Mail merge is a function that helps you to
simplify repetitive tasks to create personalized documents (Forms, Letters,
Address Labels, Envelopes, etc.). You can create a mail merge template that
would contain the variables (merge fields) in it. Using the template, you can
merge data from Zoho CRM and create the merged documents with accurate values
for the variables.
Suppose you have to send personalized letters to
numerous leads or create templates for service level agreements or other legal
documents. In such cases, you need not manually type the details of each lead
in the letters to personalize them. Instead, you can simply create a template
with the merge fields from the leads module and later merge the data to get all
the personalized letters.
Create Template
Folders
Template folders are useful to manage the
different mail merge templates that you have created.
To create a template folder
1. Go to Setup > Customization > Templates > Mail Merge Templates.
2. In the Mail Merge Templates page, click Create Folder.
3. In the Create Mail Merge Templates Folder page,
enter the Folder Name.
4. Click Save.
Create Mail Merge Templates in Zoho Writer
Zoho Writer is an online word processor that
allows you to create and share documents online. You can create mail merge
templates in Zoho Writer and use CRM data (Leads, Accounts, Contacts and
Potentials) to create mail merge documents.
To create template in Zoho Writer
1. Go to Setup > Customization > Templates > Mail Merge Templates.
2. In the Mail Merge Templates page, click + Create Template in Zoho Writer.
3. In the Create Template in Zoho Writer window, specify
the following details:
· Enter the Template Name.
· Enter the Description for the template.
· Select the Folder from the drop-down list. The template will
be stored in the folder that you select.
· Select the Module for which you want to create the template.
The merge fields in the template will be based on the module that you select.
You can create mail merge templates for both system-generated modules as well
as custom modules.
4. Click Create.
A document will be opened in Zoho Writer.
5. Click Tools > Mail Merge >Insert Fields and select the field(s) that you
want to insert.
The fields will be inserted in the specified place in Writer template.
6. Changes will be saved
automatically.
Import MS Word
Templates
Mail Merge templates can
also be created in Microsoft Word and you can import those templates in Zoho
CRM. To use this functionality, you need to purchase the Zoho CRM plug-in for
Microsoft Office. Note that, for merging the data, this feature is only
supported in Internet Explorer 6 and above. See Also Zoho
CRM Plug-in for MS Office
Here is a Sample Template.
To import MS Word template
1. Go to Setup > Customization > Templates > Mail Merge Templates.
2. In the Mail Merge Templates page, click Import Template.
3. In the Import Template window, specify the following
details:
· Click Browse to choose the Microsoft word file that you
want to import.
· Enter the Description for the template.
· Select the Folder from the drop-down list. The template will
be stored in the folder that you select.
· Select the Module for which you want to create the template.
The merge fields in the template will be based on the module that you select.
4. Click Import Template.
Send Mail Merge
Documents via Email
Once you have created and saved your mail merge
templates in Zoho CRM, you can merge the documents with CRM records and email
them to the desired customer/s at any time.
To send mail merge documents via email
1. Go to the required
module (Leads/Contacts/Accounts/Deals/Custom modules)
2. Select the record.
If you wish to send the document to a bunch of customers select the desired
records in the Module List View.
3. Click the More icon and click Mail Merge.
4. In the Mail Merge popup, select the required document
and click Merge.
You will be redirected to the template in Zoho Writer. You can edit the template
if required.
5. On the left, under
the Complete Merge section, click Email.
6. In the Email Merged Document popup, select the email
ID that the document should be sent to.
7. Enter the details
required to send the document as mentioned below.
· From
Address/Reply To: Zoho CRM offers
you the flexibility of choosing different email addresses for the From/Reply To email fields.
Which means, you can have emails sent from your personal email ID, but have the
responses sent to your organization email ID, if you so wish. Simply select the
appropriate email IDs in the From/Reply To email
fields. You can choose from the following options:
· your account email address
· organization email address
· email address of the record owner
· Email
field: Choose which email ID
you want to send the mail merge document to - the person's primary or
secondary address or an associated CRM user's email as well as any other custom
email field.
· Subject: Enter a desired Subject line for the email.
· Send
(Email) As: You have the
option of sending this mail merge document inline or as an attachment.
· Inline: The template content will be part of the email
body
· Attachment: The mail merge document will be sent as an
attachment with the email.
· Message: Enter a message to the recipient. This will be
displayed in the body section of the email.
· Attachment
Name: If you choose to
send the email as an attachment, enter a name for the attachment.
· Additional
Attachment: If you have additional
attachments to send, you can browse for the required files and attach them
here.
Note that the subject can also contain a merge
field of the desired module. Simply click the + icon to
insert the merge field as shown in the image below.
8. Click Send.
The merged document will be sent to the chosen email IDs.
Note
· Please note that you can
send a maximum of 1000 mail merge emails from a CRM Organization account
per day.
Once you have sent your
mail merge documents via email, they can be tracked under the Emails Related List of the associated records
(leads, contacts etc). You will check this related list to see the list of
emails you have sent to a particular lead/contact and their status. Mail Merge
Emails will also feature under this related list.
To view the Emails related list
1. Go to the respective
module, say Leads.
2. Click the record in
question.
3. Scroll down to the
Emails related list.
4. Make sure to
select "Emails Sent from CRM".
5. You will find the list
of emails, the source type and the status.
View Mail Merge Logs
At any point, you can track status of the sent
mail merge documents using the Mail Merge Logs. The logs will give you
details such as the "job" in progress, who is sending the email,
document version and so on.
To view mail merge logs
1. Go to the mail merge
document/template in Zoho Writer.
2. Click Tools > Mail Merge.
3. Click View Mail Merge Logs found right under the Complete Merge section.
Click the Filter to sort the templates based on their status - such as In Progress, Completed and Failed.
What's the difference between tracking mail merge template status
under Emails Related List and Mail Merge Logs?
In the Detail page of a
record, under the Emails related list, you will see the status and details of
all sent emails associated to that particular record.
They could be mails sent individually, mass mail, workflows or mail merge
templates. For example, you can see all emails sent to James under the Email
Related Lists. Mail Merge templates sent to him will also be listed here and
you can track the status.
Whereas, in the Mail Merge Logs, you will see the status a particular
mail merge template that's been sent to one person or many people. Example, you
have sent a template called Service Level Agreement to
5 people. Mail Merge Logs will show the status of that particular template and
its delivery status with respect to each recipient it is sent to.
· Email Related List is recipient-based.
· Mail Merge Logs is template-based.
Delete Mail Merge
Template
To import MS Word template
1. Go to Setup > Customization > Templates > Mail Merge Templates.
2. In the Mail Merge Templates page, move the mouse
pointer over the template.
3. Click the Delete icon.