Merging Reminders

Once the list of clients with reminders has been generated using the reminder schedule, these clients can be reminded about the procedure that is due in several ways. Postcards, customised letters, or emails might be sent, or the clinic might choose to phone the clients. The client information in the reminder list, together with the VisionVPM merge facility, make any of this possible.

Make use of the Reminder Schedule options: Target email clients or Target non-email clients to tailor your reminder lists to the channel you are using:

To Merge reminders

From the Reminder List window click Merge.

To send a single letter containing all the animals' names to each client (rather than one letter per animal), select Consolidate the animal names and reminder information for each client.

To add a notified date to the reminder record, select Set the notified date as [today's date]

To merge to a Word document, check Microsoft Word is selected and then click OK.

The Document window will be displayed:

If the letter you require has previously been created it will be displayed in the list.

If you wish to edit or check the document, ensure the Automatically Merge Document check box has not been selected and double-click the required document.

If you select the Automatically Merge Document check box, then double-click the required document, Word will open the document displaying the merged information.

To create a New Document

The first time the MS Word merge is used you need to create a new document.

To do this, type the name of the letter in front of the .doc in the Document Name box. Then click OK to open a blank document in Word.

If MS Word does not open with any of the above steps your will need to check the Path to MS Word in Maintenance > Computer Defaults.

Full details on the merge to word process are provided in the Merging to Word Section.

To create mailing labels

Once the reminder list has been generated, click Labels to create mailing labels for the clients on the list. Options for label setup can be found on the Client tab in Maintenance > System Defaults.

Click the Cut Sheet option to open further label options:

Labels can be viewed before printing by selecting Labels, then Screen as the Report Destination.

To create a phone list

Once the reminder list has been generated, click Print to create a phone list of clients.

This provides a list displaying the client code, name and phone number, the animal name, and the type and date of the reminder.

Merging Reminders to Email

1. Create your reminder list through the Reminder Schedule window. Select the reminder codes, enter dates, and Run.
2. From the Reminder List window, click Merge.
3. To send a single letter containing all the animals' names to each client (rather than one letter per animal), select Consolidate the animal names and reminder information for each client.
4. To add a notified date to the reminder record, select Set the notified date as [today's date]
5. To merge to email, select Email then click OK.

   The VPMMail main window will be displayed.

   

6. Click the Options button to access letters that have already been prepared, or type into the existing screen utilising the merge fields on the right to create a new letter.

Refer to the Merging to email section for more detail on the use of VPMMail.