Modify Letters Using Microsoft Word

All letters that you can generate using Word are based on a Word template, which defines the layout and appearance of the letter and the position of fields. You can modify the template upon which any User letter type is based. The template must have been created using Microsoft Word when the letter was created. You can change the text of the letter and which fields are included and their position. You cannot modify the templates for a System letter.

  1. Click the Letters button on the toolbar to open the Letter Generator.
  2. Click on the letter type that you wish to modify and select the Modify button.
  3. In the Letter Options window, if you have more than one version of Word installed, select the one you wish to use to modify the letter template.

Note: You must modify the letter template using the version of Word that you used to create it.

  1. If you only want to modify the template, it does not matter how you select clients, since actual copies of the letters will not be generated. It is possible to perform a manual mail merge of any clients that you select into the template using Word's mail merge facility. However, this is not covered in this help file. Further information can be found in Word's own on-line help. We recommend that you save the template and generate the letters automatically using the Letter Generator.
  2. Select the OK button.
  3. The letter template opens in Word. You can modify the text using Word in the normal way. You can also move and add fields. In the template, a field looks like this:

    Images/HOWTO00000031.gif

Fields are treated as a text character in Word and can be moved and deleted in the same way.

  1. To add a field, select it from the Insert Merge Field menu. The field will appear at the cursor position. Only fields that are available for this letter type will appear on the menu.
  2. When you have finished modifying the template, save it by selecting Save from Word's File menu.

Important: Do not change the name of the template when you save it. If you do, the Letter Generator will be unable to find it and you will not be able to generate letters of that type automatically.

  1. Close Word by selecting Exit from the File menu.

Tips

You can view which field types are available to a certain letter type by clicking on the letter type with the select mouse button in the Select Letter window, then selecting the Images/HOWTO00000033.gif button on the toolbar. This will open the Properties window for that letter. Select the Fields tab to view the available fields. If the letter is a User type, you can also change this information here.

Related Topics

Creating and Editing Letter Templates in Microsoft Word