Design best practice advice needed please

[APH]

Hi, I am designing a database to manage our contacts, and despatch of our
marketing materials. We have 4 product brands and a total of 12 products -
each required a separate individually addressed letter.

i have my database form which displays establishment, and on a sub form,
users can enter/select the required contact within the Establishment (we
have multipl contacts per Establishment). Users then select what product
information/marketing materials are required from drop down lists.

Ok so here is where I need advice. At this point I need to print out the
individual letters to the enquirers. I seem to have two options (unless
anyone comes up with better ideas)

1. As I exit the record, transfer the information to separate temporary
tables from which i can then run my mailmerge letters

2. Do a single query to select all records, sort them and then run some code
to look at each record to determine which letter needs to be written and
mailmerged.

Are either of the above better than the other?

Advice gratefully received

thanks

Alex

 

[JohnR]

Define Mailmerge?

Are you using Access to populate a Word mailmerge
document? If so, then the best way is to create a
separate table that is connected to the word document.

If you are using an Access Report then create a query to
filter by the 'enter/select the required contact within
the establishment' that were selected and use that query
to populate the Access form?

 

[Alex]

Hi - John - thanks for your input,

I originally had intended to use Access Reports to write the documents this
would have been easiest from my point of view, but felt that users would be
restricted if they wanted to make minor modifications to the letters.

So I am basically having to export the data to 12 different letter
templates, which I guess means 12 temporary tables.

Need to ask users if they are likely to change letters!

Thanks

Alex