In the past, pen and paper were the main tools for filling out forms, submitting reports, and other tasks that are everyday things in the workplace. Today, we are lucky that it all works electronically, so technology makes our lives a lot simpler. Most of us create and forward PDF files almost every day. If your job involves creating a large number of PDF files with the same template, but different data then you know how long this can take. Wouldn’t it be practical if we could somehow merge a PDF file with Excel files and get the job done much faster? With PDF mail merge this becomes possible. Here are some useful tips for mail merging PDF files that will make your work life much easier!
1. Create an optimal PDF form
The first important tip for automatically filling PDF files is to make a fillable, usable PDF form. This is the first step because you need an adequate template you can use for entering all the data from an Excel file. If you are wondering what it is, it is a form whose fields are interactive. This means that you can enter information in text form, mark a checkbox, etc. The good news is that a PDF form can be created from any document, from a Microsoft Word document to a file containing images or a paper document. If you already have a PDF form, you can use it and save yourself time. If not, don’t worry – you can find a number of useful tools that can help you create text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, and everything else that will make your PDF file work. The good news is that you can also find free versions that you can download if they suit you and use them for mail merging with Excel files. There are many different options and whichever you use make sure your PDF form is optimal for mail merging PDF files.
2. Make the Excel document that will work
Before you start the mail merging process, it is necessary to prepare all Excel documents. What does this mean? You need to make sure that all the information is well organized, and that the information is accurate. If you have made any mistake it will be much harder to detect it later, after the mail merging process is complete. A very important thing is that the first row in the Excel document should match the field names in the PDF form you have previously prepared. If this is not the case you will not get adequate results, no matter how good the tool you use.
3. Double-check PDF and Excel documents you’re using
All documents you use should be double-checked to make sure you get a satisfactory final result. And when we talk about this, we don’t mean to just run your eyes over the documents, but to really thoroughly study the documents in order to notice all the small mistakes. When using mail merger, it often happens that punctuation marks are repeated or absent, or you entered space twice. These are all things you need to pay attention to. It is a much better idea to do this before the merging process because at that moment you only need to handle two documents, while later that number multiplies, so you will need much more time and attention to notice the error. Not to mention that you will have to do everything from scratch if you skipped a comma somewhere or did not press space. So be careful at the beginning and check your work to ensure that everything runs smoothly afterward.
4. Find a good PDF mail merger
The most important piece of advice we can give you here is to do your best to find a good PDF mail merger. Otherwise, you will lose a lot of time, nerves, and money, and in the end, you will not be able to get what you want anyway. Sometimes people want to save money and choose mail mergers that are free, and eventually, it turns out that they have to buy the one that is more complex and does a better job. And in the meanwhile, they lost precious time. Do your research and find a merger email that does the job. There is also an option to buy a mail merger like the one on pdfmailmerger.com and test it for a month. And if you are not satisfied after 30 days, you can return it and get a refund. It is a great way to find what works for you for the shortest time possible.
5. Inquire about whether they protect your data
Some people deal with very sensitive data at work, that needs to stay within the company. In these companies, strict attention is paid to what kind of companies they work with because they must be trusted. If this is your case and you work in one such company, it is important to find a tool that guarantees the data protection and discretion you need in such situations. The last thing you want is to leak confidential information and jeopardize your position at work or even lose your job. And this sometimes happens with mail mergers that cannot be trusted. That is why you should thoroughly inquire whether the one you’re considering protects your data and guarantees that you are safe with them. Otherwise, you might put yourself and the whole company you work in an uncomfortable position.
Conclusion:
If you deal with a lot of PDFs at work every day and spend hours transferring data from Excel documents, it can be a very long and tedious process. Fortunately, we live in a time of advanced technology, so there are many useful tools on the market that can make your life easier. With this asset, you can create many more documents in much less time. Using the tips we have provided, you will ensure that the whole process runs smoothly and that the documents are completed by the deadline, and that their quality is top-notch as well.
