Mail merge- What is the practical limit to the # of letters printe

[Guest]

Hi:
Question 1- With Outlook 2003 what is the practical limit to the number of
letters or labels merged with the contact database before performance becomes
useless. Can I effectively create 500 mailing labels for a mass mailing? A
client was supposedly told by Microsoft that Outlook can only handle a
certain number of merges with Word 2003.

Question 2- If a merge is interuppted for some reason can it recover and
start to print from the last letter merged or do you have to start all over
again and reprint letters already done?

Thanks for your help. I'm trying to get someone to quit using Netscape
communicator and Goldmine.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Outlook can handle unlimited, however, like it is with any product, it will
take longer to do if you have more contacts (a faster computer speeds it
up). If you are merging to email, Outlook may be slow sending the messages
(depends on a number of factors, including the mail server) and i wouldn't
recommend mail merge for anything over around 2000 (maybe as high as 5000)
as it will tie up the computer for some time. It's really better to use a
bulk mail application when you get into the thousands. It's much the same
with printed files, but if the printer can store the pages, it seems much
faster.

In most cases, you'll need to start over, but if you know what was already
merged, you can start with the next contact.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I actually got an email merge from Word 03 to Outlook 03 to work, using
Business Contacts. However, it's taking around 2 seconds per message. At
21,000+ contacts, I think this would take all day.

Luckily I started out with a base of 5000 sends for the initial merge. Is
there any performance configurations or tricks to keeping email merging to
sending quick? I'm also using a hosted SMTP server that has no limit, as
long as it is a mail merge.

Thanks!

Outlook can handle unlimited, however, like it is with any product, it will
take longer to do if you have more contacts (a faster computer speeds it
up). If you are merging to email, Outlook may be slow sending the messages
(depends on a number of factors, including the mail server) and i wouldn't
recommend mail merge for anything over around 2000 (maybe as high as 5000)
as it will tie up the computer for some time. It's really better to use a
bulk mail application when you get into the thousands. It's much the same
with printed files, but if the printer can store the pages, it seems much
faster.

In most cases, you'll need to start over, but if you know what was already
merged, you can start with the next contact.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Hi:
Question 1- With Outlook 2003 what is the practical limit to the number of
letters or labels merged with the contact database before performance
becomes
useless. Can I effectively create 500 mailing labels for a mass mailing? A
client was supposedly told by Microsoft that Outlook can only handle a
certain number of merges with Word 2003.

Question 2- If a merge is interuppted for some reason can it recover and
start to print from the last letter merged or do you have to start all
over
again and reprint letters already done?

Thanks for your help. I'm trying to get someone to quit using Netscape
communicator and Goldmine.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I agree with Diane. Using mail merge for anything over a couple of thousand is crazy. The NDRs alone can be enough to overwhelm you, given that you can expect 10% to be returned.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

Hi, I actually got an email merge from Word 03 to Outlook 03 to work, using
Business Contacts. However, it's taking around 2 seconds per message. At
21,000+ contacts, I think this would take all day.

Luckily I started out with a base of 5000 sends for the initial merge. Is
there any performance configurations or tricks to keeping email merging to
sending quick? I'm also using a hosted SMTP server that has no limit, as
long as it is a mail merge.

Thanks!

Outlook can handle unlimited, however, like it is with any product, it will
take longer to do if you have more contacts (a faster computer speeds it
up). If you are merging to email, Outlook may be slow sending the messages
(depends on a number of factors, including the mail server) and i wouldn't
recommend mail merge for anything over around 2000 (maybe as high as 5000)
as it will tie up the computer for some time. It's really better to use a
bulk mail application when you get into the thousands. It's much the same
with printed files, but if the printer can store the pages, it seems much
faster.

In most cases, you'll need to start over, but if you know what was already
merged, you can start with the next contact.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Hi:
Question 1- With Outlook 2003 what is the practical limit to the number of
letters or labels merged with the contact database before performance
becomes
useless. Can I effectively create 500 mailing labels for a mass mailing? A
client was supposedly told by Microsoft that Outlook can only handle a
certain number of merges with Word 2003.

Question 2- If a merge is interuppted for some reason can it recover and
start to print from the last letter merged or do you have to start all
over
again and reprint letters already done?

Thanks for your help. I'm trying to get someone to quit using Netscape
communicator and Goldmine.

 

[Guest]

I learned after I posted this that I need a bulk email program that is
capable of concurrent threads. Do you recommend a program I can purchase
(not a monthly service) that has 512 concurrent thread sending capability?

PS- What is "NDR" (mentioned in your reply). Is that something that has to
do with failed sends?

I agree with Diane. Using mail merge for anything over a couple of thousand is crazy. The NDRs alone can be enough to overwhelm you, given that you can expect 10% to be returned.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

Hi, I actually got an email merge from Word 03 to Outlook 03 to work, using
Business Contacts. However, it's taking around 2 seconds per message. At
21,000+ contacts, I think this would take all day.

Luckily I started out with a base of 5000 sends for the initial merge. Is
there any performance configurations or tricks to keeping email merging to
sending quick? I'm also using a hosted SMTP server that has no limit, as
long as it is a mail merge.

Thanks!

Outlook can handle unlimited, however, like it is with any product, it will
take longer to do if you have more contacts (a faster computer speeds it
up). If you are merging to email, Outlook may be slow sending the messages
(depends on a number of factors, including the mail server) and i wouldn't
recommend mail merge for anything over around 2000 (maybe as high as 5000)
as it will tie up the computer for some time. It's really better to use a
bulk mail application when you get into the thousands. It's much the same
with printed files, but if the printer can store the pages, it seems much
faster.

In most cases, you'll need to start over, but if you know what was already
merged, you can start with the next contact.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)




Hi:
Question 1- With Outlook 2003 what is the practical limit to the number of
letters or labels merged with the contact database before performance
becomes
useless. Can I effectively create 500 mailing labels for a mass mailing? A
client was supposedly told by Microsoft that Outlook can only handle a
certain number of merges with Word 2003.

Question 2- If a merge is interuppted for some reason can it recover and
start to print from the last letter merged or do you have to start all
over
again and reprint letters already done?

Thanks for your help. I'm trying to get someone to quit using Netscape
communicator and Goldmine.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

A search will turn up many bulk mail programs for you to evaluate. I don't keep tabs on them.

NDR = non-delivery report

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers