Build and Edit a Merge Template

To build a merge template in your site:

1. Prepare the document that will be used as the merge template. The templated content such as the award letter should be ready before beginning the next steps.
   • The document should be prepared in Microsoft Word or a similar program. 
2. Click Communications on the upper navigation bar, and then click Merge Templates.
3. Click the Process drop-down and select the process for which merge fields will be generated. 
   • For example, if an award letter template for a Spring Process if being created, select the Spring Process. This ensures that the merge fields copied and pasted into the template will pull the intended information for requests in that process. 
4. Click Generate Merge Fields. 
5. A Microsoft Word document named after the selected process will download to your browser; click to open the document.
   • This document contains all the available merge fields related to the selected process. Do not update the fields in the document when prompted by Microsoft Word.
   • Refer to the Merge Fields Explained section below for more details on this document. 
6. Highlight and copy a desired merge field within the Process Merge Fields document.
    
7. Using the Paste With Merge Formatting option in Word, paste the copied field into the template exactly where the information from that field is to populate.
   • Do not use the Keep Text Only option when pasting a merge field as that removes the field code in the background. More information on field codes is available at the end of this section.
   • Continue adding all desired merge fields being mindful of spaces and punctuation surrounding the merge fields.
      
8. Save the changes to the Word document merge template. 
9. On the Merge Templates page, click Add Merge Template, and then select the template file from your computer. 
10. Enter the applicable File Upload Completed information, and then click Save.
    • Name - This field becomes the file name when generating merge documents using this template. If documents made using this template are attached to an applicant's request, the name will be visible to them.
    • Description - This field is for internal purposes and can be used to note the intended purpose of the template. 

The document will now be available in the list of merge templates and can be used to generate merge documents from your site.

 

Once a merge template has been built and saved, the name and description can be edited. 

1. Click Communications on the upper navigation bar, and then click Merge Templates.
2. Click the pencil icon on the template to be edited.
    
3. Enter the applicable Edit Merge Template information, and then click Save.
    

The merge template file uploaded cannot be edited with this process, to replace the file refer to the Edit a Merge Template File section below.

Edit a Merge Template File

To edit a merge template file: 

1. Click Communications on the upper navigation bar, and then click Merge Templates.
2. Click the File Name of the template file to be edited.
    
3. Open the file that downloads to your computer. 
4. Make the necessary edits to the document and save your changes.
5. On the Merge Templates page, click Add Merge Template, and then select the template file from your computer.
   
    
6. Enter the applicable File Upload Completed information, and then click Save.
   • Name - This field becomes the file name when generating merge documents using this template. If documents made using this template are attached to an applicant's request, the name will be visible to them.
   • Description - This field is for internal purposes and can be used to note the intended purpose of the template. It might be helpful to note that this is an updated version of the template.
     
      
   • If applicable, click the Trash Can icon next to the old version of the merge template to delete it.
     
      

When merge fields are generated for a process, note that some sections of fields are not process-specific. For example, the Primary Contact section contains fields from the registration pages. If only process-specific fields are included in the merge template, that merge template can be used to generate documents for requests in any process. 

Other sections of fields are process-specific. When generating a merge document, it is generated for a request within a specific process. If the merge template includes process-specific merge fields, data will only populate in those fields if they exist with a matching field code in the process for that request.

Example

The Amount Requested field from the Spring Process application form is included in a merge template, and you want to use this merge template for your Fall Process as well. If your Spring Process was copied to create the Fall Process and you kept the Amount Requested field on the Fall Process application, you could use that same merge template to generate documents for both processes. That is because the field code for the Amount Request field, meaning the code behind the Amount Requested merge field, is the same for both processes since the Fall Process was created as a copy of the Spring Process. 

This webinar covers how to set up scholarship follow up forms and merge templates. The hosts demonstrate how to collect thank you notes, both general and personalized versions, using standalone processes or universal applications. They explain how organizations can use this information for donor engagement by creating recipient snapshots through merge templates or reporting features. They show how to share student stories with donors and recommendations for reducing the burden on students receiving multiple scholarships. They also discuss using administrator-facing questions to flag exceptional student responses for marketing purposes.