BulkMailer 2008 Online-Help: Internal Database

Internal Database

Use the internal database to collect your addresses directly in BulkMailer. You also have the alternative option of accessing an external database directly in order to compile a mailing from it.

The internal address database allows the generation of a personal salutation. Types of salutations belong thereby to particular groups. All of this can be configured freely.

Administering Addresses

BulkMailer automatically sets up an empty address database (addresses.bm3) the first time it starts up.

Entering a new address

Select the menu Address->New address (F6) or click on the corresponding icon. The dialog for searching for duplicate records appears. Enter here the email address. If the address already exists in the database, the place where it is to be found will be listed. You can then display this data set or enter a new email address.

If the data set does not yet exist in the database, the empty entry mask will appear. The email field is already filled out. As a minimum, you should fill out the following fields in order to be able to generate automatic salutations:

First and last name or company name
Gender
Group

The automatic salutation will be shown in the status line. This is dependent on the group selected.

Click on OK to store the record.

Edit an existing address

Double click on an address in the addresses grid. The entry form will open to allow you to alter the data.

Deleting an address

Select one or more addresses in the addresses grid and press the 'Del.' button or click on the corresponding icon.

Grid Display of the Addresses

Click on the 'addresses' card in the main window.

Sorting

Click on one column heading in order to sort according to this column.

Grouping

Click on the 'Grouping' icon. Then drag a column heading over to the area 'Drag column here for grouping'. Groups will now appear which can be expanded and collapsed in turn. Predefined groupings can be selected with the arrow next to the Grouping icon.

To return to the ungrouped view, click once again on the 'Grouping' icon.

Searching

Click on the binocular icon (Ctrl-F) in order to search within the table displayed. Click on the smaller binocular (F3) to search further.

The search functions work by comparing character strings and are therefore slow. You should use the selection functions to search for addresses in larger-sized data groups.

Database Queries

The Query functions are based on SQL queries and are therefore very fast. There are 2 different dialogs available for use:

Select... (frequently used fields, only for internal database)
Query... (any kind of selection, even in external databases)

The current selection is also valid for mail compilition. That means that the mailing will be compiled from the current selection when you click on 'Compile Mailing' and select 'All Visible Records'.

Editing in the table

You can edit addresses directly in the table grid. Check the corresponding icon to do this. You should however take care when doing this; modifications cannot be reversed once they have been made.

Administering several address databases

Select the menu items under 'File' in order to

set up a new address database
open an existing address database

The current address database and the full physical path will be displayed in the address card title. Each address database has its own self-defined groups and salutations.