Automatic Document Creation, Archiving and Mail Merges

OfficeTalk V1.5 now allows you to link to any major word processor to create documents and archive them against companies and contacts already held in OfficeTalk's central database.

Creating Document Templates

OfficeTalk uses both Rich Text Files (RTF) and Text Files (TXT) as templates for creating documents within your word processor. Before using OfficeTalk with your word processor, you will need to check that your word processor can load and open RTF and TXT files.

To associate your word processor with .RTF and .TXT files you will need to use File\Associate command in File Manager to check that RTF or TXT are associated with your wordprocessor. Type RTF or TXT in Files with Extension and Associate With will show which (if any) application is currently associated with RTF or TXT files. If your word processor is correctly associated press OK. If not, select your word processor from the Associate With and then press OK.

Associate dialog box

If you are using Windows 95, use the View\Options meuu in Explorer and select the tab. Locate RTF or TXT from the Registered file types list. If the File types details box does not correspond to your word processor press the button to change the association.

OfficeTalk lets you create a template for a Document which may then be sent to any contact or company held within the OfficeTalk database. Certain fields may be specified in the template which will be replaced by information relating to the contact or company selected.

OfficeTalk lets you design document templates either as pure text files (with .TXT extensions) or as Rich Text Files (with .RTF extensions). The final size of the template file must not exceed 64k.

To create a Document template, use any word processor which supports either RTF format (for example Microsoft Word ™) or Text format (any word processor, including Notepad ™). Design the template Designing Document Templates and save the file into the _tmpltes sub directory of the OfficeTalk directory. It is important that you save the file into the _tmpltes directory so that other users may use your template.

The filename of the saved template may be any filename which has a .TXT or .RTF extension.

Next, select Document Templates from the Edit menu in Contact mode. The Document Templates dialog box will appear. This dialog box shows a list of existing Document templates with buttons to create, edit and delete templates. Press to bring up the Document Template dialog box.

Document Template dialog box

Give the new template a name and then, use the to search for the RTF template file that you created. By default, the template will be personal to you and only you will be able to see the template. You may make the template visible to all users by selecting the public radio button. Press OK to save the template.

Index Designing Document Templates