After a big fight between me, MS Dynamics CRM 4.0 and Microsoft Word I guess I finally figured out how I can actually use the Mail Merge feature.
This is my own “How to create a working Word mail merge template for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0”:
Open up your Outlook CRM enabled client (Very important! Mail merge over the web won’t work!) ;
Go to Microsoft Dynamics CRM > Settings > Templates > Mail Merge Templates > New;
Type a Name, Select an Associated Entity (like Opportunity) and a Template Language (like Portuguese);
Hit [Save] and you will be warned that you need to attach a Word XML file;
Create and save a blank Word XML file where you will list and test the selected associated entity’s fields (attributes) you wish to use in your Mail Merge;
Attach this dummy Word XML file to your new Mail Merge template;
Now you have to [Edit Template in Word];
When prompted by word hit [Ok] (we don’t need data for building the template so you do not need to worry about it being blank);
Hit the button under the mouse (Insert fields for… something in English);
Choose the field(s) you need (I chose “Tópico” for this example);
Add your text (I added some text before and some text after);
Save the document (XML word document) and close Word. If prompted choose to [Stop] current mail merge activity;
Go to the new Mail Merge Document windows and [Remove] the Word dummy file you had already attached (…v00.xml);
Attach the new XML Word document (…v01.xml) and [Save] your new Mail Merge Document;
Go to Microsoft Dynamics CRM > Sales > Opportunities, select one of your opportunities and hit the Mail Merge Icon (highlighted);
Choose the Template Language, the Mail Merge type and your personal mail merge template (the one you have created before) before you hit the [OK] button;
As soon as Word opens you will be prompted to confirm the displayed data and you should hit [OK] (You can add or remove fields using the [Data fields] button. However, if you wish to do it permanently you should change the Data Fields settings for your Mail Merge Template under Settings > Mail Merge Templates.);
You will be shown your word template with no data. It’s ok!
Choose the Next Step (down right corner) which should state something like View Your Letter...
Check the document (letter) and notice that the dynamic field was replaced by the opportunity’s data (<<Tópico>> became “Teste”);
Move on to Next something like Finish Mail Merge;
And then choose the Print option (Imprimir in portuguese). ;
You will be prompted to Create or Not a related (letter) activity in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. You if want to keep a copy of your document as an activity (letter) note you should choose to create the (letter) activity. You can also check the [Activity Details].
If you chose to create the activity you should take a look at it. Don’t forget to check the notes for the mail merge file.
And you’re finally done!
Bonus: after you create this Mail Merge Template using on your CRM Outlook Client you will be able to use the template outside the Outlook Client (web).
And that’s how you actually create a working Microsoft Word Mail Merge Template for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.
