quick mail merge letter to current contact

[Ed Marmon]

im used to act! and goldmine where you can quickly choose a form letter,
and open up a single letter for mail merge to a contact. what is the
quickest was i can design a form letter, and have an icon in bcm to when a
contact is highlighted, i can click the icon, and then have word or outlook
bring up the folled-in letter, ready to email to the contact?

ive search posts about this and they dont provide a clear answer. this
should be a lot more obvious, just in my opinion, as this is probably a key
feature used by many people. the "quick letter to contact". how do I do it
( has to be with merge fields, not just anonymous text )

thank you so much, you cant imagine how much this would help me break free
of the act! /goldmine paradigm...

 

[Clinton Ford [MSFT]]

In Outlook with BCM 2007, you can:
1.) Right-click on a Business Contact and select "Create | New Marketing
Campaign for Business Contact(s)".
2.) Give the campaign a descriptive title that will remind you of this
letter's purpose. For example: "Thank you note to Tom"
3.) Select "Word e-mail merge" from the "Delivery Method" drop-down list.
4.) Click "Browse..." to locate your form letter file.
5.) Click "Launch" to open the Word document for the selected recipient.
6.) Click "Next" in the Word mail merge wizard until you see the step titled
"Complete the merge"
7.) Click "Electronic Mail..." and type a Subject line and click "OK"

The marketing campaign will allow you to track the mailing in the Business
Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail Auto-link settings.

 

[Ed Marmon]

Thank you for the description

Just to get a benchmark, in competitors' mid-level CRM products, a single
letter to a contact thru email is about 3 clicks after the contact is
highighted: menu -> select letter in list -> hit send.

Can this be reduced in terms of steps to about 2-4 thru macros, and if
so, how? The problem is, and I dont know how other people work out there,
that a lot of work is by contact. Theres a phone call, then a
conversation, then a next action determined. The phone call ends, there's
often a note created, then an email sent specific to the outcome. This
email is different from the last conversation, but typically is a subset
of about 15-25 usual next-steps. ( confirm appt, thank for ideas, suggest
next meeting with contact, etc. ). It's not part of a "mass mailing" but
is very much an individual mailing. I'd like to dispense with the wizard
in word, and get that letter out fast, then move on to the next contact.
That's why I'd like to boil down the steps you kindly suggested to
something more managable if done 80-120 times a day. I know I can design
a form letter in word. Ideally I'd like to have an extra menu item in the
outlook screen when teh business contacts folder is active that lets me
choose one of 15-25 letters, then brings it up, then I hit send to send
it to the contact I just spoke to.

I think I'm 1/2 way there. Thanks and looking forward.

 

[mrtimpeterson via OfficeKB.com]

Ed,

This has been a limitation of Outlook for a long time. Any type of
correspondence workflow as you describe always seems to require the use of an
involved Word mail merge feature. There are numerous 3rd party developed add-
ins to Outlook that can make your described process simpler. I don't recall
what they are nor do I have any links but you can probably google for
something like this or go to www.slipstick.com.

Best wishes,

-THP

Thank you for the description

Just to get a benchmark, in competitors' mid-level CRM products, a single
letter to a contact thru email is about 3 clicks after the contact is
highighted: menu -> select letter in list -> hit send.

Can this be reduced in terms of steps to about 2-4 thru macros, and if
so, how? The problem is, and I dont know how other people work out there,
that a lot of work is by contact. Theres a phone call, then a
conversation, then a next action determined. The phone call ends, there's
often a note created, then an email sent specific to the outcome. This
email is different from the last conversation, but typically is a subset
of about 15-25 usual next-steps. ( confirm appt, thank for ideas, suggest
next meeting with contact, etc. ). It's not part of a "mass mailing" but
is very much an individual mailing. I'd like to dispense with the wizard
in word, and get that letter out fast, then move on to the next contact.
That's why I'd like to boil down the steps you kindly suggested to
something more managable if done 80-120 times a day. I know I can design
a form letter in word. Ideally I'd like to have an extra menu item in the
outlook screen when teh business contacts folder is active that lets me
choose one of 15-25 letters, then brings it up, then I hit send to send
it to the contact I just spoke to.

I think I'm 1/2 way there. Thanks and looking forward.

In Outlook with BCM 2007, you can:
1.) Right-click on a Business Contact and select "Create | New

[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]

Business Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail
Auto-link settings.

 

[Geoff Baldwin_MM]

Hi
I 'solved' this problem by having a series of templates for mail merges from
BCM which I store in a single folder. (BCM 2; Office 2003)
I have a MailMerge button in the toolbar (cannot recall if this is there as
standard or whether I used the 'customize' ption to get it there) which I
click with my contact selectd.
I then get the Mail merge contacts dialog:
select Only selected contact
Select the merge letter I want to use (WORD document)
Selet merge to email and click OK.

The word document is opened with the merge fields completed and you can
tailor the letter/e-mail to a specific response.
Click merge to e-mail/printer and off you go.

This has been working reasonably OK although I would get occasions when the
word document would open immediately with my previoius merge details. This
semed to occur if I had WORD open when I started the procedure.
Unfortunately, as of this morning I cannot get the procedure to work at all -
the damn WORD document opens as soon as selected every time with previous
merge info in it. This happens no matter which 'template' I choose.

I have to say, I went with BCM because it came with Office 2003. I fail to
see why anyone would want to move from excellent programs like Goldmine, ACT!
or Maximiser to BCM which does not seem to have been thought through at all
from a process viewpoint and appears to be full of bugs
It should help work processes but seems to hinder.

Ed,

This has been a limitation of Outlook for a long time. Any type of
correspondence workflow as you describe always seems to require the use of an
involved Word mail merge feature. There are numerous 3rd party developed add-
ins to Outlook that can make your described process simpler. I don't recall
what they are nor do I have any links but you can probably google for
something like this or go to www.slipstick.com.

Best wishes,

-THP

Thank you for the description

Just to get a benchmark, in competitors' mid-level CRM products, a single
letter to a contact thru email is about 3 clicks after the contact is
highighted: menu -> select letter in list -> hit send.

Can this be reduced in terms of steps to about 2-4 thru macros, and if
so, how? The problem is, and I dont know how other people work out there,
that a lot of work is by contact. Theres a phone call, then a
conversation, then a next action determined. The phone call ends, there's
often a note created, then an email sent specific to the outcome. This
email is different from the last conversation, but typically is a subset
of about 15-25 usual next-steps. ( confirm appt, thank for ideas, suggest
next meeting with contact, etc. ). It's not part of a "mass mailing" but
is very much an individual mailing. I'd like to dispense with the wizard
in word, and get that letter out fast, then move on to the next contact.
That's why I'd like to boil down the steps you kindly suggested to
something more managable if done 80-120 times a day. I know I can design
a form letter in word. Ideally I'd like to have an extra menu item in the
outlook screen when teh business contacts folder is active that lets me
choose one of 15-25 letters, then brings it up, then I hit send to send
it to the contact I just spoke to.

I think I'm 1/2 way there. Thanks and looking forward.

In Outlook with BCM 2007, you can:
1.) Right-click on a Business Contact and select "Create | New

[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]

Business Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail
Auto-link settings.

 

[mrtimpeterson via OfficeKB.com]

I fully endorse Ed's request for a much simpler "Quick mail merge letter to
current contact" feature to be added to BCM. The current Word procedure is
so early 90's in its time consuming steps. I regularly experience the daily
workflow process that Ed describes above with quick email follow ups using
the same standard template replies, etc. This would be a great feature
addition to BCM that would bring in a big convenience that a LOT of old ACT
users sorely miss.

-THP

Hi
I 'solved' this problem by having a series of templates for mail merges from
BCM which I store in a single folder. (BCM 2; Office 2003)
I have a MailMerge button in the toolbar (cannot recall if this is there as
standard or whether I used the 'customize' ption to get it there) which I
click with my contact selectd.
I then get the Mail merge contacts dialog:
select Only selected contact
Select the merge letter I want to use (WORD document)
Selet merge to email and click OK.

The word document is opened with the merge fields completed and you can
tailor the letter/e-mail to a specific response.
Click merge to e-mail/printer and off you go.

This has been working reasonably OK although I would get occasions when the
word document would open immediately with my previoius merge details. This
semed to occur if I had WORD open when I started the procedure.
Unfortunately, as of this morning I cannot get the procedure to work at all -
the damn WORD document opens as soon as selected every time with previous
merge info in it. This happens no matter which 'template' I choose.

I have to say, I went with BCM because it came with Office 2003. I fail to
see why anyone would want to move from excellent programs like Goldmine, ACT!
or Maximiser to BCM which does not seem to have been thought through at all
from a process viewpoint and appears to be full of bugs
It should help work processes but seems to hinder.

Ed,

[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]

 

[tina]

Hi
I 'solved' this problem by having a series of templates for mail merges from
BCM which I store in a single folder. (BCM 2; Office 2003)
I have aMailMergebutton in the toolbar (cannot recall if this is there as
standard or whether I used the 'customize' ption to get it there) which I
click with my contact selectd.
I then get the Mail merge contacts dialog:
select Only selected contact
Select the merge letter I want to use (WORD document)
Selet merge to email and click OK.

The word document is opened with the merge fields completed and you can
tailor the letter/e-mail to a specific response.
Click merge to e-mail/printer and off you go.

This has been working reasonably OK although I would get occasions when the
word document would open immediately with my previoius merge details. This
semed to occur if I had WORD open when I started the procedure.
Unfortunately, as of this morning I cannot get the procedure to work at all -
the damn WORD document opens as soon as selected every time with previous
merge info in it. This happens no matter which 'template' I choose.

I have to say, I went with BCM because it came with Office 2003. I fail to
see why anyone would want to move from excellent programs like Goldmine, ACT!
or Maximiser to BCM which does not seem to have been thought through at all
from a process viewpoint and appears to be full of bugs
It should help work processes but seems to hinder.

Ed,

This has been a limitation of Outlook for a long time. Any type of
correspondence workflow as you describe always seems to require the use of an
involved Word mail merge feature. There are numerous 3rd party developed add-
ins to Outlook that can make your described process simpler. I don't recall
what they are nor do I have any links but you can probablygooglefor
something like this or go towww.slipstick.com.

Best wishes,

-THP

Thank you for the description
Just to get a benchmark, in competitors' mid-level CRM products, a single
letter to a contactthruemail is about 3 clicks after the contact is
highighted: menu -> select letter in list -> hit send.
Can this be reduced in terms of steps to about 2-4thrumacros, and if
so, how? The problem is, and I dont know how other people work out there,
that a lot of work is by contact. Theres a phone call, then a
conversation, then a next action determined. The phone call ends, there's
often a note created, then an email sent specific to the outcome. This
email is different from the last conversation, but typically is a subset
of about 15-25 usual next-steps. ( confirm appt, thank for ideas, suggest
next meeting with contact, etc. ). It's not part of a "mass mailing" but
is very much an individual mailing. I'd like to dispense with the wizard
in word, and get that letter out fast, then move on to the next contact.
That's why I'd like to boil down the steps you kindly suggested to
something more managable if done 80-120 times a day. I know I can design
a form letter in word. Ideally I'd like to have an extra menu item in the
outlook screen when teh business contacts folder is active that lets me
choose one of 15-25 letters, then brings it up, then I hit send to send
it to the contact I just spoke to.
I think I'm 1/2 way there. Thanks and looking forward.
In Outlook with BCM 2007, you can:
1.) Right-click on a Business Contact and select "Create | New
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
Business Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail
Auto-link settings.

- Show quoted text -

sorry, May I know what is the BCM. I really wanted to use the
mailmerge thru gmail.com

 

[Jimmy Stahl]

While evaluating converting to this new BCM from ACT!, I spent six hours
trying to find how to send a letter template to a contact and finally have
arrived here. I simply CAN NOT believe that Microsoft does not have a main
button 3 click process to fill in name and address in a letter template! IT
IS INEXCUSABLE in a document merge to contact piece of software that one has
to set up a marketing campaign to sent a letter to a selected contact!

This is more outrageous than the joke of a check voucher they allow in there
"Quickbooks Killer" new accounting program. Such little fundamental flaws
ruin the whole product and the Microsoft reputation or good will is further
damaged.
--
J5 XP Machines

I fully endorse Ed's request for a much simpler "Quick mail merge letter to
current contact" feature to be added to BCM. The current Word procedure is
so early 90's in its time consuming steps. I regularly experience the daily
workflow process that Ed describes above with quick email follow ups using
the same standard template replies, etc. This would be a great feature
addition to BCM that would bring in a big convenience that a LOT of old ACT
users sorely miss.

-THP

Hi
I 'solved' this problem by having a series of templates for mail merges from
BCM which I store in a single folder. (BCM 2; Office 2003)
I have a MailMerge button in the toolbar (cannot recall if this is there as
standard or whether I used the 'customize' ption to get it there) which I
click with my contact selectd.
I then get the Mail merge contacts dialog:
select Only selected contact
Select the merge letter I want to use (WORD document)
Selet merge to email and click OK.

The word document is opened with the merge fields completed and you can
tailor the letter/e-mail to a specific response.
Click merge to e-mail/printer and off you go.

This has been working reasonably OK although I would get occasions when the
word document would open immediately with my previoius merge details. This
semed to occur if I had WORD open when I started the procedure.
Unfortunately, as of this morning I cannot get the procedure to work at all -
the damn WORD document opens as soon as selected every time with previous
merge info in it. This happens no matter which 'template' I choose.

I have to say, I went with BCM because it came with Office 2003. I fail to
see why anyone would want to move from excellent programs like Goldmine, ACT!
or Maximiser to BCM which does not seem to have been thought through at all
from a process viewpoint and appears to be full of bugs
It should help work processes but seems to hinder.

Ed,

[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]

Business Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail
Auto-link settings.

 

[seminarbank]

While evaluating converting to this new BCM from ACT!, I spent six hours
trying to find how to send a letter template to a contact and finally have
arrived here. I simply CAN NOT believe that Microsoft does not have a main
button 3 click process to fill in name and address in a letter template! IT
IS INEXCUSABLE in a document merge to contact piece of software that one has
to set up a marketing campaign to sent a letter to a selected contact!

This is more outrageous than the joke of a check voucher they allow in there
"Quickbooks Killer" new accounting program. Such little fundamental flaws
ruin the whole product and the Microsoft reputation or good will is further
damaged.
--
J5 XP Machines

I fully endorse Ed's request for a much simpler "Quick mail merge letter to
current contact" feature to be added to BCM. The current Word procedure is
so early 90's in its time consuming steps. I regularly experience the daily
workflow process that Ed describes above with quick email follow ups using
the same standard template replies, etc. This would be a great feature
addition to BCM that would bring in a big convenience that a LOT of old ACT
users sorely miss.

-THP

Hi
I 'solved' this problem by having a series of templates for mail merges from
BCM which I store in a single folder. (BCM 2; Office 2003)
I have aMailMergebutton in the toolbar (cannot recall if this is there as
standard or whether I used the 'customize' ption to get it there) which I
click with my contact selectd.
I then get the Mail merge contacts dialog:
select Only selected contact
Select the merge letter I want to use (WORD document)
Selet merge to email and click OK.
The word document is opened with the merge fields completed and you can
tailor the letter/e-mail to a specific response.
Click merge to e-mail/printer and off you go.
This has been working reasonably OK although I would get occasions when the
word document would open immediately with my previoius merge details. This
semed to occur if I had WORD open when I started the procedure.
Unfortunately, as of this morning I cannot get the procedure to work at all -
the damn WORD document opens as soon as selected every time with previous
merge info in it. This happens no matter which 'template' I choose.
I have to say, I went with BCM because it came with Office 2003. I fail to
see why anyone would want to move from excellent programs like Goldmine, ACT!
or Maximiser to BCM which does not seem to have been thought through at all
from a process viewpoint and appears to be full of bugs
It should help work processes but seems to hinder.
Ed,
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
Business Contact form's History page regardless of your E-mail
Auto-link settings.

I agree, unbelievable!