https://github.com/brenordv/docx-mailmerge-python
https://github.com/brenordv/docx-mailmerge-python
Last synced: 3 months ago
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- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/brenordv/docx-mailmerge-python
- Owner: brenordv
- Created: 2023-12-25T19:36:18.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2023-12-25T19:37:46.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-20T08:13:11.037Z (5 months ago)
- Language: Python
- Size: 70.3 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
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Metadata Files:
- Readme: readme.md
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README
# Mail Merge Automation Repository
## What is this repository?
This repository contains scripts to demonstrate the process of automated generation of personalized documents using the
mail merge functionality. It includes a script for generating random test data (`data_fetcher.py`) and a main
script (`main.py`) that performs the mail merge using a provided Word document template.
You could change the implementation of the `data_fetcher.py` script to fetch data from a database or other data source
that will suit your needs. The main script will remain almost the same (you might need to delete/remove the print
statements).
> Note: I'm not sure, but you might need to parse datetime objects to string before using them on the Word document.
> Not sure about that...
## Required Packages
Before running the scripts, ensure you have the following packages installed:
- `python-docx`: for reading, writing, and creating Word documents.
You can install itusing pip:
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
```
# How to Use
1. Prepare Your Template:
- Create a Word document template with the necessary merge fields and save it in the ./templates/ directory. The
fields should correspond to the data you wish to merge (e.g., firstname, lastname).
2. Generate Random Data (Optional):
- Run the random_data_generator.py script to generate test data for the mail merge. You can modify this script to
include additional fields or different sample data.
3. Perform the Mail Merge:
- Run the mail_merge_script.py script. This script reads your template and the generated data to create personalized
documents for each entry in the data set.
4. Check the Results:
- The merged documents will be saved in the ./merged_documents/ directory. Each document will be named using a
combination of a unique identifier and the recipient's name for easy identification.
# Important Gotchas
- Template Fields: Ensure that the field names in your Word document template exactly match the keys in your data
source. Mismatches will result in fields not being properly replaced.
- Document Format: The template must be a Word document (.docx). Other formats are not supported by the python-docx and
mailmerge packages.
- Output Directory: The script assumes an ./merged_documents/ directory for output. If it doesn't exist, the script will
attempt to create it, but you should ensure you have the necessary permissions.
- Encoding Issues: Be mindful of character encoding. If your data contains special or non-ASCII characters, ensure your
environment and the Word document handle them correctly.
- Dependencies: Always work in a virtual environment and ensure you've installed all required dependencies before
running the scripts.
# Contributing
Feel free to fork this repository and contribute by submitting a pull request. We appreciate your input in improving
this mail merge automation demo tool!
# References
- The sample template was downloaded from here: https://support.redtailtechnology.com/s/article/Sample-Mail-Merge-Letter-Templates