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This article applies to:

  • Product: safesend
  • Subject: eSignature
  • Audiences: Staff

Mail Merge guide

Use Mail Merge to create personalized signature requests in bulk by preparing a Microsoft Word template, building a CSV file, and sending documents through the Mail Merge Wizard.
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Mail Merge is a desktop application designed to send personalized letters for signature to a larger number of recipients than Signatures typically allows. This program requires Microsoft Word. Once installed, you can create templates and mailing lists to deliver documents like engagement letters in bulk.
note
As of April 27, 2024, users can sign in to Mail Merge using Office 365/Single Sign-On. This must be enabled in
Product Settings
.

Download Mail Merge

The Mail Merge download process installs a desktop application and a Microsoft Word plugin.
note
  • The Mail Merge app must be downloaded by a System Admin from
    Product Settings
    .
  • This app and Microsoft Word must be installed locally on each user's PC.
    • Don’t install from OneDrive or an external drive.
  • Mail Merge is not compatible with terminal server environments.
  1. Select the
    Navigation Widget
    .
  2. Select
    Product Settings
    .
  3. Select
    Download
     under
    General
    Product Downloads
    Mail Merge
    .
  4. Run the downloaded
    MailMerge.exe
     file.
  5. Let the app make changes to your device to open the
    Mail Merge Setup
     window.
  6. Select
    Next
    .
  7. Select
    Agree
     in the
    License Agreement
     window.
  8. Select
    Install
     in the
    Choose Install Location
     window.
  9. Select
    Finish
     in the
    Completing Mail Merge Setup
     window.
  10. Enter a username and password, then select
    Login
    , or select
    Continue with Office365
    .

Creating a Microsoft Word template

Once Mail Merge is installed, Microsoft Word has an
E-Sign Action Center
 plugin that is used to generate a Mail Merge template.
note
Don’t anchor images or signature blocks to the page. Editing the layout of the signature blocks can disrupt the signature block function or cause the Mail Merge app to crash.
  1. Select
    Create Document Template
     from the Mail Merge desktop application, or open Microsoft Word.
  2. Select
    SafeSend Signatures
    .
  3. Select
    E-Sign Action Center
    .
  4. Use the
    SafeSend Signatures
     window to place signature blocks, merge fields, and generate a CSV template as the following outline.

Signature Placement

The
Signature Placement
 tab shows client action items. The signer is prompted to fill these fields if they are added to the template. One exception is the date field, which is auto-filled.
To add fields to the form, follow these steps:
  1. Place your cursor in the document where a signature field is needed.
  2. Select the
    Signer
     dropdown to select which signer will fill the field.
    • The item you are placing can only be completed by the designated signer.
  3. Double-click the signature field to place it.
  4. Type a
    Tooltip
     in the
    Data Field
     checkbox if using a data field.
    • The signer can enter free text in this checkbox. The tooltip tells them what information is being requested.
  5. Ensure the field is marked as
    Required
     if you want it to be required.
    • Double-click a placed field to confirm whether it is marked as required.
The same template can be used regardless of the number of signers. Mail Merge recognizes the number of email addresses, or signers, in the CSV file.

Conditional Controls

When adding
checkboxes
 or
radio buttons
, you can create conditional rules for those buttons.
For example, if option A is selected, the signer signs one field. If option B is selected, the signer initials another field.
  1. Select the signer.
    • This is the recipient who will be prompted to fill in the field.
  2. Place your cursor in the document where an item is needed.
  3. Double-click the radio button or checkbox option to add it to the page.
  4. Enter how many buttons to add.
    • Additional options appear in the right panel after the selection has been added.
  5. Drag and drop the button to move it to the correct position.
  6. Select whether the client is required to complete the field.
  7. Select
    Select field from page
    .
  8. Select the signature field to reveal when that option is selected.
    • It is added to the
      Then
       options in the right panel.
  9. Select
    Save Rule
     to save your changes.

Mail Merge tab

The
Mail Merge
 tab lets you place merge fields into the template. Data is pulled from the CSV template to auto-fill those fields.
There are three predefined merge fields:
  • TaxpayerName
  • Salutation
  • Client ID
All other fields are created using the
Create Custom Merge Fields
 tool.
Each merge field corresponds to a column header in the CSV file. There is no limit to the number of merge fields that can be added.

Create and Place Merge Fields

  1. Place your cursor in the document where an item is needed.
  2. Double-click a merge field to place it, or select
    Create Custom Merge Fields
    .
  3. Type a merge field name in the field.
    • Spaces are removed.
    • Don’t add special characters to the merge field name.
  4. Select
    Place Field
    .
    • The field is saved if it is needed again for that document.

Creating a CSV File

Once all necessary merge fields have been placed, you can create a corresponding spreadsheet. Each
Merge Field
 is a column header in the spreadsheet.
note
  • Microsoft Excel automatically deletes leading zeros.
  • Individual cells don’t have character limits. Full paragraphs or more can be entered in these cells.
  • If a cell is left blank in the CSV file, that field is removed from the Microsoft Word template, and spacing is adjusted to normalize formatting.
  • SignerXEmail
     and
    SignerXName
     are required. Other columns can be left blank.
  1. Select
    Create CSV Template
    .
  2. Fill in the required information.
    • Signer emails
    • Signer names
  3. Fill in all other merge fields as needed.
  4. Ensure the
    Version
     number is in place.
  5. Save and close the file.
    • The file can't be open when you process the batch from the app.

Using the Mail Merge Wizard

Once the Microsoft Word template and CSV file are completed, the batch of documents can be delivered for eSignature with the Mail Merge Wizard. There are five steps to batch process and send documents for eSignature. Open the
Mail Merge
 desktop application to get started.

Step 1: Select Files

The documents must be saved and closed before beginning.
  1. Select
    Open Document Template
     to upload the Microsoft Word template.
  2. Select
    CSV FILE
     to upload the corresponding CSV file.
    • The document name appears at the bottom of each checkbox once uploaded.
  3. Select
    Step 2: Check Errors
    .

Step 2: Check errors

During Step 2, the Mail Merge Wizard verifies that the selected files can be successfully merged.
If there are errors:
  1. Review the detailed error description.
  2. Select
    Select Files
    .
  3. Correct any errors in the Microsoft Word template and CSV file.
  4. Reupload the corrected templates.
If there are no errors:
  1. Select
    Step 3: Merge Files
    .

Step 3: Merge Files

Step 3 merges the files.
  1. View the progress bar.
    • You can go away from this window to let it work in the background.
    • Once complete, a window showing all documents opens.
  2. View the
    Document Name
    .
    • All documents show the Microsoft Word file name.
    • Double-click the document name to preview the file.
  3. View the Signer 1
    E-Mail
     addresses.
  4. Select
    Step 4: Configuration
    .

Step 4: Configuration

Step 4 lets you select settings and add or edit the message sent to document recipients. Default settings are auto-filled based on your firm settings.
note
Firm settings can allow or restrict editing during the
Configuration
 step.
  1. Select the
    Document Type
    .
  2. Adjust the
    Expiry Date
     as necessary.
  3. Select a
    Tax Year
    .
  4. Select the
    Sender Signing Order
     if a Sender Signature block was included in the Microsoft Word document.
  5. Select an
    Office Location
    .
  6. Select a
    Contact Person
     for the signer or signers to contact.
  7. Select a
    Signing Sequence
    .
    • Parallel Signing
       lets all signers sign at the same time.
    • Custom Signing Sequence
       requires clients to sign in order. Signer 2 doesn’t receive an access link until Signer 1 completes signing.
  8. Select a
    Message
     template or create a new
    Message
    .
    • If you create a new message, clear formatting from the subject and message when pasting. You can do this by typing it manually or pressing Ctrl + Shift + V.
  9. Select
    Access Code Required
     to add an additional layer of security.
    • The document recipient must enter an access code sent to their email address before viewing or signing.
  10. Select
    Step 5: Send for Signature
    .

Step 5: Send for signature

The document is delivered to all designated recipients. Delivered items appear in the Delivered section of Signatures.
  1. View the progress bar.
    • You can go away from this window to let it work in the background.
    • Once completed, Step 1 of the Mail Merge Wizard displays.
  2. Locate Mail Merge items in the Delivered report in Signatures.

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