Mail merge
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Mail merge is a software function describing the production of multiple (and potentially large numbers of) documents from a single template form and a structured data source.
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[edit] History
MailMerge was originally the name of a utility supplied with MultiMate an early word processing product for the IBM PC, patterned after Wang word processors. This technique of merging data to create gave rise to the term mail merge. MicroPro International asserted a trademark to the term "MailMerge," which was a feature in its WordStar word processor and a free-standing application/add-on product, named MailMerge. MicroPro founder Seymour Rubinstein claims to have originated the term "MailMerge" and that the trademark was later infringed by Microsoft, though the trademark was not defended.[1]
[edit] Modern usage
Now used generically, the term mail merge is a process to create personalized letters and pre-addressed envelopes or mailing labels for mass mailings from a word processing document which contains fixed text, which will be the same in each output document, and variables, which act as placeholders that are replaced by text from the data source.
The data source is typically a spreadsheet or a database which has a field or column each variable in the template. When the mail merge is run, the word processing system creates an output document for each row in the database, using the fixed text exactly as it appears in the template, but substituting the data variables in the template with the values from the matching columns.
[edit] Common usages
A common usage is for creating "personalised" letters, where a template is created, with a field for "first name", for example. The templated letter says "Dear <Firstname>", and when executed, the mail merge creates a letter for each record in the database, so it appears the letter is more personal.
Another common usage is for creating address labels from a Customer Relationship Management database, or for mass emails with pertinent information in them, perhaps a username and password.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Rubinstein, Seymour (May 7). "An Interview with SEYMOUR RUBINSTEIN OH 391" (in English). University of Minnesota, Charles Babbage Institute. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. http://purl.umn.edu/107613. Retrieved 1/24/2012. ""By the way, Microsoft adopted that term, but I invented it. I have a trademark on it, but I never filed the trademark. But I used to put it down with a little ™ next to it, and they stole it. And if you ask Bill Gates about it, he'll own up to it.""
[edit] External links
- The Complete User Guide To Mail Merge Word 2003 & Mail Merge Word 2007 Using Microsoft Office.
- WordMerge Freeware Document Framework
- Mail merge with Openoffice.org
