With the AppleWorks Mailing Program (AMP), you can merge a name and address file (from the AppleWorks Data Base) into a form letter (from the Word Processor) to produce customized letters with just a few keystrokes.
Note: You should be familiar with AppleWorks (especially the Data Base and the Word Processor) before trying to use AMP. If you're not, use your AppleWorks training disks and tutorial manual to learn AppleWorks before trying to learn this program.
Introduction: The General Process
By itself, AppleWorks cannot generate form letters automatically. However, with the help of AMP, you can use AppleWorks to create customized form letters. First you print your Data Base and Word Processor files to a disk; then AMP can use these files to print customized letters.
The following steps give an overview of the process. The rest of this document describes each step in detail.
1. Create your Data Base file using AppleWorks.
2. Set up your records format, using only the categories you want printed in your letters.
3. Save the Data Base file and print it to a text (ASCII) file on disk.
4. From the AppleWorks Main Menu, set up a new "printer" that is identical to your real printer, but which prints your file on disk.
5. Create your Word Processor file using AppleWorks. Insert MERGE identifiers rather than actual names and addresses.
6. Save the Word Processor file and print it to the printer that you assigned to print to disk.
7. Start up AMP and configure it once for your printer.
8. Use AMP to merge and print documents from the Data Base ASCII file and the Word Processor file that was printed to disk.
Setting Up Your Data Base File for AMP
1. Create a Data Base file as you normally would using AppleWorks. You can use a file you've already created.
2. Create a report or use one you already have. The report can be either a labels- or tables-style report, although a labels-style report is recommended.
3. Delete from the report layout the categories that you will not use in the customized letters. (The layout of your report does not matter as long as catagories that will not be used in your letter do not appear.)
4. Use record selection rules from the Report Format (OPEN APPLE-R) to select only the records that you want to use to generate letters.
5. Print the report to a text (ASCII) file on disk. Write down the full pathname of the file to which you print the report because you will need the name later.
6. Write down the exact order in which your categories appear in the report. For a labels-style report, the order is left to right, then top to bottom. If you use a labels-style report, you can use OPEN APPLE-H (which prints an exact copy of the screen) to make a record of your category order.
7. Printing to a file on disk does not save your original Data Base file, so remember to save it before you leave AppleWorks.
