Printing Multiple Envelopes In ClarisWorks (DR, DB)

An advanced technique for effectively printing multiple envelopes

This information was provided by Claris Corporation on 16 March 1998, and incorporated into Apple Computer's Tech Info Library.

The easiest way to print multiple envelopes in ClarisWorks is to create a database to hold the name/address/mailing information, and a drawing document formatted for printing envelopes. If you use the Mail Merge feature to combine your names and addresses with the drawing document, you can easily and efficiently print your database on envelopes.

Follow this procedure:

1. Create a database with standard mailing fields (FirstName, LastName, Address, Address2, Company, City, State, Zip) or open your existing database file.
2. Create a Drawing (Graphics) document.
3. Choose Page Setup from the File Menu and choose an Envelope paper format. (If you do not have an Envelope format that you can choose, this technique will not work.)
4. Choose the landscape orientation.
5. Click Ok. When you get back to your document, you will see that the page looks like an envelope.
6. Click on the Text tool at the top of the toolbar, click in the top left corner of the page, and type your return address.
7. Click on the drawing tool (the pointer) at the top left corner of the toolbar, then click on the Text tool again.

8. Click in the center of the page and choose Mail Merge.
9. Choose your database file from the list.
10. Place your mail merge fields.
11. When you are finished placing the mail merge fields, resize the text frame in your drawing document so that the fields appear the way that you wish to print them. When you wish to print the database information on envelopes, choose Mail Merge again from the File menu and choose the Print Merge button.

Some significant advantages to this procedure are that ClarisWorks cleans up mail merges automatically, so you don't have to worry about extra space between your fields or misaligned information on the printed envelope.

Try a printout and see the results. Be sure to print on plain paper to check the placement of your text (hold an envelope over the printout to see where the text would appear on the envelope), and make any necessary adjustments in your document before printing onto real envelopes.

Published Date: Feb 18, 2012