Hi Everyone,
Here are the step by step instructions I built to answer a partner and prospect question about being able to build labels within SageCRM. The attached zip file contains a PDF file with instructions on how to build your own labels, and then two Word Documents that relate to the steps in the PDF file. The Step 16 file is just before you update all the labels. The Step 17 file is the final file after updating all the labels. See the instructions for Step 16 and Step 17 in the PDF file. Click here to download the zip file.
The following is a re-cap of the attached PDF file. The images have been removed to simplify the posting. For full details and related images at most steps see the attached zip file.
Assumptions:
SageCRM version: 6.1 (any edition 100 or 200)
Office version: 2003
Overview:
There are three parts to this process:
- Part 1: Gather Fields needed for Labels
- Part 2: Build Word Label Template
- Part 3: Process for using Label Template with SageCRM.com and SageCRM
Part 1: Gather Fields needed for Labels:
There are a series of steps that must be completed to build a template that can be used to print labels with data from SageCRM or SageCRM.com.
Here is an over of the steps required to build a document template to be used with SageCRM/SageCRM.com.
1. Decide what template is required. (I will be using an example of Avery labels 5160.)
2. Decide which data will be used from within SageCRM. (I will use Person.)
(i.e. our list will be based on which entity from within SageCRM.)
a. Company?
b. Person?
c. Lead?
3. Based on step 2, create a list you have two types to choose from, a target list or a dynamic group. Marketing | Target Lists | New or Find | <entity> | New search button top right corner. (I will use a Dynamic Search.)
Now we need to Create the template.
a. Find and Select an existing Person Record.
b. Right click on New Select Document.
4. Select Create New Local Template
5. and then click on continue
6. Now you will need to go to word, it should be opened automatically by CRM if it is not already open. You will then see in word the following messages. Click Yes.
7. Click Yes.
8. After the previous steps you should now see Microsoft Word open.
At this point we are done with Part 1. What did the previous 9 steps achieve? This populates the file that SageCRM uses to perform the mail merge.
So what is the name of the file that is populated? The file is named eWareMerge0.dat. It is
populated via the ActiveX control that is installed as part of the document drop feature of SageCRM.
Where is this file located? C:\Documents and Settings\[current_logged_on_user]\Local Settings\Temp.
If you do not see the Local Settings folder then you have to turn on the ability to see hidden files and folders. To do this open the program Windows Explorer, then select Tools | Folder Options.
Now that you have Folder Options open, select the View tab. And select the radio button option of “Show hidden files and folders”, as shown below. Click Apply and OK. Now you should be able to see the Local Settings folder described above.
Part 2: Build Word Label Template:
At this point we need to build the Label Template that you want to mail merge with SageCRM.
1. Here is where you should be, within the document that was just created.
2. From within the newly created document select Tools | Letters and Mailings | Mail Merge…
Once the Mail Merge Wizard appears on the right select
the “Previous: Starting document” hyperlink (Step 3 of 6). And Select Previous: Select document type (Step 2o f 6).
3. Within the Mail Merge Wizard select the Labels option and click Next to continue,
as shown below.
4. Now select “Use the current document” and then click on “Next: Select recipients”, as shown below.
5. Now select label options and choose the label template you will be using.
6. Once you have selected your label type (I selected 5160) click on OK.
7. Then a warning will appear, click OK, see print screen below for warning message.
Now the Mail Merge document should contain a table with rows and columns.
8. Now click on Next: Select recipients.
9. If you started this from within SageCRM you should see an option to use an existing list, and the mail merge file that SageCRM creates locally should already be referenced, you can skip to step next step. If not then proceed to the optional steps listed within this one step.
a. Optional Steps:
i. Now click on the browse option.
ii. Now browse to the actual location of where the eWareMerge0.dat file, C:\Documents and Settings\[current_logged_on_user]\Local Settings\Temp. See Part 1 step 9 above for direction on how to access the hidden folder of “Local Settings”.
iii. Once the folder is select you must choose to view “All Files (*.*)”, if you do not do this you will not see our file.
iv. Now Select the file and click on Open.
v. Click OK, as shown below.
vi. Now we are DONE WITH THE additional OPTIONAL STEPS.
10. If you skipped the optional steps above, you need to do this step, now select the option “Edit recipient list…”. If you had to follow the optional steps above then skip this one step and proceed on.
You will then see the Mail Merge Recipients screen, click OK.
Now the Word document should look something like this (with “«Next Record»”) in each label.
11. Now click on Next: Arrange your labels.
At this point you should be on Step 4 of 6 in the wizard. Within the Arrange your labels
area select the More items… option.
12. Now the mail merge fields available from the SageCRM file should be shown, see print screen.
13. Now select all the fields you would like on your label. You will need to manually add in the spaces between each field. I typically select all my fields and then clean up the spacing and formatting afterwards. This is what my first cell looks like before formatting. This is what my first cell looks like after formatting (I set my values to Font Type = Arial, Size = 8):
14. At this point I now need to apply my changes to ALL the Cells within the Avery Label 5160 template. To do this click on the Mail Merge Wizard option of Update all Labels. Important NOTE: Notice how each cell after the first top left one has the <<Next Record>> option. This is what makes the labels merge all the different values from the eWareMerge0.dat file into the individual cells.
Please note the print screen below when the fields are highlighted they have grey boxes around them. That means the fields are still recognized as merge field values. In comparison if you look at the next print screen you see red lines under the merge fields, that means the fields were converted to text and are NO LONGER merge field values. START OVER AND DO IT AGAIN. YOU did something wrong.
15. At this point save the Labels to a folder on your machine. Take note of this location because you will need to point to this file from within SageCRM to use it. (You can upload this file as a template, this is explained within SageCRM Mail Merge Chapter of the System Administrator Guide.pdf.
16. PREVIEWING THE LABELS OPTIONAL.
Now click on Next: Preview your labels.
17. Preview of my Label:
18. Now click on Next: Complete the mail merge.
19. Now on the last step click on Edit Individual Labels…
Now you should have a new document with the Merge Label. Close this out and save it if you want it.
20. Now CLOSE save that file to your desktop. And close out Word.
Part 3: Process for using Label Template with SageCRM.com and SageCRM
1. Based on step 3, select the list you created. You have two types to choose from, a target list or a dynamic group. Marketing | Target Lists | New or Find | <entity> | New search button top right corner (see print screen below). (I will use a Dynamic Search, Texas Territory) Then click on the find button. The results should then appear at the bottom of the screen.
2. Now click on the New Document to the right of the Search Results.
3. Now select the option to mail merge with a local template. And then click on continue.
Select your document; I have selected mine in the print screen below. Then click on Open.
4. And then the system generates a mail merge document with all the labels from the group selected.
Now go back to SageCRM and complete the communication for the entire group. Note: The communication will take the template not the finished mail merge labels. So, when you save the communication the Mail Merge results will remain open so you can do with them as you need, i.e. print, save, etc…
5. Done.
with
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