Create a Mail Merge for Clients

The following article details how to create a letter or documents for multiple clients, traditionally referred to as a "Mail Merge".

Watch the tutorial and follow the steps below to get started with automating the creation of documents for a segmented client list.

Create Client List View

For this example, we will be selecting which clients should be included in the Mail Merge by using a "Mail Merge Required" Client Custom Field, and creating a Client View. After creating the Custom Field, the Bulk Update process is used to set the field to "True" for multiple clients.

Tip: Once the mail merge is complete you can bulk update clients to deselect the option, and re-use the custom field for different clients the next time you need to create a mail merge. 

Refer to Clients Bulk Update and Managing Custom Fields.

The Clients list is then filtered by the "Mail Merge Required" Custom Field, to display all clients with the custom field set to "True". 

Tip: Use the view to verify which clients will be in the mail merge before running the process.

For detailed information on the steps to create a view refer to the following:

• Adding/Removing/Moving Columns in the Documents Lists
• Sorting and Filtering Documents Lists
• Saving Changes to the View Layout, Modifying and Deleting Views.

Create the Custom Process

The following is an example of the Custom Process used to create the Mail Merge.

1. Navigate to Automation - Processes and click Add Custom Process.
   
   
2. Add the Name. In this example, the Name is set as "FYI: Mail Merge".
   
   
3. If required, add any additional details of the process to the Description field. 
   
   

4. The Trigger is set to “Manual” so the process can be run when required. To create a document regularly, for example on the 1st of July every year, set the trigger to “Schedule” and use a corresponding Custom Field for your use case e.g. Audit Shield Offer.
   
   

5. Enable the From Workspace and From List options. This allows you to run the process manually from the Client Lists and the Client - Processes tab.
   
   

6. Set the Filter to your requirements. In this example, we’ve used “Client - View Filter” and selected the Custom View “Mail Merge Required” created earlier. 
   

7. Set an appropriate team member as the Owner.

Add a Step to Create the Word Document

1. Click Add Step, select FYI Actions and click Create Word.
   
   
2. Expand the Action section and select the Stationery and Templates as required. 
   
3. Expand the Filing section and update the Filing parameters. 
   
   In this example, we have enabled AutoFile. The Filing Defaults for the client are used, if available. These settings are taken from the specific client the step is processed for. Where the client is part of a Client Group, the process ignores whether there is a client for the group set with the Include in Autofile setting (refer to Setting Filing Defaults for a Client).
   
   Enter the Name for the Word Document if required, otherwise, the document name will default from the Template settings when created. To use Merge Fields to personalise the document name refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations.
   
4. Fill in any other sections as required. For example, you could include a Comment on the document to mention a team member, or assign a Task to a team member if further action is required post creating the letter, such as a review.
   
   
5. Click Save to add the step. 

Test the Manual Custom Process

When setting up a Custom Process, it is very important to test it to ensure it is working as expected.

1. Click Test.
   

    

2. The Select Test pop-up displays a list of the data based on the Filter that has been set up in the Process. In this example, a list of clients matching the criteria will be displayed.
   

3. From the Select Test Client window either enter a client name or select from the client list. 
   
   

4. Click Run Test.
   
   

5. Navigate to the Client - Documents tab for the relevant Client to check that the Document has been created.

Refer also to Testing Custom Processes.

Set the Status of the Process to "Active"

When you are ready, click the Status toggle to set the process to "Active".

Running the Process

The Custom Process can be run from Automations - Processes by an FYI Admin, or a user in a User Group that has Permissions enabled for Automations.

1. Navigate to the Automations - Processes workspace.
   
   
2. Select the Process created earlier.
   
   
3. Click Run.
   

Review the Process History

When a Process has run (from a Test or at any other time) you can review the status and check what was processed. The Process can be reviewed by opening the process and clicking the History tab, or from the Client - Process History workspace for the relevant client.

Refer to Automation History, Client Processes and Process History and Client Process History Checklist.