Overview: HowNow's merge document feature automates the creation of personalized Microsoft Word documents, such as letters and forms, by pulling data from your contact database. If the Records module is enabled, these documents are automatically saved as records.
Before You Begin: Essential Setup
Before you can run merge documents, your HowNow Administrator must ensure the following is configured:
Contact Database: The relevant contact, along with their address and other necessary details, must exist in the contacts database.
Word Document Templates: Microsoft Word document templates must be stored in the HowNow database. These templates need to contain bookmarks that specify the type of data to be merged and where it should appear in the document.
Master Style Template (Optional): An optional Microsoft Word template, defining the document's style (e.g., letterhead, page layout, fonts), can be used. This template must be stored in the HowNow database with the document type ‘Master Style’. For more details, refer to your documentation on Master Style Templates.
How to Run a Merge Document
Follow these steps to generate your merge document.
Note: HowNow remembers many of your settings on a per-user basis, making it easier to prepare merge documents next time.
Open the Document Template:
Locate and open the required document template within HowNow.
If the Document Has Merge Fields option is checked in the document's profile, the Merge Document dialog will automatically appear.
If this option is not checked, HowNow will treat it as a normal document, ignoring any bookmarks.
Configure Merge Document Options:
The Merge Document dialog allows you to customize how your document is generated
Style Template
Select the desired Style Template to define the document's appearance.
If a style template isn't needed, choose ‘N/A’.
Note: If a document already has a style template attached, it will be the default selection.
For Administrators/Content Administrators: If you modify a master style template, HowNow will prompt you to save the changes back to the template.
Data Source and Record LocationArea, Contact, and Location fields: Select the source for your merge data.
If the Records module is installed, also specify the Location (and any sub-location) where the resulting record document will be saved.
Note: If you select a range of contacts, HowNow will automatically create a separate record for each contact.
Title/Subject
This field is mandatory. The text entered here becomes the name of the resulting record document and the value for the
HowNowSubjectbookmark.You can also choose from a dropdown list of standard titles.
Note: The title can automatically include the record ID, contact field values, or dates. See your documentation on Standard Record Titles for more information.
Reference
Only use this field if a specific reference is required in the document.
In most cases, this field is not needed as HowNow letter templates often include an automatic reference field.
Note: If used, HowNow bookmarks can be embedded in this field to generate an automatic reference.
Greetings
Select a greeting from the dropdown list or type your custom greeting directly into the field.
Signoff
Select a signoff from the dropdown list or type your custom signoff directly into the field.
Signatory Details
Signatory Name and Position: Select these from the dropdown list, which is populated from the employee list and their details.
Note: If
SignatoryNameorSignatoryInitialsfields are available in the contact's details, HowNow will use those values instead of the selected Signatory.
Alternative Contact
Check the Alternative Required field and select an alternative contact’s name if needed.
Note: The
HowNowSelectTextbookmark can be used in your template to insert appropriate text based on whether an alternative contact is selected.
Staff Roles (Preparer, Manager, Partner, Reviewer)
These fields allow you to insert the names of the Preparer, Manager, Partner, or Reviewer into the document using bookmarks like
HowNowPreparer,HowNowManager(orReviewer), orHowNowPartner.If the Records module is installed, these fields can also be used to filter the resulting records.
Note: If
PartnerName,PartnerInitials,ManagerName, orManagerInitialsfields are available in the contact's details, HowNow will use those values instead of the selections made here.
Record Status (Records Module Only)
If the Records module is installed, use Record Status to set the status of the new record (e.g., Draft, Final). The default is ‘Draft’.
Action After Creation
Print: Select this option to print the document immediately after it's created.
Edit: Select this option to open the document for editing after creation.
Batch (Records Module Only): If the Records module is installed, select this option to create a ‘batch’ of documents for later processing. A global batch number will appear next to the Batch button, which can be used in Records to access this batch.
Diagnostic Mode (Administrators/Content Administrators Only)
Check the Diagnostic Mode checkbox to enable built-in diagnostics. This is helpful for debugging document templates.
In diagnostic mode, HowNow displays the text of each
SelectTextbookmark before it is executed.
Create the Document(s):
Click the Create button.
HowNow will generate the merge document(s).
If the Records module is installed, the resulting document(s) will be stored in the Records database.
Handling Additional Data Prompts
In some cases, your merge document template might be set up to require additional, optional data.
AskData Screen: If this is the case, the AskData screen will appear after you click 'Create'.
Enter the requested information into the fields provided.
There might be a few items or many, potentially across multiple pages if answering one question triggers further requests.
Complete the Merge: Click OK on the AskData screen when you have entered all necessary information to complete the merge.
Batch Merges with Repeated Data: If you are running a batch of merge documents (multiple contacts selected), the AskData screen may offer a Repeat select box (usually in the top right). Checking this option will use the same additional data you enter for all documents in that batch.
