Setting Up Mail Merge Templates Without the Add-In

This article is part of the Mail Merge section.

Find all related articles here:

Mail Merge

 

Introduction

Below is a diagram of the process:

This article is for users who use Word's Mailings tab for mail merges instead of the Mail Merge Add-in provided by CPL.

This article shows how to use mail merge fields to create a personalised communication, similar to the example shown below, using the built-in Mailings functionality in Word.

In the example, any text inside square brackets is a merge field.

You can add mail merge fields to your template alongside your text.

When copying and pasting text, ensure it's in plain format. If copying from another source, first paste it into Notepad to remove hidden formatting, then copy it back into the template.

Adding Mail Merge Fields

Mail merge fields are placeholders that tell Word where to collect specific information from CPL for each recipient. They define what data needs to be inserted, where it’s coming from and where it should appear in your document. 

This customisation allows Word to tailor each communication for individual clients or contractors.

Consider which parts of your document will differ for each recipient, such as addresses, balances or other personalised details. Place the corresponding merge fields in these sections.

You can find a list of available mail merge fields to use in your template here.

Steps to Insert Mail Merge Fields:

1. Open a new Word document. Or, if you want to use standard headers and footers, open the blank template you created earlier.
   

1. Click the Mailings tab on Word’s menu ribbon:
   
   
   
   
2. Click Select Recipients.
   
   
3. Select Use an Existing List from the drop-down menu to open the Select Data Source window:
   
   
   
   
4. Browse to the RPMserverMailMerge.udl file, typically located in the CPL/RPM drive in the RPM_DOCS folder. Double-click it to open it: 
   
   
   

1. In the Select Table window, scroll down to find tables starting with 'uvw_MM':
   
   
   
   
2. These tables are mail merge-compatible and will allow you to add fields to your document.
   

UVW_MM options suffixed with  _X are outdated and no longer in use.

1. Here are descriptions for each table:
   
   
1. UVW_MMBuyerSeller: For buyer and seller communication.
   
   
2. UVW_MMClientDetails: For general client communication.
   
   
3. UVW_MMClientInsurance: For insurance-related communications.
   
   
4. UVW_MMClientNotices: For debt management communication.
   
   
5. UVW_MMclientsales: For communication related to property sales.
   
   
6. UVW_MMDevContactDetails: For development-wide communication.
   
   
7. UVW_MMEstimateRequest: For contractor estimates.
   
   
8. UVW_MMPLDetails: For purchase ledger communication (typically with your contractors).
   
   
9. UVW_MMProposedWorks: For proposed works communication.
   
10. 
    
11. UVW_MMSolicitorSalesLetters: For property sales letters addressed to solicitors.
    
    
2. Select the appropriate table and click OK.
   

You can only select fields from one table per template.

1. The Select Table window will close, and you will return to your Word document.
   
   
2. The Insert Merge Field option will now be available in the Mailings ribbon, allowing you to select and insert the fields you want to use in your document:
   
   
   
   
3. To insert Mail Merge fields:
   
   
1. Place the cursor where you want to insert a merge field:
   
   
   
   
2. In the Mailings ribbon, click Insert Merge Field to display available fields::
   
   

Click the label, not the arrow, as the arrow only shows the most recently used fields.

1. In the Insert Merge Field window, make sure the radio button is set to Database Fields, then either double-click a field to select it or single-click it and click Insert:
   
   
   
   
   
2. Example result:
   
   
   
   
3. To insert more fields, move to the next position in your document and repeat the process:
   
   

If a field name doesn't fully display due to a space, click the field and press Alt + F9 to view the full name.

Finalising Your Template

1. After inserting all fields, close the Insert Merge Field window.
   
   
2. Save your document template on your computer or network.
   
   
3. To make it available to all CPL users, add it to the CPL directory. For instructions, refer to this article.

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