Mail merge with custom fields in LibreOffice 4.2

users
#1

At my job we currently use Lotus Symphony and we use the Open Document
format exclusively. We're currently in the process of migrating to
LibreOffice 4.2. We have a lot of documents we use with the mail merge
feature. All of the data sources are from spreadsheets. In Symphony, the
spreadsheet column names are automatically mapped to the field names in the
text document. In LO, however, it seems it only wants to default to
"standard" mail merge fields (first name, last name, address line 1, city,
state, zip, etc.). I would have to remap every field to match LO's field
naming convention. I don't want to have to do that. How can I make this
more like Symphony's mail merge functionality where LO matches the column
name with the field name? I'm not merging letters--I'm merging data from a
spreadsheet using custom column names (like AmountPosted, JobID,
DateCreated, DateCompleted, etc.). Thanks!

#2

Hi.
I merge spread sheet data into documents that a printed (certificates). I started by creating the certificate in writer, just as I want it to look with dummy information. Then to replace the dummy information from a spread sheet I Insert>Field>Other (ctl-F2). Select the database tab, mail merge fields and under the right pane Add database file - Browse. I locate my spread sheet which will appear in the right pane and allow you to select the field you want.
Note that this copies the sheet to an odb file and inserts from that file. If you update your spread sheet the odb file is not automatically updated.
Steve

#3

Yeah--I guess I could do that. But I already have all these fields created.
I have probably 50+ documents where I would need to make these manual
changes. Plus, the spreadsheets get updated regularly and I don't want to
have to reimport/reattach the spreadsheet all the time. I guess I'll have
to stick with Lotus Symphony. :frowning:

#4

Hi,
I did my database in OO about 10 years ago, maybe more. I haven't fiddled with the fields since then, but they were custom fields. I moved to LO as soon as it was released. I use mail merge extensively, and had no problems having custom named fields working to pull the data from. So there should still be someway to do it.
Don

#5

That's the problem. Whenever I attempt to do the mail merge, it doesn't
list any of the custom fields in my document. It only list "canned" fields.
I don't see how I can match my existing fields within this interface.

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#6

Not sure if I've missed the point here -

Create a spreadsheet .ods file with 3 columns each column headed - col1, col2, col3
Add two rows populating respective columns my first row contained 1, 2, 3 and the 2nd row a, b ,c so I had a spreadsheet .ods file that looked like this -

col1 col2 col3
1 2 3
a b c

Create a writer .odt file
add the bespoke fields
Insert -> Fields -> Other
Push the "Add Database File Browse" button.
Navigate to the .ods file
Push the open button
The spreadhsst .ods file should then be added to the "Database Selection" pane.
Select the fields you want added to the writer .odt file positioning them as approprate
save the document

Start the Mail Merge Wizard
Select the Starting Document i.e. the .odt file created above
Move directly to the "Select Save, Print or Send" dialog
Select the "Save Merged Document" Radio Button
Select the "Save as a Single Document" Radio Button
Push the "Save Documents" Button
Save the merged document

Does this get you close to where you want to be?

Alex

#7

Okay--I think I found the problem. When I opened one of my .odt documents
and hovered over one of the fields, LO didn't seem to recognize it as a
field. After going back to Insert > Fields > Other and manually reinserting
the fields, the mail merge works correctly. I was hoping I wouldn't have to
reinsert all of the fields, but I guess I just might have to bite the
bullet and do that once and be done with it. Thanks again for all of your
help!

#8

I have not been following the discussion so I can't comment on anything that's gone before, but one thing I recently learned is that you can keep the fields window open while inserting all your fields.

There are arrow buttons/icons that In some cases you can simply click those and it will move you from document field to document field... So you click the arrow, insert field... click... insert... click.... insert. Makes it a whole lot faster when you don't close the window between each insertion like I was doing at first.

In the event the arrow icons don't work (because it doesn't recognize the fields yet), you can still scroll the document and keeping the fields window open still makes it faster than closing and reopening it. Hopefully that will ease your pain a bit.

- Andrew

#9

And thanks to the discussion I think I have a much better understanding and can iron out the problems our users are having with the merge.
We keep getting new lists to merge, all the same format. The secret to simplification is, once set up, to have an ods named mergesource.ods or something and then copy the new data in each time or save the new data as mergesource.ods. Then a new .odb file is not created each merge, and it is not necessary to exchange the database or re-link the fields.
Steve

#10

Alternatively, to save copying data into a common .ods file, you can keep one .odb file (e.g. mergesource.odb) but change which .ods file it points to. Open mergesource.odb, then Edit > Database > Properties, and change the path to spreadsheet document.

Saves a bit of copying data around, but I can see that might not be so easy as an instruction if there are non-technical users of your merge document. Whatever works for you and your users is best ;o)

Mark.

Steve Edmonds wrote: