Outlook Contacts to Word Template Merge

[xctx]

There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There should also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

 

[xctx]

If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a fax on a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most people use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on the menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be done in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact and print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to Templates as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with "Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a fax on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

No. I did not say it was not possible.
I said you use a mail merge for the process.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Are you saying it is not possible select a Contact and then create at Fax
cover page that automatically puts the contact's info in the word
template?

I have seen AutoText and Mail Merge but this does not work well for one
letter or fax for one contact...

Please comment on solution or thrid party add-in. Thanks

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with
"Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a fax
on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most
people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on
the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be
done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and
reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to
Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Tyson Paxton]

Thank you for clarification. I successfully did the Mail Merge, however by
the time I completed it I could have manually entered the data. Is there a
way to automate this via custom toolbar or some other Outlook feature I am
not familar with?

No. I did not say it was not possible.
I said you use a mail merge for the process.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Are you saying it is not possible select a Contact and then create at Fax
cover page that automatically puts the contact's info in the word
template?

I have seen AutoText and Mail Merge but this does not work well for one
letter or fax for one contact...

Please comment on solution or thrid party add-in. Thanks

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with
"Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a fax
on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most
people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on
the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be
done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and
reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to
Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Save the document you create for reuse as a merge document.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thank you for clarification. I successfully did the Mail Merge, however
by
the time I completed it I could have manually entered the data. Is there a
way to automate this via custom toolbar or some other Outlook feature I am
not familar with?

No. I did not say it was not possible.
I said you use a mail merge for the process.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Are you saying it is not possible select a Contact and then create at
Fax
cover page that automatically puts the contact's info in the word
template?

I have seen AutoText and Mail Merge but this does not work well for one
letter or fax for one contact...

Please comment on solution or thrid party add-in. Thanks

:

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with
"Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a
fax
on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most
people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on
the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be
done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and
reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact
and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to
Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list
of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new
or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Tyson Paxton]

I understand you can save the document with the merge fields already placed.
My issue is how many steps I have to go through to get the merged fax sheet.
for example...

1. select contact
2. choose mail merge
3. select merge document
4. word opens and merge to new document

Can this be automated? Macro? or am I doing something wrong...

Any chance letter wizard can help? where are the page designs for letter
wizard stored?

Save the document you create for reuse as a merge document.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thank you for clarification. I successfully did the Mail Merge, however
by
the time I completed it I could have manually entered the data. Is there a
way to automate this via custom toolbar or some other Outlook feature I am
not familar with?

No. I did not say it was not possible.
I said you use a mail merge for the process.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Are you saying it is not possible select a Contact and then create at
Fax
cover page that automatically puts the contact's info in the word
template?

I have seen AutoText and Mail Merge but this does not work well for one
letter or fax for one contact...

Please comment on solution or thrid party add-in. Thanks

:

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with
"Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send a
fax
on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business most
people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list on
the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily be
done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and
reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact
and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to
Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list
of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new
or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The Letter Wizard is even worse. This is the best Outlook can do.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I understand you can save the document with the merge fields already
placed.
My issue is how many steps I have to go through to get the merged fax
sheet.
for example...

1. select contact
2. choose mail merge
3. select merge document
4. word opens and merge to new document

Can this be automated? Macro? or am I doing something wrong...

Any chance letter wizard can help? where are the page designs for letter
wizard stored?

Save the document you create for reuse as a merge document.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thank you for clarification. I successfully did the Mail Merge,
however
by
the time I completed it I could have manually entered the data. Is
there a
way to automate this via custom toolbar or some other Outlook feature I
am
not familar with?

:

No. I did not say it was not possible.
I said you use a mail merge for the process.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message
Are you saying it is not possible select a Contact and then create
at
Fax
cover page that automatically puts the contact's info in the word
template?

I have seen AutoText and Mail Merge but this does not work well for
one
letter or fax for one contact...

Please comment on solution or thrid party add-in. Thanks

:

I agree.
The process is too cumbersome in Outlook.
You can send Outlook feature requests to (e-mail address removed) with
"Outlook"
in the subject and to (e-mail address removed)

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
If you have ever tried to quickly print a fax cover sheet to send
a
fax
on
a
fax machine, the steps involved are too complex. In business
most
people
use
repetitive forms that should be easily pick from a drop down list
on
the
menu
bar. There are add-ins from other vendors but this should easily
be
done
in
Outlook given the new direction of total business integration and
reducing
work times. Currently it is possible to right click on a Contact
and
print
all of the Contact info, it should be just as easy to print to
Templates
as
well as Labels and Envelopes.

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down
list
of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The
relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc.
There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a
new
or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.)
have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[ctc]

Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the merge is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[ctc]

Office XP, so outlook and word 2002.

I followed the word Mvp directions to create the word templates. They work
when launching a mailmerge from word, but it takes 28 mouse clicks and
numerous keystrokes. The info can be manually entered with less stress. So
much for the computer revolution.

I see that outlook can also launch mailmerge and I can navigate to my word
templates folder. Unfortunately outlook doesn't recognize the fields which is
bizarre because when launching mailmerge from word it knows which outlook
field to map to.

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the merge is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Seems to me as if you need to clarify expressly what you want to achieve and
post to the relevant group. We have no idea what you posted to the Word
group, nor the recommendations you received.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Office XP, so outlook and word 2002.

I followed the word Mvp directions to create the word templates. They work
when launching a mailmerge from word, but it takes 28 mouse clicks and
numerous keystrokes. The info can be manually entered with less stress. So
much for the computer revolution.

I see that outlook can also launch mailmerge and I can navigate to my word
templates folder. Unfortunately outlook doesn't recognize the fields which
is
bizarre because when launching mailmerge from word it knows which outlook
field to map to.

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the merge
is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[ctc]

How about simply answering my original question.

Seems to me as if you need to clarify expressly what you want to achieve and
post to the relevant group. We have no idea what you posted to the Word
group, nor the recommendations you received.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Office XP, so outlook and word 2002.

I followed the word Mvp directions to create the word templates. They work
when launching a mailmerge from word, but it takes 28 mouse clicks and
numerous keystrokes. The info can be manually entered with less stress. So
much for the computer revolution.

I see that outlook can also launch mailmerge and I can navigate to my word
templates folder. Unfortunately outlook doesn't recognize the fields which
is
bizarre because when launching mailmerge from word it knows which outlook
field to map to.

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the merge
is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I already told you as much as I can with the small amount of information you
provided.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

How about simply answering my original question.

Seems to me as if you need to clarify expressly what you want to achieve
and
post to the relevant group. We have no idea what you posted to the Word
group, nor the recommendations you received.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Office XP, so outlook and word 2002.

I followed the word Mvp directions to create the word templates. They
work
when launching a mailmerge from word, but it takes 28 mouse clicks and
numerous keystrokes. The info can be manually entered with less stress.
So
much for the computer revolution.

I see that outlook can also launch mailmerge and I can navigate to my
word
templates folder. Unfortunately outlook doesn't recognize the fields
which
is
bizarre because when launching mailmerge from word it knows which
outlook
field to map to.

:

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you
are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the
merge
is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list
of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new
or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[KTLittle]

aladdins office documents. this is a 3rd party product, but it works. you
create a template in word for the aladdins "Mail Merge", then there is a
toolbar in outlook you simply click it and you have a fax cover sheet created
in about 3 seconds and with two mouse clicks

How about simply answering my original question.

Seems to me as if you need to clarify expressly what you want to achieve and
post to the relevant group. We have no idea what you posted to the Word
group, nor the recommendations you received.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Office XP, so outlook and word 2002.

I followed the word Mvp directions to create the word templates. They work
when launching a mailmerge from word, but it takes 28 mouse clicks and
numerous keystrokes. The info can be manually entered with less stress. So
much for the computer revolution.

I see that outlook can also launch mailmerge and I can navigate to my word
templates folder. Unfortunately outlook doesn't recognize the fields which
is
bizarre because when launching mailmerge from word it knows which outlook
field to map to.

:

No way to answer you until you post your Outlook/Word version how you are
constructing your merge.
Normally, if one wants to use Outlook fields in a mail merge, the merge
is
started from Outlook, not Word.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook does not recognize any of the fields in my word templates.

How do I get outlook to recognize the fields in the word template?

:

Tried Tools > Mail Merge?

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
There needs to be an easy way to select a Contact or Group of
Contacts
and
then go to the Outlook Menu Bar and select from a drop down list of
templates
such as a form letter; fax cover sheet, memo, etc. The relevant
cantact
infomation should just drop in the corresponding Word doc. There
should
also
be an easy way to edit and insert fields from Contacts into a new or
existing
template. Every other contact manager (Act, Goldmine, etc.) have
this
standard feature. MS Outlook needs it now. Thanks.

 

[Nacho Billy]

I know exactly what xctx is looking for. A former ACT! user myself, it is
jello easy to create a letter to a contact in ACT!. Three clicks and we're
off. Mail merge is for mass mailings...not single documents. The current MS
overhead involved is ridiculous. 10 years ago I wanted to use OUTLOOK for a
contact manager and version 2007 still doesn't have what it takes. I need a
fast way to utilized Outlook data in word documents such as reports, fax
covers, envelopes and letters....and I don't want to go through the whole
mail-merge ordeal (which wastes e-paper!).

 

[GeorgeB]

I have the exact same problem---did anyone ever get a solution to this or was
the problem just ignored?
Thanks.

 

[Russ Valentine]

Do not multipost.

--
Russ Valentine

I have the exact same problem---did anyone ever get a solution to this or
was
the problem just ignored?
Thanks.