CP - List Mailer

Export to Word Merge

Export to Email Merge

Use Email where possible

The 'Export to Word Merge' and 'Export to Email Merge' will produce a comma-separated values file (CSV) with a .txt extension. 

This file can then be used as a data source for merging with letters, emails and label templates.

A suggested methodology for using this:

• Where you want to use email for people who have valid email addresses, and

• Then create a Word Merge for people who don't have email is:

1.  Select 'Export to Word Merge' and check the 'Use email where possible' option. This will get all of the people who don't have email addresses. Use this merge file to create your letter using Microsoft Word®.

2. Then select 'Export to Email Merge'. This will get all of the people who do have a valid email address. Use this merge file to create your dynamic email using the email merge within Microsoft Word®. You can use Word® to produce a personalised email for each person represented in the merge file.

Click here for more information on Word Merge files.

Word Merge

Word Merge export files are produced from various TASS.web or Staff Kiosk programs to extract a set of merge field codes and students/parents/employees details in a format required to insert into a Word Merge document.
Word Merge documents can be used for two purposes:

1. To produce a personalised document for each recipient containing the recipient's own details in place of the merge fields.
   Example: School enrolment letters are printed for all incoming families. Each letter includes data extracted from TASS.web and is personalised for each recipient, such as the student and parent names and addresses, entry year group etc.

2. To attach to an Email Template A PDF is attached as each email is sent containing the recipient's own details in place of the merge fields.
   Example: Attendance emails to parents regarding their child's attendance. A PDF attachment is generated and attached at the time of sending the emails, personalised for each recipient.

• The PDF Conversion API is required to attach Word Merge Files to Email Templates.

• Word Merge documents can be attached to the following Email Template categories:  Attendance, Enrolment, Immunisation Register, Parent Accounts, Parent Lounge Licences, Pastoral Care, Student Immunisations, Student Records, and Transfer Notes (WA).

Create a Word Merge document:

1. Generate the Word Merge export file.
   Use the selection criteria from the appropriate program to produce a file that includes the desired merge fields headings and recipient details.
   Select the 'Word Merge file' export button, usually found on the Print tab. If no word merge button exists, use the Excel export option and save as a csv file.

A PDF report entitled 'Students with no Communication Rules' will display if there are issues with your selection. These must be fixed before the export can be processed.

2. Create your Word Merge document.
   Follow the steps in Word using the Mailings > Step-by-Step Mail Merge Wizard. Select the word merge export file generated above, and insert merge fields into the document wherever the personalised data will be populated. Preview the document but do not select 'Complete the merge'.
   Save the document. Print if desired.

3. To attach the Word Merge file to an Email Template:
   Create an email template and attach the Word Merge document created above.
   TASS.web program System Admin > Utilities > Email Settings

Export to Excel

The 'Export to Excel' option will produce an Excel® spreadsheet containing all of the people in the list selected, including their addresses, phone numbers, email address and person user-definable data.

Email via SMTP

You would use this option where you want to send an email to all recipients in this list individually via SMTP format (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

If you choose this option, you will be forced to key the email 'From', 'Subject' and 'Message' into this program.

TASS.web will initiate the email directly. There is no need to copy email addresses generated into your email product (e.g. Outlook).

This option may assist in certain countries where SPAM filters may stop the production of bulk emails from a single email address, making the 'Use Email where possible' option above unworkable.

'Email via SMTP' creates a separate email for each recipient.

You can include an attachment to emails created this way by adding a 'Correspondence log' and selecting a 'Correspondence item' that has been set up with an attachment.

If you select 'Email via SMTP' an 'SMTP Email Options' section of the screen will be displayed with the following fields:

Remove Household Duplicates

When selected the system will consolidate entries in the list that have the same Address barcode and 'Household Name' to one entry. It will also substitute the salutation with the common value that is present in the 'Household Name' fields.

Example

An example of where this would get used is when doing a whole of school mail out, and two entries appear in the list that has an identical address (i.e. A Past Student (e.g. Max McGee) is still living with his parents (e.g. Mr & Mrs McGee), who still have a younger child attending the school).  

By placing a value of 'The McGee Family' in the Household Address field for all of the person records at that address, the system will then remove the duplicate addresses and consolidate them into one, and addressing the article would then be changed to the Household Name being 'The McGee family'.

To find the duplicate addresses within a mailing list, use the 'Duplicate Address Report' available from this program.

Exclude Deceased

When ticked, any person defined in the current list who has been flagged as Deceased will be removed from the file produced.

You would only untick this option if you were using the 'Export to Excel' option to generate a report.

Extended UD Area

Select an 'Extended UD Area' from the list, to include those Extended User Definable fields in the file produced, for each person included.