Bulk Letter - Mail Merge Setup

When needing to import your contacts into an external application to send out email, eNewsletters, or even Surveys you will need to be able to export files from the M1 Solutions Software into a CSV (Comma Separated Value) file. Below are the instructions to do just that. Also, this article shows you simply, how to import this contact file into Constant Contact, as well.

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Step 1: Export your Contacts from M1 Solution Software

Exporting Contacts from the M1 Solutions Software

Log into the M1 Solutions Software...

From the Tree View:

  1. Expand the Category Reports
  2. Select Reports
  3. Under Select A Report Below, select the corresponding report under the proper section; either select (25) Owner List  under the section Owner or select (26) Resident List under the section Residents
  4. Under Report Criteria, Filter the list as necessary by selecting the Paylease status, Owner Protected Status or Active Status
  5. Then under Run Report, select SEARCH to generate the report and confirm the data you want to export.
  6. To export the list, simply select Export Results to CSV

Note: Save the file to your desktop for easy access to upload it to Constant Contact

 

Step 2: Start the mail merge

  1. In Word, choose File > New > Blank document.
  2. On the Mailings tab, in the Start Mail merge group, choose Start Mail Merge, and then choose the kind of merge you want to run.

3.  Choose Select Recipients > Use an Existing List.

4.  Browse to your Excel spreadsheet, and then choose Open.

5.  If Word prompts you, choose Sheet1$ > OK.

Note: Now the Excel spreadsheet is connected to the mail merge document you’re creating in Word.

Edit your mailing list

You can limit who receives your mail.

1.  Choose Edit Recipient List.

2.  In the Mail Merge Recipients dialog box, clear the check box next to the name of any person who you don't want to receive your mailing.

Note: You also can sort or filter the list to make it easier to find names and addresses. For more information about sorting and filtering items, see Sort and filter the data for a mail merge.

Step 3: Insert a merge field

You can insert one or more mail merge fields that pull the information from your spreadsheet into your document.

To insert an address block for an envelope, a label, an email message, or a letter

1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group, choose Address Block.

2. In the Insert Address Block dialog box, choose a format for the recipient's name as it will appear on the envelope.

3. Choose OK.

4. Choose File > Save.

To insert a greeting line in an email message or a letter

1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group, choose Greeting Line.

2. In the Insert Greeting Line dialog box, do the following:

  • Under Greeting line format, change the salutation if necessary by choosing the greeting (Dear is the default), the format for the recipient name, and the ending punctuation (a comma is the default).

and

  • Under Greeting line for invalid recipient names, choose an option in the salutation list.

3. Choose OK.

4. Choose File > Save.

  1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group, choose Insert Merge Field.
  2. In the Insert Merge Field dialog box, under Fields, choose a field name (column name in your spreadsheet), and then choose Insert.
  3. Repeat step 2 as needed, and choose Close when done.
  4. Choose File > Save.

For more information about adding fields from your spreadsheet to the merge document, see Insert mail merge fields. And if you're interested in learning more about options for setting up email message, see Email merge in Word.

To insert data from your spreadsheet in an email message or a letter

  1. On the Mailings tab, in the Write & Insert Fields group, choose Insert Merge Field.
  2. In the Insert Merge Field dialog box, under Fields, choose a field name (column name in your spreadsheet), and then choose Insert.
  3. Repeat step 2 as needed, and choose Close when done.
  4. Choose File > Save.

For more information about adding fields from your spreadsheet to the merge document, see Insert mail merge fields. And if you're interested in learning more about options for setting up email message, see Email merge in Word.

Step 4: Preview and finish the mail merge

  1. On the Mailings tab, choose Preview Results.
  2. Choose the Next  or Previous  record button to move through records in your data source and view how the records will appear in the document.
  3. In the Finish group, choose Finish & Merge, and choose Print Documents or Send E-mail Messages.

Step 5: Save your mail merge

When you save the mail merge document, it stays connected to your data source. You can reuse the mail merge document for your next bulk mailing.

  1. Open the mail merge document and choose Yes when Word prompts you to keep the connection.

See also

Use mail merge to create and send bulk mail, labels, and envelopesMail merge - A free, 10 minute, video trainingDiscover more Word training at LinkedIn Learning