Overview 

Mail Merge is a feature in Microsoft Word that enables users to author one template that can be used to produce customized and personalized documents. A template contains fields that are automatically filled in from a data source.

This article describes how to use NetPrintQueue2Fax to send out fax broadcasts from Microsoft Word using the Mail Merge feature.

Environment

Any FaxMaker installtion.

Solution

When sending a single fax to multiple recipients there are 4 major steps to take to complete this process. 

• Create the List of Contacts
• Create the Mail Merge
• Previewing the Fax
• Sending the Fax

Create the List of Contacts

The list of contacts can be created using Microsoft Excel. Perform the following procedure to create your list of contacts:

1. Open Microsoft Excel.
   
   
2. Create a list of contacts you wish to send your fax blast to, in the following format:
   
   
   • Column 1: Fax_Number
   • Column 2: Name
   • Column 3: Company
   • Column 4: Invoice_Number
     
     
   • Note: You can have as many columns and recipients as you like within the contact Excel Sheet.
     
     This is a sample table containing the recipient information:

      

     Fax Number	Name	Company
     +420313414515	Joe	ABC Inc.
     +441273123456	John	DEF Ltd.
     +420313414517	Steve	GHI Inc.
     +441273123458	Bob	JKL Ltd.
     +420313414519	Kevin	MNO Inc.

3. Save and close the contact sheet.

Creating the Mail Merge

1. Open Microsoft Word.
   
   
2. Click on the Mailings tab.
   
   
3. Click on the Start Mail Merge button and select Letters.
   
   
4. Now click on the Select Recipients button and select Use Existing List.
   
   
5. In the Select Data Source pop-up, specify the contact Excel sheet created in Step #1, and click on Open.
   
   
6. From the Select Table dialogue box, select 'Sheet1'.
   
   
   • Note: Ensure that the 'First row' of data containing column headers checkbox is selected.
     
     
7. At the beginning of the document, specify the recipient fields required by GFI FaxMaker to resolve the recipient. Type in the fields as specified in the NetPrintQueue2Fax configuration screen. For example, create a table in the document to show the recipient information as follows:

    

   To:

   Company:

   Fax:

    

8. Next to each label, insert the applicable Merge field.

    

   To: <<Name>>

   Company: <<Company>>

   Fax: <<Fax_Number>>

    

9. Type or add any text and graphics to include in your fax. You may insert more Merge fields in the content.

10. In a new line at the end of the document, add the characters @#. These 2 characters are referred to as the fax separator characters and are required to indicate to GFI FaxMaker that the next page is a new fax.

Previewing the Fax

Choose the Preview Results option in Microsoft Word. When this option is switched on, the merge fields in the document are populated with real data from your data source. Toggle through each record and verify that the fields are properly populated.

Sending the Fax

When you are sure that the fax broadcast is ready to be sent, choose to finish and print the merged documents. Select the NetPrintQueue2Fax printer driver and click Print.

NetPrintQueue2Fax submits the print job to GFI FaxMaker, which in turn prepares the documents for transmission. Track the status of the submitted faxes from the FaxMaker Monitor.

Confirmation

Verification of the sent faxes can be seen in the transmission reports of the sender, in their email box.  Here each separate fax can be viewed to ensure all of the information is correct and delivered correctly.