How to create a letter with Address, Addressee and Salutation

Chris Zello

Within web view, I'm wondering the easiest way to get the constituent addressee, salutation and mailing address to put into a letter to be mailed?


Is the only option to highlight, copy and paste the information from the record?


In database view, there was the icon for Word, and one could click on "Write a letter..." which would generate this information in Word.  Is there an equivalent in web view?


I'm not asking about exporting to Excel to merge into a document to create hundreds of letters for a mass mailing.  Instead, this is about creating 1 letter.


Then, is there a way to some include this as an Action, possibly attaching the letter?


Thanks.

Karen Diener

There is currently no functionality in webview to accomplish this.  You would have to do it all in database view.  I believe some other developers are making use of APIs to create proposals based off fields in the Opportunities tile, but I don't think Blackbaud is actively working on this at the moment.


Out of curiosity, do you have a specific use case?  Would you be starting with a template that would result in minor tweaks for each person, or is it a completely new letter each time?


Karen

Chris Zello

It would be great if there was a free API that would create a basic template which simply starts a letter with the current date, primary addressee, street, city, state, zip, and the primary salutation.  Having the option to select the Addressee and Salutation from the available options would actually be best.  The body of the letter below would be blank.  Just pulling in the basic information would be a good start.  Also, having the option for an envelope with the mailing information would be great.


I don't think that having any extra fields pulled in would be necessary.


Thanks.

Lynnette Fisher

Unfortunately this is not an option at this time in NXT.  Would be a great feature - hope they add it soon!

Dan Snyder

Chris Zello‍, while this is not available in NXT as Lynnette Fisher‍ mentioned, you can do basically do this in database view from the top of a constituent record, Just click on the Word icon and it starts a letter with the current date, primary addressee, street, city, state, zip, and the primary salutation. You cannot pick from available salutations on the particular record, but using the drop down on the right you have options to create a few versions.