Exact Synergy Enterprise

Getting started with Exact Word Merge

Overview

Exact Word Merge has been gaining credibility since its introduction in product update 249, in succeeding the old mail merge functionality to create letters and send e-mails in a corporate style. As part of the continuation in providing better solutions to day-to-day business operations, the new Word Merge functionality comes as a package in product update 250. Word Merge replaces the old mail merge functionality, with more new features and enhancements to the existing features.

How does Word Merge work?

For every company, it is of great significance that documents sent to external stakeholders or employees are professional and follow the guidelines of your company. There are a few crucial points to be considered when doing this. However, most importantly, creating a letter or sending an e-mail should be simple. To ensure this, the page where "it all happens" must be clear and to the point. The key elements here are the number and quality of templates available. The number of templates should be kept to a minimum, so that the end user can easily pick the right one. The quality of the templates should be guaranteed. The new Word Merge functionality takes care of all of this. Word Merge offers structured roles and rights control for schemas and templates management. With these enhancements elaborated in the following section, you will enjoy the possibility to merge all fields from all entities in a simple manner.

How to use Word Merge?

The Word Merge application allows users to create a letter or send an e-mail easily and the following features were offered in product update 249:

• User-friendly screen to allow easier creation of e-mails and letters.
• Ability to save a copy of a sent e-mail to Exact Synergy Enterprise.
• Server side merging with better performance and no tools needed on the client’s machine.
• Availability of templates based on roles and rights.
  • To maintain the standard document settings, function right 269 - Maintain standard settings for documents is required. By default, users with the Document administrator and Web administrator roles have this function right.
• Template functionality introduced.
  • You can define which templates can be used by other users.
  • You can define which templates can be maintained by other users.
  • You can define the language of the templates.
  • Templates are created in Microsoft Word.
• Schema functionality introduced.
  • To create a template, you will require a schema. The schema contains a set of merge tags which can be dragged into a template. While performing the merge, these tags will be replaced by the actual values, for example:
    {account name} = Exact International Development
  • Default schemas are provided with Word Merge. The merge tags in the schema are comparable with the merge fields currently in HTML merge.
  • You can create your own schemas.
  • You can define which schemas can be used by other users.  

What is new in product update 250?

As of product update 250, the new Word Merge application does not only perform single merge actions. It performs bulk merge actions as well. Now, you will be able to perform Word Merge from accounts, contacts, persons, and requests search results. For new customers, or when creating a database, the old mail merge functionality will no longer be available. Existing customers moving to product update 250 will still have the old mail merge functionality by default, which can be switched easily to the new Word Merge functionality.

The new features and enhancements to the existing features are as follows:

• New features introduced:
  • You can create Word Merge templates for quotations.
  • You can send portal messages in Word Merge. You will be able to define different template groups, such as activation, resetting, and deactivation of passwords to be used for both the customer and reseller portals.
  • You will be able to create letters and send e-mails directly from the project cards and quotation cards on a single merge.
  • You can perform bulk merge when creating letters and sending e-mails to a group of recipients based on accounts, contacts, requests, person, or people search results.
  • You can print bulk merged documents all at once instead of on an individual account via Exact Synergy Enterprise Document Downloader. 
  • You can use reference numbers on letters and e-mails. This enables you to track your letters and e-mails easily. Furthermore, you can use make use of this field to create your own templates.
• Enhancements on existing features:
  • You can now add recurring lines to quotation templates. With this enhancement, you can add multiple quotation items to the quotation templates including pictures.
  • You can use the information available in Exact Synergy Enterprise to create your templates by extending your merge schemas with the required fields.
  • You are now able to send e-mail messages, including attachments.
  • You have a simplified and improved process of creating letters or sending e-mails. Certain fields are predefined or set optional.
• Other areas of improvements:
  • Word Merge now supports multiple Exact Synergy Enterprise databases.
  • Word Merge now supports Windows authentication and Basic authentication.
  • Word Merge now supports metadata extension.
  • Word Merge now enables logging report on merging process.
  • Word Merge now supports installation with 32-bit and 64-bit.

Using Word Merge

• Activating New Word Merge setting
• Creating and modifying Word Merge schema groups
• Creating and modifying Word Merge schemas
• Extending Word Merge schemas
• Creating and modifying Word Merge template groups
• Creating and modifying Word Merge templates
• Creating e-mails with Word Merge on single processes
• Creating e-mails with Word Merge on bulk processes
• Creating letters with Word Merge on single processes
• Creating letters with Word Merge on bulk processes
• Exact video library
• Creating Word Merge templates from Word Merge schemas
• Installing Exact Word Merge Integrator
• Installing XML Mapping Task Pane for Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010
• Overview of Word Merge schema groups and schemas
• Overview of Word Merge template groups and templates
• Results visibility in template browser based on Word Merge template management setup
• Setting and modifying access rights for Word Merge schema groups and schemas - People
• Setting and modifying access rights for Word Merge schema groups and schemas - Roles
• Setting and modifying access rights for Word Merge template groups and templates - People
• Setting and modifying access rights for Word Merge template groups and templates - Roles
• Setting up documents
• Generating quotations using Word Merge
• Creating Word Merge templates for quotations with repeating lines
• Customizing and using Word Merge Reference number field
• Sending portal messages using Word Merge
• Viewing Word Merge log report
• Installing and using Exact Synergy Enterprise Document Downloader for printing bulk merged documents