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MS Office Forum / Outlook / Contacts / February 2007distribution lists and/or bcc: and/or other to hide names in To:
What is the BEST way to send the same email message to a large group of customers, but control what the recipient sees in the "To:" field of the email they receive? Sample distribution list "MY CUSTOMERS" Miles Smith (msmith@abbott.com) Michael Dell (mdell@dell.com) Steve Ballmer (sballmer@microsoft.com) I know by default that when I choose a distribution list such as "MY CUSTOMERS" in the "To:" field when I create the message, it looks like To: + MY CUSTOMERS on my screen, but when the email is received by each person, their received email shows every individual name and email: To: Miles Smith (msmith@abbot.com; Michael Dell (mdell@dell.com); Steve Ballmer (sballmer@microsoft.com) I would rather have the recipient's email display just the distribution list name To: MY CUSTOMERS or ideally display with only their own name To: Michael Dell even though it was sent to tons of people. When creating the message, if I put nothing in the "To:" field and I put MY CUSTOMERS in the BCC field, it does hide all the names, but the message looks too blank and impersonal: From: Becky To: Cc: Subject: whatever If I put my own name in the To: field and the distribution list in the BCC then the received email really looks weird: From: Becky To: Becky CC: Subject: whatever Two options: 1. Use a mail merge if you want each recipient to see only their own name. 2. Create a dummy Contact that has the name of your DL and put it in the To: field while you put the actual DL in the BCC field.  SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] > What is the BEST way to send the same email message to a large group of > customers, but control what the recipient sees in the "To:" field of the [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > CC: > Subject: whatever I've done a mail merge where the form is an MS-Word doc, the data is in MS Excel and the output doc is an MS-Word letter that we print on paper. I've never done a mail merge where the form is an email, the data is a DL and the output doc is an email. Where can I find instructions to do that? > Two options: > 1. Use a mail merge if you want each recipient to see only their own name. [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > CC: > > Subject: whatever You can't mail merge to a DL. You'd have to create Contacts, which you should have done all along. DL's are not a reliable way to store Contact information. For an overview of mail merges take a look here: http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/printlabel.htm http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/mailmerge.htm http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011186361033.aspx SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] > I've done a mail merge where the form is an MS-Word doc, the data is in MS > Excel and the output doc is an MS-Word letter that we print on paper. [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] >> > CC: >> > Subject: whatever Thanks, Russ, I'll look at these. For this purpose, creating Contacts would not be correct, I don't think. These are temporary DL lists to send one-time-only reminders to customers whose insurance premiums are due the following month. I'm extracting the name and email info from a database and putting it in a DL, unless you know a way to import name and email into a Contacts folder that's unique? > You can't mail merge to a DL. You'd have to create Contacts, which you > should have done all along. DL's are not a reliable way to store Contact [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] > >> > CC: > >> > Subject: whatever If the data is already in a database, then putting it into Outlook is an extra step you may not need. Word's mail merge feature can use a database as its data source. If each list is for one-time use, a DL would be an expensive solution in terms of time spent. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Thanks, Russ, I'll look at these. For this purpose, creating Contacts would > not be correct, I don't think. These are temporary DL lists to send [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] >> >> > CC: >> >> > Subject: whatever Thanks, Sue, but the database is DATATRIEVE on our HP OpenVMS Alpha system, it's not Windows. I don't understand the implication when you say "If each list is for one-time use, a DL would be an expensive solution in terms of time spent.". Therefore, what SHOULD I do? If you yourself needed to send a one-time-only email to about 20 or 30 people who were not already in your Contacts, and someone had given you the list of names and emails as a fixed-column .TXT, what steps would you take to send that email? > If the data is already in a database, then putting it into Outlook is an extra step you may not need. Word's mail merge feature can use a database as its data source. > [quoted text clipped - 75 lines] > >> >> > CC: > >> >> > Subject: whatever The location of the database doesn't matter. All that should be required is that a connection can be made to it using ODBC, etc. If I had a .txt list of email addresses, I'd run a mail merge in Word and use that list as the data source. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Thanks, Sue, but the database is DATATRIEVE on our HP OpenVMS Alpha system, > it's not Windows. [quoted text clipped - 85 lines] >> >> >> > CC: >> >> >> > Subject: whatever But if it's merged into a Word document, then how does that Word doc get sent as an email? I'm only familiar with sending a merged Word doc to a printer to be printed on paper. > The location of the database doesn't matter. All that should be required is that a connection can be made to it using ODBC, etc. > [quoted text clipped - 89 lines] > >> >> >> > CC: > >> >> >> > Subject: whatever Okay, I think I know how to get started, but not how to complete it. How do I send it as an email? Here are the steps that I think I do know so far, are they right up to that point? Open a blank Word document Choose Tools> Letters and Mailings> Mail Merge On the right, choose the radio button “E-mail messages” On the right, Choose “Next: Starting Document” On the right, Choose “Next: Select Recipients” On the right, Choose “Browse” Use drop-down box to find the location of the .TXT file, and choose it Answer “OK” to all the Data Source windows until you are back to your blank document Choose “Next: Write Your Letter” and type in the text of your email address Choose “Next: Complete the Merge” At this point, it doesn't look right to me. Then how do I send that as an email? It seems to want to go to a printer to be printed. During the "Write your letter"part, is there a place where I'm supposed to embed the email address? > The location of the database doesn't matter. All that should be required is that a connection can be made to it using ODBC, etc. > [quoted text clipped - 89 lines] > >> >> >> > CC: > >> >> >> > Subject: whatever Yes, the Write Your Letter step is where you write the body of the email message that you want to send. It's probably easiest to display the Mail Merge toolbar, which has the Merge to E-mail button on it. When you click it, you'll see a dialog that asks you which of the fields from the data source contains the email addresses. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Okay, I think I know how to get started, but not how to complete it. How do > I send it as an email? Here are the steps that I think I do know so far, are [quoted text clipped - 120 lines] >> >> >> >> > CC: >> >> >> >> > Subject: whatever Great, I'm guessing that the "Merge to Email" button was the missing pice of the puzzle that had me confused. Let me go look at it and I'll let you know how it goes. Since it's a mail merge, I'm guessing that each message will appear to the recipient as if that message was sent only to them, as far as the text that appears in the TO: fiield, is that correct? > Yes, the Write Your Letter step is where you write the body of the email message that you want to send. > [quoted text clipped - 124 lines] > >> >> >> >> > CC: > >> >> >> >> > Subject: whatever Exactly! That's the beauty of using this technique. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Great, I'm guessing that the "Merge to Email" button was the missing pice of > the puzzle that had me confused. Let me go look at it and I'll let you know [quoted text clipped - 132 lines] >> >> >> >> >> > CC: >> >> >> >> >> > Subject: whatever I'm getting an error message something like: “A program is trying to access email addresses you have stored in Outlook. If this is unexpected it may be a virus and you should choose No.” I chose “Yes” but then it says “word couldn’t send mail because of MAPI failure. Here are the steps I did up to that point: Open the Word document that already contains the text of my email message. Choose Tools> Letters and Mailings> Mail Merge On the right, choose the radio button “E-mail messages” On the right, Choose “Next: Starting Document” On the right, Choose “Next: Select Recipients” On the right, "Choose “Browse” Use drop-down box to choose the location of the .TXT file, and choose it Answer “OK” to all the Data Source windows until you back to document Choose button "Merge to Email" > Exactly! That's the beauty of using this technique. > [quoted text clipped - 134 lines] > >> >> >> >> >> > CC: > >> >> >> >> >> > Subject: whatever Make sure you choose HTML as the message format. DId you tell us what version of Office you're using? SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > I'm getting an error message something like: “A program is trying to access > email addresses you have stored in Outlook. If this is unexpected it may be a [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > >> Exactly! That's the beauty of using this technique. >> >> > Great, I'm guessing that the "Merge to Email" button was the missing pice of [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] >> >> > >> >> >> If I had a .txt list of email addresses, I'd run a mail merge in Word and use that list as the data source. WooHoo, choosing HTML did the trick, the email messages were sent correctly! I'm using Outlook 2003. Thanks so much for your help! Becky > Since it's a mail merge, I'm guessing that each message will appear > to the recipient as if that message was sent only to them, as far as > the text that appears in the TO: fiield, is that correct? In fact, not only will it _appear_ that way, it will actually be that way. If you have, say, 75 recipients, then 75 distinct messages will be sent and if you have Outlook configured to save sent items, you'll get 75 messages added to Sent Items, or at least that's what happened to me. SignatureBrian Tillman Displaying the DL name is not an option unless you're working with a server-based DL. The best you can do from Outlook alone is fake it with a dummy address. To show individual names, use a mail merge with individual contacts. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > What is the BEST way to send the same email message to a large group of > customers, but control what the recipient sees in the "To:" field of the [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > CC: > Subject: whatever I could use a server-based DL for this situation, how would I do that? As far as mail merge, I've done a mail merge where the form is an MS-Word doc, the data is in MS Excel and the output doc is an MS-Word letter that we print on paper. I've never done a mail merge where the form is an email, the data is a DL and the output doc is an email. Where can I find instructions to do that? > Displaying the DL name is not an option unless you're working with a server-based DL. The best you can do from Outlook alone is fake it with a dummy address. > [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > CC: > > Subject: whatever Ask your network administrators. They'd be the ones managing server-based DLs. Or contract with free or commercial list host. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx >I could use a server-based DL for this situation, how would I do that? ha, ha, that's so funny...I am the network administrator!! Very inexperienced, practically pathetic except that I'm such a darn nice person ;-) I think it's very difficult to find complete and correct Microsoft instructions for common everyday business tasks, even for an intelligent person with good research skills. The Microsoft Help inside of software applications such as MS-Office is usually quite good with bolded commands and step-by-step instructions to complete smaller discrete tasks. But for slightly more complex but common business needs such as "How to gather name and email data from a database, import that info into Outlook and use it to send an email to all recipients on that list" it's practically impossible to get an answer. You should see my so-far-unsuccessful attempt over in the Exchange Administration newsgroup just to find out the correct way to rename a user's login and Exchange email address without having a bunch of things go wrong. Tons of other participants over there have submitted the exact same question multiple times over the last several months, but all of the answers are incorrect, incomplete or scattershot. > Ask your network administrators. They'd be the ones managing server-based DLs. > > Or contract with free or commercial list host. > > >I could use a server-based DL for this situation, how would I do that? |
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