help...advice on how to do a mailing list and print envlopes

COOLTRIKERCHICK

sorry if this is posted in the wrong place, but wasnt to sure if i should post it here or on the tch board..

up until now i have been typing in the address into word, and then printing the envelopes....

i am now putting these contact details..addresses into outlook to save me going through the yellow pages to find their details all the time....

now this is where i need the help/advice....

when i am going to print an envelope to a certain person on my contacts in outlook.... how can i , or what do i need to do.... so that only the address prints on the envelope...

also when i go to a certain contact... and go to print.... the dl envelope option doesnt come up, only memo etc..

or is there an easier way of storing these addresses for when i need to print envelopes..... and letters...

thanks......

ffeindadifyr

I think you need to learn how to "MAil Merge" have a look here

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA010349201033.aspx

or google Mail Merge

ffeindadifyr

There's a nice tutorial here, axactly what you want to do:

http://mistupid.com/technical/mailmerge/

COOLTRIKERCHICK

oooo thanks peeps..... exactly what i needed..... will make myself a cuppa and sit down later when there is peace and quiet in the camp so to speak.....

Savvy_Sue

I am sure the tutorial will help, but I find it easiest to store my data in Excel. If you're not wanting to print the raw data (as I'm not) it seems far easier to set up something readable onscreen in Excel than it is in Word, where you are limited to the 'normal' page widths IYSWIM.

Also note that if you're planning to mailmerge letters, you need three columns for the name: I call mine Firstname, Surname and DEAR. Firstname and Surname are obvious, but DEAR is what needs to follow the salutation.

On an envelope or label the fields I'd use would be Firstname and Surname. On a letter I'd only use the Dear.

So Mr and Mrs H Savvy_Sue would be

Firstname: Mr and Mrs H
Surname: Savvy_Sue
DEAR: Husband and Wife or Mr and Mrs Savvy_Sue - depending on how formal I want to be.

Does that make sense?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks guys i have manged to get it sorted....

this is what i have done......
i have put names and addresses in my contacts in outlook..

then i go into word.... and press the tools button which then gives me the envelope/label option...so i press that....

then i get a little form ..which asks for the details.. put if i press the address icon on the form ..i can choose who's details go on the envelope....there is an option button for me to choose the size of the envelopes etc....

dont know if this is the easiest or a long way round.... but considering i am feeling my way round the computer.... i am pleased....

having all the addresses on the computer in this way will save me loads of time.... when i do my mail shots....etc...

right the next thing i need to do now is word another letter
to post out ( this part i really do hate....lol......)

Debt_Free_Chick

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

dont know if this is the easiest or a long way round.... but considering i am feeling my way round the computer.... i am pleased....

having all the addresses on the computer in this way will save me loads of time.... when i do my mail shots....etc...

Personally, I think this is the best way as you will only have one "database" for your contacts and that's in Outlook. I've seen far too many problems result from the fact that there is more than one data source - and the two don't match!

Of course, you could have two data sources - but then every time there's a change, you have two sets of data to update, rather than one.

You might want to use the categories for Contacts in Outlook e.g. Supplier, Customer etc in case you want to do a mail merge letter to all suppliers. You can do this by filtering the mail merge according to the category

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

You might want to use the categories for Contacts in Outlook e.g. Supplier, Customer etc in case you want to do a mail merge letter to all suppliers. You can do this by filtering the mail merge according to the category

thanks.....will do that... as the letters/mailshops will be identical.....


will have a play around later to try and work that out...lol...

fguk

Great advice so far from the other posters.

My bit of advice is slightly OT. Have you thought about window envelopes for your mail shots? That way you dont need to print envelopes, just the word document with the address lined up properly so when you fold it, its visible in the window.

I used to print the letters, print address labels, and buy stamps. So I had to stick stamps and address labels, fold and stuff the letters, then seal the envelopes (bowl of water and sponge!).

Through refinement I now print the letters, fold the letters (with a folding machine off ebay £60), stuff and use the self seal window envelopes from the Royal Mail, which are pre paid (1st or 2nd class). Saves me a bucket load of time.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

fguk wrote: »

Great advice so far from the other posters.

My bit of advice is slightly OT. Have you thought about window envelopes for your mail shots? That way you dont need to print envelopes, just the word document with the address lined up properly so when you fold it, its visible in the window.

I used to print the letters, print address labels, and buy stamps. So I had to stick stamps and address labels, fold and stuff the letters, then seal the envelopes (bowl of water and sponge!).

Through refinement I now print the letters, fold the letters (with a folding machine off ebay £60), stuff and use the self seal window envelopes from the Royal Mail, which are pre paid (1st or 2nd class). Saves me a bucket load of time.

thanks for that idea..... didnt think about the 'window envelopes'

i dont know how many mailshots you do ( sounds like quite a few ..lol....) but my mailshots will only be a few at a time.....

its mainly trying to tout for business......in my area.. ..

plus i will be advertising in the local community mag.....

to get the general public to support the business....


after my supply of envelopes run out... and i need to get more.. i will try and have a go at what you suggested...

thanks...

Debt_Free_Chick

fguk wrote: »

Have you thought about window envelopes for your mail shots? That way you dont need to print envelopes, just the word document with the address lined up properly so when you fold it, its visible in the window.

Set your margins so that the first line of the address is approx 5.5 cm from the top (remember to make an allowance for the date) and approx 3 cm in from the left. This way, the address will appear in the window envelope - with the letter unfolded, if a C4 envelope is used, or tri-folded if using a DL envelope (Geek!)