Can I automate a Mail Merge from Outlook

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Nunjafush - 19 Apr 2008 01:42 GMT

I currently have a mail merge process that works fine manually but it is
tedious to do many times every day, so I'm wondering if I can automate it
using VBA (I am an Oracle programmer, but I don't know VBA, so I'm hoping
this isn't going to be completely over my head).

What I am currently doing is creating a Job Card (for whenever an
appointment is made to see a client) by merging client contact details in
Outlook to a Word document (merging fields from Outlook such as name,
address, phone number, etc).

The process I would like to automate is from after I have selected the
client (ie, highlighting the client in the Outlook Contacts list).

The current manual process is:
1. In Outlook, click on Tools > Mail Merge,
2. Select "Only selected contacts" (and it is only ever 1 client that I
select at a time),
3. Select "Existing document",
4. Browse for the document (and it is always the same document),
5. Click on OK,
6. Now we're in Word, click on the "Merge to New Document" button in the
Merge Toolbar,
7. Click on OK.

Is this too difficult for someone who doesn't know VBA?

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Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook] - 21 Apr 2008 14:50 GMT

You can certainly do it but whether or not it's "too difficult for someone
who doesn't know VBA" depends on your programming skills and how quickly you
learn a new language.

Search on www.outlookcode.com for Word merges, there are a number of samples
there that you can use as a starting point. If you then have any questions
probably we can answer them here.

Signature

Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Professional Programming Outlook 2007
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm

>I currently have a mail merge process that works fine manually but it is
> tedious to do many times every day, so I'm wondering if I can automate it
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Is this too difficult for someone who doesn't know VBA?

Reply to this Message

Nunjafush - 29 Apr 2008 12:50 GMT

Hi Ken,

I've been having an impossible time trying to reply to threads in the
discussion group using IE7 so I've had to resort to Firefox to be able to
reply!!!

Anyhow, I found a solution to half of the problem at the VB Forums (See
here: http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=285378 ) .

I only had to make some minor changes to get it to work in my situation.
However, the automation stops as soon as control switches to Word.

Once it gets into Word, all I'd really like it to be able to do is
automatically click on the Merge to New Document button and then click on Ok
when it asks which records to use.

I'll see if I can find something in that OutlookCode website unless somebody
else can suggest something.

> You can certainly do it but whether or not it's "too difficult for someone
> who doesn't know VBA" depends on your programming skills and how quickly you
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> >
> > Is this too difficult for someone who doesn't know VBA?

Reply to this Message