Creating a mail-merge template is something you can do. But it depends on what your definition of jumping through hoops is on whether or not the users will like it as a solution. If they already know how to do a "normal" mail merge and that isn't jumping through hoops then you will be the hero, because a word mail-merge in CRM is exactly the same as a word mail-merge with a different data source, like a text file or a different database. It doesn't do the work for you, but it does allow you to insert CRM data into a form letter, and it does give you a place to store form letters that you use frequently (templates). If you already know all of that and you still think that mail-merge is the way to go then...
1. If you have an existing document then it will save you some typing, but if you are going from scratch then find out what exactly they want on the document and what fields they need added from the database.
a. Once you have that information you need to create a new word document with all of their text in it and some placeholders so you can add the merge fields later like "[put first name here]" and save it as an XML document. You can't save it as a regular document or a template; you will get errors when you try to upload it.
2. Create a new mail merge template in CRM.
a. Give the template a name and description.
b. Decide whether the whole organization can use it or just you and whoever you want to maintain sharing with.
c. Depending on what CRM fields they want to see on the document, you have to pick the correct associated entity. So in your case I would pick contact as the entity. That way it will be available when the user has a contact selected and they go to the actions menu and select mail merge.
d. Next select the data fields you want from the associated entity or leave the defaults. By the way, this is where you probably want to spend some time looking at what is available by selecting a different record type. You want the merge to be available to the user when working on a contact, so you select contact as the associated entity, but only you would know best if or why you would need the same contact information that is on the screen in an attached file. So maybe you need some other information from CRM in the attached file that is associated with the contact. Here is where you pick it.
e. Attach the XML document that you created in step one.
3. Now you can get to the good stuff and modify the template so that it has the fields in it that the users expect.
a. Click the button to edit the template in word. When you are asked whether you want to save the document or open it I suggest choosing to save it. Unless you want to keep navigating through your file system to find your temporary Internet files, and pick a place that is easy to get to like your desktop.
b. Open the document you just downloaded and you have to pick to always trust Microsoft. I tried just enabling macros and it opened another word window and clicking on the CRM button like the instructions say on the document does nothing. So you have to say to always trust Microsoft and close the document and then open it again. (or change your security settings in Word, you pick)
c. Now you can click the CRM button
d. I'm pretty much just paraphrasing what the instructions on the document say, but it created a text document with all of the fields you selected from step two. You don't need to do anything with this text document because Word already knows to use it as the data source. Now replace all of your place holders that you created in the document in step one.
e. Save it (on your desktop) and close it.
4. Remove the attached document from the mail merge template in CRM (It is still the one that has all of your placeholders in it from step one.), and attach the newly saved document instead.
5. Now you can delete it and the text document from your desktop.
6. Activate the template (actions menu) save & close it.
7. See if you can get a raise even in the current economy, because you are such a valuable employee.
