Setting up Word Merges from Start to Finish

Word Merges are documents that are based on Microsoft Word templates, and are used to create letters or documents to Clients. The process for creating a new template for Word Merges is a 2 step process:

1. Create a new Word Merge template in Microsoft Word
2. Add the new Word Merge template to Chintaro

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1. Create the New Word Merge template in Microsoft Word

Open your Chintaro/Data/Templates folder, stored on your PC or network drive (EG U:\Data\Templates).  The easiest way to find the templates folder is to go into Chintaro > System Maintenance >Set Up Word Merges, then click on the grey 'Open Templates Folder' beside the title:

NOTE: Ensure you have the file extensions for file types turned on. To turn file extensions on, click the View tab> Options> View. Untick the box. You will now be able to see the file extensions of all files Microsoft Word Templates will be either.dot or .dotx files.2. Save a copy of an existing template in your Chintaro/Data/Templates folder to use as a starting point. If this is the first new template that you are creating, copy one of the existing supplied files:

- Arrears Letter copy Arrears.dot 

- Client Letter copy Client.dot 

- Maintenance (Work Order) Template copy TradeEmail.dot 

- Tenancy Word Letter copy Tenancy.dot 

- Waiting List Letter copy WaitList.dot

- Invoice copy WordMergeInvoice.dot

- Receipt copy WordMergeReceipt.dot

NOTE: Saving a copy of the template to edit is not the same as opening a Word document and copy/pasting the old template contents onto a new word document. Copying and pasting variables can cause issues.

Alternatively you can create a template from a blank document. **It is very important to save the file as a template (*.dot or *.dotx, NOT a Word Document (*.doc or *.docx)).

3. Paste the copied template in to the same Templates folder, and re-name the template relevant to the type of letter you are going to write (EG ClientApplication.dot)

4. Open the template by right clicking and selecting open. Do not double click the template to open, or it will open as a Word Document and not a template. You must right click and select Open to open the document as a template.

5. When you open the template, a dialog box will open. This dialog box is asking if you would like to link the template straight away.  Click no to this message, or else you'll be unable to open the file.

6. The Mail Merge icons in the Mailings tab of Word needs to be enabled:

7. If the Mail Merge icons are disabled (or you removed the data/header source), you will need to enable it.  First, Select Recipients:

8. Select Use An Existing List.

 

9. You will be asked to find the Data file that the information from Chintaro will come from. These data files are text files and are held in the same folder as the Templates (see above for the location of this folder in your environment).  

10. You will need to select the appropriate file for the type of Template you are creating. The table below shows which file you should choose: 

11. Once you have linked the recipient file successfully, all icons on the Mailings Tab will now be enabled. Compose your letter and add data fields. Data fields can be added by clicking the Insert Merge Fields icon and inserting the appropriate fields at the cursor.  You can click on the arrow beside the word Field, or on the icon above it:

You can view sample data by pressing the Preview Results button.  This will toggle between the data from the last Word Merge, and the Word Merge Field names:

12. When you are happy with the template, you must save it as a .dot or .dotx file type and close the template before the next step.

*NOTE: When changing a file from .docx to .dotx, the directory will revert to another folder. Be sure to navigate back to your templates folder before saving the template.

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2. Adding the New Word Merge Template to Chintaro
The second step in the process is to tell Chintaro about the new template.

NOTE: You need to make sure that the template is in your Chintaro\Data\Templates folder. **The Templates folder location (Data\Templates) is hardcoded in Chintaro, and cannot be changed at this stage.**

1. To set up Word Merges in Chintaro, from the System Maintenance Sub-Menu, click Set Up Word Merges. The Set Up Word Merges screen will open

2. This screen will open to the Tenancy Word Merge tab. Click on the appropriate tab at the top of the screen:

For Arrears Templates, click Arrears tab

For Tenancy related Templates, remain on the Tenancy Word Merges screen

For Client Templates, click Client tab

For Property Templates, click Property tab

For Waiting List Templates, click Waiting List tab

For Tradesperson Templates, click Tradesperson tab  

NOTE: Receipt and Invoice Templates are not added in the Set Up Word Merges screen. Click here to see how to add Receipt and Invoice templates in Chintaro.

3. To add the template, click the cursor in to the box next to New in the line that has the asterisks and type the title of title of the letter you created. This is the name that you will see in the Word Merge pop up:

Note: If you're using word merges to print tenancy address labels or similar, then the "Directory?" column will switch the formatting and allow the merges to concatenate from the top left to the bottom right of the page.

Word Merge Plus must be disabled for this function to work. If you're using Word Merge Plus and need to print labels, deactivate Word Merge Plus, print the labels, then activate it again.

4. In the box next to the letter name you will enter the exact template name including the file extension. If you drop the list down, you will see the template you created in the list. Select the relevant template:

5. Ensure the Active box is ticked. You will now be able to use your Word Merge template.