Getting Started > Create a Word Document

Create a Word Document

netFORUM provides a quick and efficient way to merge data directly into a Microsoft Word document.

Note: This feature is also available for Fundraising Gifts and Fundraising Pledges.

Accessing the Word Merge Feature

To access the Word Merge feature, complete the following steps:

The Word Merge feature is available by clicking on the Export icon located on List pages that support this feature.
This will expand the Export drop-down menu providing you with several options for exporting the contents of the list.
Click the Word Merge Document hyperlink to access the Word Merge interface.

Word Merge User Interface

The Word Merge user interface is very similar to most text editing applications.

Pick a Correspondence Template Drop-Down List

The Pick a Correspondence Template drop-down menu allows you to select a correspondence template for the mail merge message. This drop-down is populated by correspondence templates that correspond to the type of object contained in the List page from where this process was initiated.

Formatting Options

The Word Merge window contains most of the same formatting options you would find in normal text editing applications.

Text Area

The text area is where the text for the message is entered. If a correspondence template is chosen, it will populate this area.

There are three views that users can choose from:

Normal - displays the text as it is typed without HTML code.
HTML - displays the text in the message as well as any corresponding HTML.
Preview - displays the message as it will look to the recipients.

Using the Word Merge Feature

Documents for recurring functions e.g. membership renewals, can be easily merged through creating an Original or through a Template.

Merging an Original Document

Follow the steps listed above in the Accessing the Word Merge Feature section.
The MSWord Mail Merge window will display.
Click in the text box and create your document OR click the Full Screen button to view the full size window.
The Full Screen view will include the Control to Insert drop-down list, which includes the merge codes for merging the data.
The template will automatically populate the text box.
Click Generate (or OK in the full screen view)after completing your document.
The noted number of records at the bottom of the window will be generated.

Merging a Template Into a Word Document

Follow the steps listed above in the Accessing the Word Merge Feature section.
The MSWord Mail Merge window will display.
Select a template from the Pick a Correspondence Template drop-down list.
The template will automatically populate the text box.
Click Generate (or OK in the full screen view).
The noted number of records at the bottom of the window will be generated. You will be prompted to open or save the generated file.

Important! Word merge only works in the Internet Explorer browser at this time.

FAQ

Q. What is the difference between sending a group e-mail from the List page using the Create Word Merge Document icon vs. sending an e-mail from the E-mail To This List" icon?

A. The e-mail generated through the Create Word Merge Document icon is sent through Microsoft Outlook (or your e-mail program) while using the E-mail To This List icon generates and sends the e-mail through netFORUM using the Communicate feature.

Q. Why does the icon appear in some lists but not others?

A. The records in the List must be associated with an email column. From a technical perspective, the List is related to a Form, which is related to an Object. The Object must support correspondence (the FacadeClass.SupportsCorrespondence property). The object will support correspondence if it has an "Email Field", which is defined as having a Data Object related to a Table in which the "email column" is populated with a column that stores an email address. For Static Facade Objects, in many cases the Data Objects are declared in programming code (not in Toolkit metadata) and the SupportsCorrespondence property is set manually; in most cases, the static facade class will have a data object for the co_email table, meaning the relevant email field will be co_email.eml_address, joined via co_customer.cst_eml_key.