Set up a mail merge for acknowledgement letters using Mail Merge Wizard

Sarah Bock

I am trying to set up a new template for donor acknowledgement letters using multiple letters.  The one I am currently using has multiple errors so I have to manually edit many fields on every letter.  We currently use a conditional mail merge.  The letters in config do not necessarily match the letters in the wizard and then do not necessarily match the final product.  Does anyone have suggestions or pointers?  Thanks in advance!

Sarah Bock

 

I also have an issue where the letter is correct in config and the template in the merge wizard, but the letter that is generated is different.

 

JoAnn Strommen

LOL - so hate setting up new letters.  For some reason apparently I missed some of the basics in training to do it in configuration so... I cheat.  In Mail I open a similar letter and resave it there with new name.  Then all my merge fields are already inserted. I can update text and fields as needed. 


I'm guessing that being letter is not in config there's a hitch somewhere but I haven't encountered it.  Have cheated this way for years.


Don't know why it would be pulling a different letter as you mentioned in your second post.  Somehow it must be linked funky.


I feel your pain. 

Brenda Heyer

I have had a good go of making conditional mail merge letters work.  First you go to configuration in letters and add the letter there, name it accordingly.  Next, set up your test donor with a fake gift, and choose the letter you just created and save their gift.  When you go into mail and receipt stack, choose the fake donor, click on send to word merge wizard.  You'll be asked if you want to receipt gift, say no.  Click next, and make sure the "Perform a conditional mail merge using multiple documents" is checked, click next.  Make sure "Letter" is highlighted, then click next.  Choose New Document at the top and where it says "equal to", find the letter you just created in config from the drop down and then edit the merge document.  If you want more help from here, let me know.  You need to choose the merge fields, type in your letter or paste, then figure out if this a legal sized document or letter.  Is there a perforated form at the bottom for the receipt portion? 

I have found if I re-name letters, previous donor records that I sent  XYZ letter to, then get switched to ABC letter.  So, I don't re-name any letters.

Thanks

Sarah Bock

Great advice!  I already have an old template set up with about 20 letters on it (it is from about 10 years ago or so).  Am I able to add letters to it and make edits?  I have recently added letters and this is where my problems are coming in. I was doing like the previous person does and make updates to existing letters and change their names.  I noticed it was changing the letters from past gifts and I did not want to do that.  I'm ok with creating a whole new template, but want to make sure I'm doing it the right way since it will be very time consuming.

Brenda Heyer

Hi Sarah,

Without seeing your set-up, I am unsure what you mean by a previous template.  I would make any previous letters no longer in use "inactive", so they are still there, but not an option in your drop down menu.  For me, I have my receipt stack, that I use for all the gifts entered in a week, and the various TY letters I will be using are options in the drop down menu.  I only have a few though, as I said, I mark old TY letters are "inactive".  So when I go to make my receipts, I generate the TY letter relevant to the gift, along with their receipt, and these are all in one merged document.  Let me know if you need further information.

Brenda

Sarah Bock:

Great advice!  I already have an old template set up with about 20 letters on it (it is from about 10 years ago or so).  Am I able to add letters to it and make edits?  I have recently added letters and this is where my problems are coming in. I was doing like the previous person does and make updates to existing letters and change their names.  I noticed it was changing the letters from past gifts and I did not want to do that.  I'm ok with creating a whole new template, but want to make sure I'm doing it the right way since it will be very time consuming.

 

Darci Seamon

Sarah Bock:

You can edit the merged document in RE.  Double click on the letter you want to run. Choose a date parameter that you know will have data that still needs to be processed. Click sent to Word merge wizard. Click next. Click Cancel. Click No you do not want to mark gifts included as acknowledged. Click next. Select Letter and click next.  A list of the letters in your system appears.  Choose the letter you want to edit and click Open. Click on the Edit merge document button and the document opens in Word.  Make any necessary changes.  Once changes are complete Click on Add-Ins and Save and return to RE7 (this step is vital as changes won't be saved in RE unless your perform this task).  I hope this helps.

I also have an issue where the letter is correct in config and the template in the merge wizard, but the letter that is generated is different.

 

 

 

Sarah Bock

Sarah Bock:

 

 

I also have an issue where the letter is correct in config and the template in the merge wizard, but the letter that is generated is different.

 

 

Thank you all for your responses! I will take them all into consideration when moving forward with setting up (or editing) a thank you letter template.  I finally found the answer to my issue with the font and spacing settings changing with a merge (See article below.  There are solutions, but I didn't copy those).  I did search on Microsoft's Community very briefly, but I think I will just deal with it unitl I have more time and just focus on making sure the merge fields are the same from document to document.

The formatting including fonts, spacing, line spacing,  margins, and tabs may appear to change or not save when making changes in a conditional mail merge.  

Article Number: 65109

Products:

• Raiser's Edge

We are unable to address this issue because it is related to third-party software. Contact Microsoft for assistance. This is a limitation of the merge architecture. One page setup is used for all letters, which is selected from the first conditional document listed in Raiser's Edge, regardless of if that condition is used in the merge itself. Microsoft Word requires the entire document to have the same font, margin size, header, breaks, and footers throughout, so we take the margin size, header, and footer for the first conditional document and apply it to the entire master document.