ClarisWorks: Transfer (Import) Data from FileMaker Pro for Mail Merge

ClarisWorks 4 and ClarisWorks 5 include an AppleScript application, called Mail Merge, located in the ClarisWorks Scripts folder. Mail Merge automates moving names from a FileMaker database into ClarisWorks for merging into form letters.

ClarisWorks 4 Mail Merge applescript works with FileMaker Pro version 2. ClarisWorks 5 Mail Merge AppleScript works with FileMaker Pro 3 and 4.

Below are ClarisWorks versions 1 - 3 instructions for manually moving data from a FileMaker Pro database to a ClarisWorks database. Once moved, the data, such as names and addresses, can be used in a Mail Merge to print form letters.

Instructions:
A. Export from FileMaker Pro.

1. With your FileMaker Pro database on the screen, select Export from the File menu. Select "DIF" as the file type from the pop up menu.
2. Enter a file name. It may be helpful to place the suffix .DIF after the name. (For example: MyNames.DIF)
3. If you are using System 7 (or later), click the Desktop button. Click on "OK".
4. Quit FileMaker Pro

B. Convert the data to ClarisWorks.

1. Launch ClarisWorks. Since you do not need a new document here, click Cancel.
2. Choose Open from the File menu.
• If you are using ClarisWorks 1.0, click on the Import Options flag and select database. With all other versions of ClarisWorks, select Database in the Document Type pop-down menu.
• If using System 7, click the Desktop button. If not, navigate through your hard disk until you find the DIF file you just created.
3. Double-click on the file or select Open. The DIF file will be converted to a ClarisWorks database in a standard list style format. (The layout structures are not retained.)

C. Setting up the Mail Merge.
Complete instructions for mail merge can be found in the onscreen help. Here's a summary of the steps.

1. Open your ClarisWorks word processing (or other) document.
2. Click within your document where you want the merged data to begin and choose Mail Merge from the File menu.
3. After selecting the name of the open database, you are presented with the Mail Merge window. You can alternate between inserting fields and typing into your document. Figure 1 shows a sample form letter with the Mail Merge palette window.
4. When you're done, press the Print Merge button to print a copy of each record currently visible in the database merged into your current document.

When printing, ClarisWorks will remove lines that are completely blank and slide the rest of your data upwards. Although merged data will be visible only on the printout, use of a third-party utility like ClickBook, Print Previewer, etc., or a Hewlett-Packard Printer will allow you to preview the print image on the screen.

Figure 1, Mail Merge window.