into the final document. When creating form letters, each individually addressed letter will appear on a separate page.

When completing the merge there is also an option to select specific records only. In WordPerfect and Word Pro this is a Select Records option, in Microsoft Word this is a Query option.

An example

A mail merge is quick and easy once you get used to the steps involved. If you are new to merges, don't expect to get it right the first run through.

Using the Lotus Word Pro Merge Assistant, step one is to create or associate a data source, step two is to design the document and enter in field codes from the data source and step three is to create the merge file. In step three you can use the select records option to isolate items in your data source.

Corel WordPerfect Merge assistant works slightly differently from Lotus Word Pro. Step one is for creating a data source. If you want to associate an already existing data source this is done in step two, along with designing the document and entering in field codes. Step three is the same as the Word Pro example above.

Microsoft Word Mail Merge Helper reverses the previously mentioned steps one and two. Step one is for specifying the type of merge document (form, labels, envelopes, catalogue), step two is for creating or associating a data source. Step three is to create the merge file, and use the Query option to isolate specific data records.

Using mail merge to link data

A common type of document used in a lot of businesses is a phone book of clients and contacts. There is no set rule as to what application must be used in order to record the information. A simple list can be recorded in table format using a word-processing application or entered when actually creating a merge by selecting create data source and using the form provided.

For Windows 95 users, you can also use the Personal Address Book that comes with Windows 95 or the address book application that comes with the office software. For example, Corel WordPerfect 7 accepts the Corel Address Book 7 as a data source file. Microsoft Word 7 accepts the contact list created in Schedule+.

In a situation of tracking large amounts of data, a word-processing program is not the most practical application for maintaining and updating information. A spreadsheet offers far more flexibility in entering and manipulating data. A spreadsheet is designed to calculate numbers, so financial data can be inputted and formulas used to calculate taxes and totals. If you want to use existing spreadsheet information as a data source, instead of creating a data source during the merge process, specify that you want to associate a data source from another application Depending on the word-processing application, you can do this in either step one or step two of the merge process. If you can't find the file name, make sure you have the right data type selected.

For example, Microsoft Word shows by default all files with .doc extensions. If you are trying to find a Microsoft Excel file, you must specify all files *.* or those with an .xls extension. In general, the entire spreadsheet will be associated to the merge document with the data in the first row used as field names. If you are using a multi-page spreadsheet, by default only the first page is recognized in the merge.

Businesses use databases to track large amounts of elaborate information. For example, a database will let you record customer names, itemize and total their purchases on a single form, while in the background be recording the information in separate tables (one table for customers and contact information and another table for items purchased). Similar to the spreadsheet example, information from a database table can be brought into a word processor using the merge.

A final note

In general, the applications within the office suite bundles are designed to work well together. Lotus Word Pro will accept information from Lotus 1-2-3 (a spreadsheet) or Lotus Approach (a database). Corel WordPerfect will accept information from Borland Quatro Pro (a spreadsheet) or Borland Paradox (a database). Microsoft Word will accept information from Microsoft Excel (a spreadsheet) and Microsoft Access (a database).

However, in many cases you can share between office suites. For example, Corel WordPerfect will accept a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. If you are having trouble bringing in data from another application, check the documentation and make sure you are running compatible versions of the software. For example, Lotus WordPro will not accept Microsoft Excel 7 files, but will read Microsoft Excel 5 files.

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TCP Online February 1997 Issue