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SDL Desktop - Creating RTF MailMerges from the DataGrid

This guide is for SDL Desktop users who want to keep using their existing renewal letter templates for mass mailings. Follow these steps when you want to convert a letter to RTF format with bracketed field placeholders, match those fields to the right datagrid, select records, and run a mail merge to print or export a batch of personalized letters as PDFs.

Using Mail Merge with SDL Desktop DataGrids

Many municipalities prefer to keep using their existing renewal letters with SDL Desktop records. The DataGrid's mail merge feature supports this. Word documents or PDFs can be converted to Rich Text Format (.rtf) and merged with SDL Desktop records, making mail blasts quick and easy.

Part 1: Create the Letter

  1. Choose your editor. Most people use Word, but any text editor that supports the .rtf format will work.
  2. Type and format the letter. Write the contents of the letter and format it as you like.
  3. Identify variable fields. Review the letter and note any field that will change from one letter to the next, such as the owner's name, address, city, state, or zip.

Part 2: Align the Letter with a DataGrid

  1. Choose a datagrid. This depends on what the letter is for. For example, a Mercantile renewal letter would use either the Mercantile Applications or Mercantile Licenses datagrid.
  2. Identify the fields you need. For a typical renewal letter, this usually includes:
    • Business Type or Class
    • Business Name
    • Business Address, City, State, and Zip
    • Business Phone and Fax
  3. Use Field Chooser to find fields easily. Right-click the datagrid and select Field Chooser. Click the Name column header to sort alphabetically; click it again to sort Z-A. This makes it easier to locate the fields you need.
  4. Insert the fields into the letter. In the letter, type an open bracket,  an exclamation point, the field name exactly as it appears in the datagrid, then a closing bracket, like this: [!FieldName].

Part 3: Select Records for the Merge

Once the fields, datagrid, and letter are ready, select the records to merge.

  1. Selecting a full range with Shift. Click the topmost record to select it, scroll to the bottom of the datagrid, hold Shift, and click the last record. All records in between will be highlighted.
  2. Selecting specific records with Ctrl. Click the first desired record, hold Ctrl, and click each additional record you want to include. Records can be selected in any order. Holding Ctrl and clicking an already-selected record deselects it.

Part 4: Run the Mail Merge

  1. Start the merge. With the desired records selected, click the Mail Merge button on the datagrid toolbar.
  2. Select the letter file. In the file picker, locate and open the .rtf letter created earlier.
  3. Wait for the preview to generate. A print preview will open as SDL Desktop generates the PDFs. Wait until no new pages are appearing before continuing.
  4. Print or export. Click Print in the top left to print directly, or click Export next to it to open a Save dialog and save all the letters as a single multi-page PDF.