Advanced Query Family Mailmerges

Abstract

The Capable 21C Advanced Query feature can produce mailing labels automatically, but it cannot produce Family mailing labels automatically.  This knowledgebase article explains alternative ways to produce the desired style of Family labels.

Underlying challenge

The data source that is created by the Advanced Query feature does not include the Family Name as an output field.  This means that it is not possible for the family name to be automatically merged into the resultant mailing documents or labels.

Two alternative solutions are posed in the resolution section below.  Both of these solutions involve some knowledge of Microsoft Word and its mailmerge features.

Resolution

Use the surname field to simulate the family name in the output labels.  This forces all labels to show "The Smith Family" on the first line.

  1. To do this, alter the label template so that instead of using the AddressBlock mailmerge field, it explicitly names each field from the data source.
  2. For example, the new label template should show fields as follows:

The <<Surname>> family
<<Street1>>
<<Street2>>
<<Suburb>> <<State>> <<Postcode>>

  1. Propagate the new label design throughout the label sheet.
  2. Save the new label sheet template.
  3. Rerun the advanced query.

OR

Create an intermediary data source that includes the technically correct family name and then create a new label sheet template that works from this intermediate data source.

  1. Set the Advanced Query output to be an Excel Spreadsheet.
  2. Ensure that the required fields are included in the query output (eg Family Name, Street1, Street2, Suburb, State and Postcode).
  3. Run the Advanced Query.
  4. Save the resultant Excel Spreadsheet.
  5. Start a new Microsoft Word document.
  6. Run the Microsoft Word mailmerge wizard.
  7. Use the Excel Spreadsheet as the data source for the labels.
  8. Use the following mailmerge fields instead of the generic Microsoft Word <<AddressBlock>> field:

<<Family Name>>
<<Street1>>
<<Street2>>
<<Suburb>> <<State>> <<Postcode>>

  1. Run the mailmerge from within Microsoft Word

Detailed Information

See the following KBAs for additional information:
  KB-Advanced Query Tool Labels-Beta.asp
  KB-Advanced Query Tool-Mail Merging-Beta.asp
 

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