Exporting to Word Mail Merge (Directories)

Kira Wishart

My predecessor created a print directory that my colleages use. She created an export and set-up a MS Word merge file and up until recently, it seemed to work just fine. I noticed the last time I ran it, the query wasn't pulling the correct information. It was pulling old addresses even though I had primary address chosen on the query.  I'm so frustrated. I'm pretty savvy with MS Word mail merge and can't for the life of me figure out how she set this document up.  Does anyone have experience with this topic?  I would love some guidance?  


My directory needs to include both home & business addresses, email & phone, spouse names and in some cases, last gift & last gift date.  I have a volunteer who uses this report to make year-end solicitation calls.

Keri Barnhart

Kira Wishart:

My predecessor created a print directory that my colleages use. She created an export and set-up a MS Word merge file and up until recently, it seemed to work just fine. I noticed the last time I ran it, the query wasn't pulling the correct information. It was pulling old addresses even though I had primary address chosen on the query.  I'm so frustrated. I'm pretty savvy with MS Word mail merge and can't for the life of me figure out how she set this document up.  Does anyone have experience with this topic?  I would love some guidance?  


My directory needs to include both home & business addresses, email & phone, spouse names and in some cases, last gift & last gift date.  I have a volunteer who uses this report to make year-end solicitation calls.

Hi Kira,


Are you using the Export or the Mail function in RE? (I tend to avoid Mail, so I'm not very helpful there, I have to admit.) if you're using Export and have checked that the query is correct, and the correct query is feeding the Export, did you double-check that the output file is being linked to the Word Mail Merge?


That is my biggest culprit when I have problems with Mail Merge - I forgot to do something to make sure it's pulling data from the correct file. Over the summer, we had to switch from using .XLSX to .CSV for Exports from RE, and it took a few weeks to finally get all of the Mail Merge documents pointing to the new versions.


If you're using Mail within RE, I unfortunately don't have enough experience to have advice, but hopefully someone else will know what to do.