Mail Merge with Enhanced Email Features

Overview

• Today’s focus: Using Word Mail Merge to send emails with additional features missing from the standard version.
• Features include:
  • Adding attachments
  • Custom subject lines
  • Saving emails in drafts for review before sending.

Previous Video Recap

• Previous video covered creating PDF documents using Word Mail Merge.
• This video will show how to send those PDFs as email attachments using an enhanced mail merge method.

Added Features

1. Save Emails in Drafts

• Avoid sending out many emails with errors.
• Allows checking and editing of each draft before sending.

2. Custom Subject Lines

• Personalize subject lines to increase engagement.
• Avoid generic subjects that may lead to emails being ignored.

3. Attachments

• Add one or more custom documents as attachments to emails.

4. Selection of Sending Account

• Choose the account to send from.
• Ability to send as or on behalf of someone else.

5. Standard Email Features

• CC, BCC, delay delivery, read receipts, delivery receipts, importance, and sensitivity settings.

Implementation Process

Step 1: Adding the Macro

• Visit the website to copy the macro.
• Instructions provided to add the macro into Word.
• Macro extracts email data from the mail merge data source.

Step 2: Setting Up Data in Excel

• Ensure field headings are in the top row of the spreadsheet, with data below.
• Important field headers:
  • To
  • CC
  • BCC
  • Subject
  • Importance
  • Sensitivity
  • Read Receipt
  • Delivery Receipt
  • Delivery Time
  • Account
  • Send As
  • Attachment

Step 3: Customizing Fields

• Fields can be left blank to ignore them in the emails.
• Use formulas to create dynamic content for subject lines and other fields.

Step 4: Running the Macro

• The macro creates drafts or sends the emails based on user selection.
• Default option saves emails into drafts.
• Option to cancel the operation anytime.

Drafts and Sending Emails

• Drafts allow for verifying email content before final sending.
• After checking drafts, emails can be sent out in bulk.

Macro Walkthrough

Key Elements to Understand

• Creating Email from Mail Merge Data: Saves data as HTML and reads it back for email formatting.
• Looping through Records: Processes each record in the mail merge.
• Email Address Validation: Ensures valid addresses are present; invalid rows are ignored.
• Setting Email Properties: Assigns fields from the mail merge to the email properties (to, cc, bcc, subject, etc.).
• Attachment Handling: Supports multiple attachments by checking for appropriately named fields.

Conclusion

• The enhanced mail merge system allows for greater control and personalization when sending emails.
• Encourages checking drafts to ensure accuracy.
• Visit the website for more resources and articles.