Mail Merge
Mail merge is a dynamic solution for the production of multiple documents dynamically after merging data from external sources like- xlsx, xls, csv, docx, rtf, txt and placing them into placeholders of document template and then finally creates WYSIWYG PDF and E-Mail outputs from template document after merging data from xlsx, xls, csv, docx, etc. Same designed template and data source can be reuse multiple times with small changes in external data sources , such as a change of address or a change in the greeting line, etc..
DetailsWhat is Mail Merge?
Mail merge is a desktop application for the production of multiple documents dynamically after merging data from external sources like- xlsx, xls, csv, docx, rtf, txt and placing them into placeholders of document template and then finally creates WYSIWYG PDF and E-Mail outputs from template document after merging data from xlsx, xls, csv, docx, etc. Same designed template and data source can be reuse multiple times with small changes in external data sources , such as a change of address or a change in the greeting line, etc..
Finally created outputs can be sent out to many "recipients" in the form of PDF or HTML formats with embedded images that can be used in any device like- Mobile , tabs, iphone, PC, etc. using any SMTP setting.
It can be your web, or public mail SMTP like:
Server Name- smtp.mail.yahoo.com
Port- 587
User Name-user id
Mail ID- mail_id@yahoo.com
Password- password?
The application smartly fills external data into placeholders which were created while designing template from external data source and dragging data variables from Data Merge Palette into template document. It can be very useful for any organization that used to generate same kind of outputs for many people such that colleges, generating medical reports, hospitals, finance, insurance, company etc.
The application provides following features:
- It provides merging of external data in very innovative way for any type of data that includes xlsx, xls, csv, docx, rtf, txt data into the document objects as text box or table cells.
- Template can designed using document objects like rectangle, circle, lines, graphs and tables in the form of boxes and fill them with common information like- Greeting text, pictures, graphs for showing growth with help of document constructs and later user can output from already created design templates to pdf or html file format.
- It provides way to set up mail configuration and send each output mail to many people that are listed in excel file.
- The user interfaces like- creating data binding variables, setting up mails, applying text attributes in text constructs in text are very simple and easy to use.
Note: The application can also be used for dynamically publishing to create PDF or HTML file from rsp (Rama Software document format) for printing or web purposes as it has ability to fill data into placeholders from multiple data sources like- xlsx, xls, csv, docx, rtf, txt.
Very Simple Steps
Here are some simple steps-
- Create a main document (template) for print (PDF) or e-mail with embedded images (as HTML) output.
- Create data sources variables through data source palette like customer name, address, message etc.
- Drag and drop these new create data sources into document template to create placeholders for merging data while outputting.
- Create mailing setup for sending emails to customers (optional)
- Create desire number of outputs by clicking desire output button (PDF or HTML). It sends email automatically for already created mail setup and if ‘Send Emails’ check box is checked.
Mail Merge Features And How To Use Them
Note: We are attaching sample document template and xlsx document for you to have basic idea on how to use what are capabilities of application. Please download these sample files at Mail Merge along with trial version of Mail Merge.
Creating New File New Print / Web Document with given width, height, number of pages
Excel file contains marks record of each students. You can have many/other type of data which is suited to your business. Bind each column of row records with variable, called data source variables. We will show and explain you every things with examples.
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Data Source Variables
User can create binding source variables in which you can add new variables, edit existing variables, duplicate and can deleting any existing variables.
Mail Setup
User can setup email address and its mail content. Explained later how to setup email list in E-Mail Setup section (Fig-7)
Drag And Drop
Drag and drop created data variables at desire location in text box or table cells object of template document.
Description
Data Source Variables
Select any type of external data source from which you want to create data variables and bind them with any type of data source like- excel, docx, rft, text files.
Fig-4: External Data Source Dialog Binding with excel data source
This is very important and useful data source, you can create variable for each column data and place them (using drag n drop from palette to document in text mode) into the document template.
PS- Please keep one row for one customer as application assumes that each row data is for one customer and row can have many columns. The output would be created based on same assumption as one output for each row. There are 10 rows in below picture and maximum 10 outputs (PDF, HTML format) can be generated.
Fig-5: External XLSX Data Merge Dialog Binding with Doc (docx, doc, rtf, text)
User can create data source variables from any of these formats like- docx, doc, rtf, text.
Note: We are also going to support PDF, html in major release.
Fig-6: External DOCX Data Merge Dialog
Setup Mail
Mail Merge application has capability to send email directly to the customers without any headache to send them manually.
User can setup email address and its email contents by selecting email address column from excel file. User have check box option
Send Emails
to send all the setup email after generating outputs from template as designed by user.
Fig-7: Setup Emails Dialog Drag And Drop Variables
Create boxes for story contents, pictures, line, circles, etc to design your template and leave the space for dynamic contents which you want to pick from excel, docx, text, rtf files and rest of the document area can be filled with your contents which you want to send each customers. Finally drag and drop data variables from data merge palette into desire boxes.
See the below template in which we have drop (Placeholders) “Student Name”, “Class”, “Math”, etc. data variables which were created from EXCEL data and dropped into template and value (shown in Fig-2
Data Source File
) of these placeholders would be filled from EXCEL file while outputting.
Fig-8: Template document with placeholder inserted Here is the final output generated from above (Fig - 7) template in PDF and HTML format and same can be sent in e-mail if e-mail has been setup by user and
send emails
check box is enabled.Output As PDF
Final PDF output after filing data from EXCEL file (Fig-2) into placeholders of templates.
Fig-9: PDF output Output As E-Mail
Final e-mail output after filing data from EXCEL file (Fig-2) into placeholders of templates.
Fig-10: E-Mail output
Tool Palette
Contains all the supported types of box elements used to create on the document.
- Selection tool to select box and drag/move the box.
- Text tool to insert text in the text box and selection mode before applying text formattings.
- Picture tool to draw a picture box before importing any picture in the box.
- Circle tool to draw circle and fill any color with the help of box tab of measurement palette.
- Line Tool to draw a line in the document and can fill color or increase line width with help of box tab of measurement palette.
- Rectangle tool used to create rectangle in the document.
- Table tool- used to create table in the document and for importing data from excel file.
- Graph tool- Used to draw graph of specified values in the dialog, currently it is not as much rich as it should be, but next major release it would have more capable of drawing graphs of different types and would be make editable.
Measurement Palette
Measurement tool helps for designing templates/documents by applying different type of text formats like- color, bold, italic, underline, size, font, alignment, etc and for box formatting like- positioning of box, width, making box for automatic fit with text and color.
Fig-12: Measurement Palette Data Graph
You can create simple graph to show business growth or for other purposes. It is currently supported only one type of graph and its functionality is very limited but next major release we have planned to support as much as possible types of graph with editing feature of already created graphs.
Fig-13: Graph dialog and its output File
Following features are provided in file menus
- Creating new print/web documents.
- Opening of already created documents.
- Import Image - import image in image box.
- Export document As PDF.
- Export document As HTML.
- Send an Emails with embedded images in html format.
Fig-14: File Menu Edit
These are the features currently supported in edit menu.
Fig-15: Edit Menu Item
Auto Fit Box To Text: This is box level property and it is very useful feature. Contents of text box will automatically grow or shrink based on text edited/deleting from the box.
Fig-16: Item Menu Document
This option is provided to change document properties at any time in later state whenever you feel that document width, height, number of pages, margins (top, left, bottom, right) should be as per new requirement after creation of document.
Fig-17: Document Menu View
Show/hide guides on the document to see how final output would be look.
Fig-18: View Menu Format
This is very useful feature for designing template/document.
- Bring to Font: Bring the selected box in front of all overlapping boxes.
- Send to Back: Send the selected box to back of all overlapping boxes.
- Font: Select the font you want to apply in text.
- Text: Text alignment feature.
- Grid: show/hide grid on the document.
- Align and Size: Align the selected boxes-left, right, top, bottom, width, height, etc.
Fig-19: Formant Menu Tools
Provides following features:
Fig-20: Tools Menu Windows
Windows menu options are:
Fig-21: Windows Menu Application Context Menu
Following features are supported in the application Context menu. Menu would be enabled/disabled based on document object selection (text box, picture box, line, etc) and item mode selected in tool palette (Fig- 11).
Fig-22: Context Menu
Bulk Mail Sender
MailSender is lightweight (smaller version) of Mail Merge application. It is simple and dynamic solution for sending bulk mails to valuable customers after merging data from external sources like- xlsx, xls, CSV, docx, rtf, txt. you just need to draft your mail and rest of the things will be done by MailSender like Name of customer, specific message to particular customer, even you can send specific file to specific customer in the attachment. You can keep all the static information or data (like advertisement or wishing notes) in the mail template and rest of data which are varying time to time can keep in MS Excel/MS Word Document. Later any changes made in MS Excel/MS Word document will reflect the same while sending mails to customer. MailSender application is made for the users who don't want to create text boxes, picture, line, tables boxes in the Mail Merge application's document and want only send simple mails without advertisement or additional information in the mails.
Details- Your mail email template.
- Your Data Source.
- Finally formatted email after merging data fields from excel (xlsx, xls, csv).
- Choose File-> Open Mail Sender window.
- Go to Mailing Options tab
- Click on “New Fields” button to create new data fields and select the excel file created in Step 1). It will create all the data fields which you created in step 1 and these data fields will be filled in all the mailing options automatically.
- Recipients- Select data fields in each mailing option appropriately. (To, cc, bcc, etc)
- Insert a data field- You can insert one or more mail merge fields that pull the information from your spreadsheet into your mail message template. There are many options for inserting data fields in message template like- First place the edit control (cursor) in the place where you want to insert your data field and then insert fields by “Insert Fields” button, Context menu by Right Clicking mouse and dragging and drop from Mailing Fields Manager palette.
- Format- Change font, size, color, bold, italic underline.
- Alignment- Align your message as left, right, justify or center alignment.
- Image- You can insert any image in your composed emails and it will also allow you change size of image, scale up/down, copy/paste and delete the image.
- Hyperlink- With these options you can add, edit and delete hyperlink from text as well as images.
- On the Mailings Options tab, choose Preview Button to show results.
- Choose the Next or Previous record button to move through records in your data source and view how the records will appear in the document
- On opening next time it will ask you to select excel file which was created in Step 1.
- You can export the current settings including data fields and message template.
- You can import the exported setting into current mailing options.
- SMTP Name- Provide your sender’s SMTP name like- “smtp.mail.yahoo.com”
- Port- Provide port number- like - 587 ( for yahoo)
- Sender’s user name- Provide user ID - like- ramasoft
- Sender’s Mail ID- Provide sender’s email ID like- ramasoft@yahoo.com
- Password- Provide your email password “************”
- Custom Name- You can provide custom email title like “From Rama Softwares” it will display in the top of receivers email.
Mail Sender- Mail Sender is used to send multiple emails at once. These mails have identical layout formatting, text, graphics. Only specific section of each email varies and personalized. Mail Sender can be used to send bulk emails, letters and envelopes. There are three documents involved in the mail sending process.
Steps for How to use Mail Sender-
Step 1:The most important step in the mail sending process is to setup and prepare your data. You'll use your Excel spreadsheet as the data source for the recipient list.
Here are some tips to prepare your data for a mail merge. Make sure:
Column names in your spreadsheet match the field names you want to insert in your mail. For example, to address readers by their first name in your document, you'll need separate columns for first and last names etc.
All data to be merged is present in the first sheet of your spreadsheet.
Data entries with percentages, currencies, and postal codes are correctly formatted in the spreadsheet so that ‘Mail Sender’ can properly read their values.
The Excel spreadsheet to be used in the mail is stored on your local machine.
Changes or additions to your spreadsheet are completed before creating data fields in your mail template document in Mail Sender.
Shows the external data source file that contains email and other information of coustomers.
Step 2: Start the mail merge-
Shows the composed mail with data variables which will merge from external sources like excel, docx, etc. before sending mails.
Step 3: Text Attributes-
The most beautiful part of composing email is to format/design your email contents with provided following options-
Shows attributes to format/design text of email.
Step 4: Preview-
After you insert the data fields you want, preview the results to confirm that the content is okay. and then you're ready to send bulk mailing to your customer.
Shows the Preview of email to validate email format before sending to the customers.
Step 5: Save your mail data fields-
When you save the mail data fields, it saved your data in current user data environment and it stays connected to your data source. You can reuse the mail data fields for your next bulk mailing.
Step 6: SMTP Settings: Most important part mailing is to setup smtp setting before sending emails.
Shows SMTP setting options.
Step 7: Send Emails-
Finally you are ready to send bulk email to your valuable customers. Just click on Send Emails Button.
Finally shows the mail to be received by customers after merging data from external sources.
XLSX Reader (Microsoft Excel Viewer)
XLSX Reader application allows you to open (.xlsx files only) and view a work book contents (text only) even Microsoft Excel does not installed on computer. XLSX Reader is also useful when you share your work book to someone who does not have MS Excel installed on his/her system. Application is capable to maintain formatting like- bold, italic, fonts, size, colours, hyperlinks,etc. You can scroll to view the different parts of a worksheet, and you can switch to another worksheet. You can also increase or reduce the width of cell.
Details-
The application provides following features-
- View Microsoft Excel file contents without having MS Excel on the system.
- Can resize width of columns.
- You can view contents all the worksheet by selecting sheet tab.
1-Below fig-1 Show the WYSIWYG reading of 'About Company' sheet by the application
2-Below fig-2 Show the WYSIWYG reading of 'Address' sheet by the application
PDF Creator for Microsoft Excel File (MS Excel File To PDF Converter)
PDF Creator for Microsoft Excel File application allows you to convert Microsoft Excel file to high quality PDF files in single or in bulk just choose root folder/file and the application will convert all the MS Excel files to selected folder. Application is also allow you to open any MS Excel file to view or edit its contents before converting it to PDF. All these you can do without installed Microsoft Excel in your computer. PDF Creator for Microsoft Excel File is also useful when you share your work book in form of PDF to someone who does not have MS Excel installed on his/her system. Application is capable to maintain formatting like- bold, italic, fonts, size, colours, hyperlinks,etc. You can scroll to view the different parts of a worksheet, and you can switch to another worksheet. You can also increase or reduce the width of cell.
Details-
The application provides following features-
- Conversion from MS Excel to PDF without installed MS Excel on the system
- Create WYSIWYG PDF output of MS Excel file with high quality. (WYSIWYG- what you see is what you get).
- Modify contents and resize table columns locally and same would be reflected in the output
- Creates PDF in bulk all the excels resides in the selected folder.
1-Below fig-1 Show the WYSIWYG reading from Excel file by the application
2-Below fig-2 Show the WYSIWYG PDF creation from Excel file by the application
Converter for Microsoft Excel File (MS Excel File Converter)
Converter for Microsoft Excel File application allows you to convert Microsoft Excel file to high quality HTML, CSV, JPEG, Txt, and RTF files in single or in bulk just choose root folder/file and the application will convert all the MS Excel files to selected folder. Application is also allow you to open any MS Excel file to view or edit its contents before converting it to desire format. All these you can do without installed Microsoft Excel in your computer. Converter for Microsoft Excel File is also useful when you share your work book in form of CSV or HTML or any format to someone who does not have MS Excel installed on his/her system. Application is capable to maintain formatting like- bold, italic, fonts, size, colours, hyperlinks,etc. You can scroll to view the different parts of a worksheet, and you can switch to another worksheet. You can also increase or reduce the width of cell.
Details-
The application provides following features-
- Conversion from MS Excel to HTML, CSV, JPEG, TXT and RTF without installed MS Excel on the system
- Create WYSIWYG HTML and CSV output of MS Excel file with high quality. (WYSIWYG- what you see is what you get).
- Modify contents and resize table columns locally and same would be reflected in the output
- Creates desire output in bulk all the excels files resides in the selected folder.
1-Below fig-1 Shows the WYSIWYG Excel data read by the application
2-Below fig-2 Shows the WYSIWYG converted output in CSV format by the application
3-Below fig-3 Shows the WYSIWYG converted output in HTML format by the application
4-Below fig-4 Shows the WYSIWYG converted output in JPEG format by the application
HTML To PDF Application
Web HTML To PDF is a desktop application which can be used to browse web pages and create high quality WYSIWYG PDF output for opened pages. The application also provided way import local HTML files and creates PDF from them. There is no need to keep pictures and content separately or in archive format, just need to create PDF and open it in any platform.
DetailsPDF Password Manager
PDF Password Manager is a desktop application which can be used to open locked PDF files if password is saved in the application for that PDF. There is no need to remember and enter lengthy password again and again, you just need to save password only once. You can save as many password as you wish in the application for each PDF file, like password contains in bank statements, income tax returns, mobile bills, etc. If multiple PDF contains same password format, then you just need to save only one password and we also insure you that stored password is in encrypted format and it is very secure.
Details- Application provides following features
Setup PDF Password
Set any number of password in 'PDF Password Manager Dialog' by providing reference name like- Bank, income tax, insurance receipt, mobile bills, etc. to unlock any number of PDF files for saved password in the application.
- Provided four options for managing PDF password.
- Add (+ icon): Adding new password
- Edit (/ edit icon): Edit/modify existing PDF password
- Delete (trash icon): Delete existing password entries.
- Close: Closing PDF Password Manager Dialog
Fig: PDF Password Manager Setup Open locked PDF files
Open PDF file using drag and drop in application desktop icon or PDF main window or browsing any number PDF file from application main windows.
Fig: Open Locked File
Inline SpellCheckingXT (2020/2021/2022)
InlineSpellingXT is an XTension for QuarkXPress (2020/2021/2022). It can check spelling inline or live on typing/writing text in the text box, Copy and paste the text into the text box, on opening the document, and on changing the text language. The problematic/misspelled word will be highlighted with a red zigzag underline. User can right-click on a misspelled word and it will list all suggested words in the context menu. User can select any one of the listed options to replace misspelled word. User can also add/remove their local language words to the local to system dictionary and can be imported/exported to the local dictionary. InlineSpellingXT is an XTension for QuarkXPress (2020/2021/2022). It can check spelling inline/live on typing/writing text in the text box, Copy and paste the text into the text box, on opening the document, and on changing the text language. The problematic/misspelled word will be highlighted with a red zigzag underline. User can right-click on a misspelled word and it will list all suggested words in the context menu. User can select any one of the listed options to replace misspelled word. User can also add/remove their local language words to the user dictionary and can be imported/exported to the user dictionary. It uses MAC OS native spell checking framework, so it can check words which are supported by the MAC OS. InlineSpellingXT supports spell checking in the following languages- English (US), English (UK), Russian, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Greece, Poland, Czech, etc. Installation instruction- - Please copy the InlineSpellChecking (2020/2021/2022).xnt and paste it at-
"/Users/(username)/Library/Application Support/Quark/QuarkXPress (2020/2021/2022)/XTensions"
- For App Store Users- Please copy and paste it at-"/Users/(username)/Library/Containers/com.quark.quarkxpress.infinity/Data/Library/Application Support/Quark/QuarkXPress /XTensions"
Please let us know if you face any issue. Upcoming- -We are also working to support spellchecking using hunspell to cover other languages and also user can have multiple choices to check the spelling. Please feel free to send your suggestions/feedback at contact@RamaSoftwares.com or MailToRamaSoftwares@gmail.com so that we can incorporate them into it for the next release... Details- XTension provides following features
Context Menu options
- Misspelled Word list
- User dictionary
- Add to user dictionary
- Ignore All
- Spelling-> 1- Disable Inline Spelling
2- User Dictionary
Fig: Inline SpellingChecking Context Menu User Dictionary
- User can add words(in selected language) to be ignored while spell checking
- User can remove the added words from user dictionary
- User can import/export from/to user dictionary
- Option to recheck spell checking in entire story
Fig: Dictionary Dialog Preference for Inline Spell Checking
- Provided an option for checking spelling on opening document
Fig: Inline Spell Checking Option in Preference
Resoure Manager XT 2020/2021/2022
Resource Manager XT is an XTension for QuarkXPress which can increase one’s productivity by managing all the resources at one place. User can open, drag n drop search, apply attributes from the single point that is Resource Manager Palette. Now there is no need to go again and again for browsing and searching resources before importing them into text box or picture box as now everything is available at one place. User can have any kind of file resources like - QuarkXPress Documents, Images, Word Documents, PDF Documents, text file, etc. User can sort these resource by name, creation date and by modified date. It will display 50 resources in each tab by default though it can be controlled via Preference settings and it also provides next/previous navigation buttons to display rest of the resources. It also provides many attribute/property settings in each tab on the basis of file types to ease user's work. These can be set once and will be applicable to all next drag n drop/import resources. It is collapsable palette, user can double click on title bar to collapse and expand it.
It is providing following features to ease your task-
1- Segregation of resources
2- Live update of resources
3- Drag n drop resources
4- Finding/Searching Contents
5- Preference settings
Installation instruction-- Please copy the Resource Manager XT 2020/2021/2022.xnt and paste it at-
"/Users/(username)/Library/Application Support/Quark/QuarkXPress (2020/2021/2022)/XTensions"
- For App Store Users- Please copy and paste it at-"/Users/(username)/Library/Containers/com.quark.quarkxpress.infinity/Data/Library/Application Support/Quark/QuarkXPress /XTensions"
Please let us know if you face any issue. Please feel free to send your suggestions/feedback at contact@RamaSoftwares.com or MailToRamaSoftwares@gmail.com so that we can incorporate them into it for the next release... Details