PC Training - Mail Merge/Filemaker Pro and Microsoft Word

You may use Filemaker Pro to create your database which can be used for inside addresses, labels, etc. and MS Word  for
the form letter. They work well together to do a mail merge.

Open Filemaker Pro and select Create a new empty file. A blank window similar to the completed window below will
appear.  Define and create the fields listed.

To create (define) fields, type the Field Name, click the radio button beside the field type, then press Enter or click Create. You may set options when creating fields by clicking on Options and setting options, i.e., auto update, auto enter.

Once you have defined all the fields you want, click on the Done button.

Go to File => Define Fields.  This will bring up the window above. Select the “Last Modified” field then click on the Options menu button. The window below will appear.

Check the box beside the; click the downward pointing arrow beside Creation Date and select Modification Date; click OK. When data is entered or modified, the date will automatically be entered for you. Then click the Done button.

You are now ready to begin entering data.

Entering Your Data:

(Remember, you must be in Browse mode to enter or edit data.)

To find which mode you are in, you can look in the lower left corner of your window or go to View and see which mode is
selected.

To move between fields use the tab key, the arrow keys,or move the cursor to the field where you want to enter data and click.

To get a new record go to Records => New Record or press Ctrl N.

Enter the information below (to practice with the training exercise).

You do not have to save when you finish entering your data--Filemaker saves as you go.

Data used for exercise

Mr. John Farmer
5130 E 500 S
Your Town, IN  12345

Ms. Helen Producer
123 South St.
Suite 5A
Anywhere, IN 34567

The Honorable Nathan Haycutter
Courthouse Room 14
PO Box 1234
Someplace, IL 45678

Representative Samantha Public
55442 East St.
Nowhere, IN 67890
 

Our next step is to export the data to a merge file for use with Mail Merge in Word.

Go to File => Export Records.  Select the drive where you want to save the merge file and name the file.  For the purposes of this exercise we will save it to P: and name it "train".  In the Save as type: field from the drop down list, select Merge Files (*.mer); click on Save.

You will see the window below.

Select the field(s) you want to use in your merge; click the Move or Move All button; click on Export.

The window disappears when your file has been exported.  You can now exit Filemaker.

Now open Microsoft Word and create a new blank document.

Go to Tools => Mail Merge

1.    Main Document
        Select Create Main Document and choose one of the options.
                Form Letters
                Labels
                Envelopes
                Catalogs
        For the exercise we will use Form Letter
        Choose Active Window

2.    Data Source
        Get Data (select one of the options listed)
                Create Data Source (to create a data list)
                Open Data Source (use an existing merge list)
        For the exercise we will Open Data Source–d:/train.mer

Word will give you a message that you have no fields in your main document. Go to Main Document => Edit to insert merge fields.  Click the OK button and it will take you right to the main document.

In the main document.
On the merge tool bar click Insert Merge Field; click on the field you want to insert. It will be inserted in the merge document at the cursor location.

Continue until you have set up the inside address in the form letter or the layout of the labels you are using. Remember to insert spaces and/or punctuation between fields as appropriate.

If you are creating a form letter, type the text of the letter.

Now click on Merge in the merge toolbar.
Make sure Merge to New Document is selected.
Click on Merge.

Your letters or labels will appear in a new document window, one below the other.