Is there a mail merge solution on OS X besides Microsoft Office?

I've been using Microsoft Office for mail merge and it is fraught with character encoding issues. I'm curious if there is another solution for mail merge besides Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac. I've got a homegrown solution I use too, but looking for something more robust. It would be nice if it supported HTML formatted messages.


Solution 1:

1-use Mailchimp (mailchimp.com) it has all the bells and whistles: address list management, import lists from a variety of formats, reports, subscribe/unsubscribe, drag & drop html layouts, etc. etc. All of this in their free product.

2-Go LibreOffice (https://help.libreoffice.org/Writer/Mail_Merge_Wizard). It compares nicely with what Office can do and it is a lot more flexible in the char encoding area. It looks clunkier than Office, but it is free.

Hope it helps

Solution 2:

I just had great success with SerialMailer. The trial version let me send 10 mails, which I created from a csv file.

Solution 3:

This solution I have used with some success after [a lot of] trial and error. :/ This requires scripting, but the script can be saved and used repeatedly. This answer may not be the best solution, but may be a good starting point and I hope it adds value.

AppleScript with Pages, Contacts and Apple Mail

(Taken from iWorkAutomation)

AppleScript automation, involving three OS X applications: Contacts, Pages, and Mail, that will create and mail encrypted PDF files generated from a Pages template containing text placeholders.

Basic gist of the workflow:

In the Contacts application, create a default card containing the Mail Merge sender’s data. Include First Name, Last Name, eMail address, Mailing Address, and Phone Number. Make the card the default card by choosing Make This My Card from the Card menu.

For testing the script, create small Contacts group containing four to five people. The data requirements for the recipient contacts are: First Name, Last Name, and eMail Address. By default Mailing Address is optional for recipients. Individual Contacts entries with incomplete required data will be skipped.

Create a Pages document.
NOTE: The default set of text placeholders used by the script, such as SENDERFIRSTNAME and recipientLastName, can be customized by editing the properties at the top of the script.

The only requirement for their design, is that a placeholder must be a unique continuous string of text characters, not found as part of other words, and that a placeholder not contain spaces, numbers, hyphens, punctuation, or word delimiters.

Open the script in the AppleScript Editor application and run the script. Follow the prompts and instructions.

TIP: If you want to use this script often, install it into the system-wide Script Menu.


-- USER SETABLE PROPERTIES
property senderFirstNamePlaceholder : "SENDERFIRSTNAME"
property senderLastNamePlaceholder : "SENDERLASTNAME"
property senderEmailAddressPlaceholder : "SENDEREMAILADDRESS"
property senderFullAddressPlaceholder : "SENDERFULLADDRESS"
property senderPhoneNumberPlaceholder : "SENDERPHONENUMBER"

property recipientFirstNamePlaceholder : "RECIPIENTFIRSTNAME"
property recipientLastNamePlaceholder : "RECIPIENTLASTNAME"
property recipientFullAddressPlaceholder : "RECIPIENTFULLADDRESS"

property attemptMailSend : false

property requireRecipientAddress : false

global peopleCount, recipientGroup

tell application "Contacts"
    activate
try
    -- DISPLAY OPENING DIALOG WITH SETABLE PREFERENCES
    repeat
        if attemptMailSend is false then
            set autoSendState to "OFF"
        else
            set autoSendState to "ON"
        end if
        display dialog "This script will perform a Mail Merge between a Pages tagged-template and a chosen Contacts group." & return & return & "Contact data requirements for the sender are: First Name, Last Name, eMail Address, Mailing Address, and phone." & return & return & "Contact data requirements for recipients are: First Name, Last Name, and eMail Address." & return & return & "AUTO-SEND: " & autoSendState with icon 1 buttons {"Cancel", "Set Prefs", "Begin"} default button 3
        if the button returned of the result is "Begin" then
            exit repeat
        else
            display dialog "Set AUTO-SEND to:" buttons {"Cancel", "OFF", "ON"} default button autoSendState
            if the button returned of the result is "OFF" then
                set attemptMailSend to false
            else
                set attemptMailSend to true
            end if
        end if
    end repeat
    
    -- CHECK AND RETRIEVE THE SENDER DATA
    -- assumes that the sender is the default Contact card
    set thisPerson to my card
    if thisPerson is missing value then error number 10000
    
    -- get the sender’s data
    tell thisPerson
        set senderFirstName to first name
        set senderLastName to last name
        if senderFirstName is missing value or senderLastName is missing value then
            error number 10001
        end if
        
        set the emailCount to the count of emails
        if the emailCount is 0 then
            error number 10002
        else if the emailCount is 1 then
            set senderEmailAddress to the value of first email
        else -- multiple email addresses, prompt the user to pick one
            set theseEmailAddress to the value of every email
            set senderEmailAddress to ¬
                (choose from list theseEmailAddress with prompt ¬
                    "Pick the sender email address to use:" default items (item 1 of theseEmailAddress))
            if senderEmailAddress is false then error number -128
            set senderEmailAddress to senderEmailAddress as string
        end if
        
        set the addressCount to the count of addresses
        if the addressCount is 0 then
            error number 10003
        else if the addressCount is 1 then
            set senderAddress to the formatted address of the first address
        else -- multiple addresses, prompt the user to pick one
            set theseAddresses to the formatted address of every address
            set senderAddress to ¬
                (choose from list theseAddresses with prompt ¬
                    "Pick the sender address to use:" default items (item 1 of theseAddresses))
            if senderAddress is false then error number -128
            set senderAddress to senderAddress as string
        end if
        
        set the phoneCount to the count of phones
        if the phoneCount is 0 then
            error number 10004
        else if the phoneCount is 1 then
            set senderPhoneNumber to the value of first phone of it
        else -- multiple phone numbers, prompt the user to pick one
            set thesePhoneNumbers to the value of every phone
            set senderPhoneNumber to ¬
                (choose from list thesePhoneNumbers with prompt ¬
                    "Pick the sender phone number to use:" default items (item 1 of thesePhoneNumbers))
            if senderPhoneNumber is false then error number -128
            set senderPhoneNumber to senderPhoneNumber as string
        end if
    end tell
    
    -- CHECK AND PROMPT FOR TARGET GROUP
    set groupCount to count of groups
    if the groupCount is 0 then
        error number 10005
    else if the groupCount is 1 then
        set recipientGroup to group 1
        set recipientGroupName to name of recipientGroup
    else -- multiple groups, prompt the user to pick one
        set theseGroupNames to the name of every group
        set recipientGroupName to ¬
            (choose from list theseGroupNames with prompt ¬
                "Pick the recipient Contacts group:" default items (item 1 of theseGroupNames))
        if recipientGroupName is false then error number -128
        set recipientGroupName to recipientGroupName as string
        set recipientGroup to group recipientGroupName
    end if
    
    -- CHECK GROUP FOR PEOPLE
    set peopleCount to the count of people of recipientGroup
    if the groupCount is 0 then
        error number 10006
    end if
    
on error errorMessage number errorNumber
    if errorNumber is 10000 then
        set errorNumber to "NO DEFAULT CARD"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "No person in this Contacts database is set to be the default card or “My Card.” Select a person and choose “Make This My Card” from the Card menu."
    else if errorNumber is 10001 then
        set selection to my card
        set errorNumber to "MISSING SENDER INFO"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The current default card is missing a value for the First Name or Last Name fields."
    else if errorNumber is 10002 then
        set selection to my card
        set errorNumber to "MISSING EMAIL ADDRESS"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The current default card is missing a value for the email address field."
    else if errorNumber is 10003 then
        set selection to my card
        set errorNumber to "MISSING MAILING ADDRESS"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The current default card is missing a value for the address fields."
    else if errorNumber is 10004 then
        set selection to my card
        set errorNumber to "MISSING PHONE NUMBER"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The current default card is missing a value for the phone number field."
    else if errorNumber is 10005 then
        set errorNumber to "MISSING GROUPS"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "There are no groups in the current contact database."
    else if errorNumber is 10006 then
        set errorNumber to "MISSING PEOPLE"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The chosen Contacts group contains no people."
    end if
    if errorNumber is not -128 then
        display alert (errorNumber as string) message errorMessage
    end if
    error number -128
end try
end tell

-- LOCATE THE TEMPORARY ITEMS FOLDER
set thisDirectoryHFSPath to (path to temporary items folder) as string

-- SWITCH TO PAGES
tell application "Pages"
    activate
    try
        -- CHECK TO SEE ALL DOCUMENTS ARE CLOSED
        if the (count of documents) is not 0 then error number 10000
    
        -- GET A LIST OF THE INSTALLED USER TEMPLATES AND PROMPT USER TO PICK THE ONE TO USE
        set userTemplateNames to the name of every template whose id of it begins with "User/"
        if userTemplateNames is {} then error number 10001
    
        set the chosenTemplateName to ¬
            (choose from list userTemplateNames with prompt ¬
                "Pick the tagged Pages template to use:" default items (item 1 of userTemplateNames))
    if chosenTemplateName is false then error number -128
    set chosenTemplateName to chosenTemplateName as string
    
    -- PROMPT FOR THE NAME OF THE EXPORTED PDFs
    repeat
        display dialog "Enter the name to use for the exported document:" default answer ""
        set thisDocName to the text returned of the result
        if thisDocName is not "" then
            if thisDocName does not end with ".pdf" then
                set exportDocName to thisDocName & ".pdf"
            else
                set exportDocName to thisDocName
            end if
            exit repeat
        end if
    end repeat
    
    -- PROMPT FOR PASSWORD (OPTIONAL)
    repeat
        display dialog "Enter a password for the PDF file:" default answer ¬
            "" buttons {"Cancel", "No Password", "OK"} default button 3 with hidden answer
        copy the result to {button returned:buttonPressed, text returned:firstPassword}
        if buttonPressed is "No Password" then
            set usePDFEncryption to false
            exit repeat
        else
            display dialog "Enter the password again:" default answer ¬
                "" buttons {"Cancel", "No Password", "OK"} default button 3 with hidden answer
            copy the result to {button returned:buttonPressed, text returned:secondPassword}
            if buttonPressed is "No Password" then
                set usePDFEncryption to false
                exit repeat
            else
                if firstPassword is not secondPassword then
                    display dialog "Passwords do no match." buttons {"Cancel", "Try Again"} default button 2
                else
                    set providedPassword to the firstPassword
                    set usePDFEncryption to true
                    exit repeat
                end if
            end if
        end if
    end repeat
    
    -- PROMPT FOR MAIL SUBJECT LINE
    set defaultMessageSubject to "Document from " & senderFirstName & space & senderLastName
    repeat
        display dialog "Enter the subject for the created Mail message:" default answer defaultMessageSubject
        set the outgoingMessageSubject to the text returned of the result
        if the outgoingMessageSubject is not "" then exit repeat
    end repeat
    
    -- OPEN TEMPLATE AND CHECK FOR OPTIONAL PLACEHOLDERS
    display dialog "Scanning template…" buttons {"•"} default button 1 giving up after 1
    set thisDocument to ¬
        make new document with properties {document template:template chosenTemplateName}
    tell body text of thisDocument
        set recipientFullAddressPlaceholderCount to ¬
            the count of (every word where it is recipientFullAddressPlaceholder)
    end tell
    close thisDocument saving no
    display dialog "Scan complete. Beginning Mail Merge…" buttons ¬
        {"•"} default button 1 giving up after 1
    
    -- BEGIN MERGE
    set the errorLog to "MAIL MERGE ERROR LOG"
    set createdMessages to {}
    repeat with i from 1 to the peopleCount
        set skipFlag to false
        tell application "Contacts"
            set thisPerson to person i of the recipientGroup
            set thisPersonIDString to the id of person i
            try
                set recipientFirstName to first name of thisPerson
                if recipientFirstName is missing value then error
            on error
                set recipientFirstName to "NO-FIRST-NAME"
                set skipFlag to true
                set the errorLog to ¬
                    errorLog & return & recipientFirstName & space & thisPersonIDString
            end try
            try
                set recipientLastName to last name of thisPerson
                if recipientLastName is missing value then error
            on error
                set recipientLastName to "NO-LAST-NAME"
                set skipFlag to true
                set the errorLog to ¬
                    errorLog & return & recipientLastName & space & thisPersonIDString
            end try
            try
                set recipientFullAddress to the formatted address of the first address of thisPerson
                if recipientFullAddressPlaceholderCount is not 0 and ¬
                    recipientFullAddress is missing value then error
            on error
                set recipientFullAddress to "NO-FULL-ADDRESS"
                set skipFlag to requireRecipientAddress
                set the errorLog to ¬
                    errorLog & return & recipientFullAddress & space & thisPersonIDString
            end try
            try
                set recipientEmailAddress to the value of the first email of thisPerson
                if recipientEmailAddress is missing value then error
            on error
                set recipientEmailAddress to "NO-EMAIL-ADDRESS"
                set skipFlag to true
                set the errorLog to ¬
                    errorLog & return & recipientEmailAddress & space & thisPersonIDString
            end try
        end tell
        
        if skipFlag is false then
            -- open a copy of the tagged template
            set thisDocument to ¬
                make new document with properties ¬
                    {document template:template chosenTemplateName}
            tell thisDocument
                -- replace the placeholders with the person data
                set placeholderWordReplacementStringPairings to {{senderFirstNamePlaceholder, senderFirstName}, {senderLastNamePlaceholder, senderLastName}, {senderEmailAddressPlaceholder, senderEmailAddress}, {senderFullAddressPlaceholder, senderAddress}, {senderPhoneNumberPlaceholder, senderPhoneNumber}, {recipientFirstNamePlaceholder, recipientFirstName}, {recipientLastNamePlaceholder, recipientLastName}, {recipientFullAddressPlaceholder, recipientFullAddress}}
                tell body text
                    with timeout of 600 seconds -- allow up to 10 minutes to process really long documents
                        repeat with i from 1 to the count of placeholderWordReplacementStringPairings
                            copy item i of placeholderWordReplacementStringPairings to ¬
                                {placeholderWord, replacementString}
                            my replaceWordWithStringInBodyText(placeholderWord, replacementString)
                        end repeat
                    end timeout
                end tell
            end tell
            
            -- export the PDF to the temporary items folder
            set the targetExportFileHFSPath to (thisDirectoryHFSPath & exportDocName)
            if usePDFEncryption is true then
                export thisDocument to file targetExportFileHFSPath ¬
                    as PDF with properties {password:providedPassword}
            else
                export thisDocument to file targetExportFileHFSPath as PDF
            end if
            
            -- close the new document without saving it
            close thisDocument saving no
            
            -- make a new message, attaching the exported PDF file
            tell application "Mail"
                set thisMessage to make new outgoing message with properties ¬
                    {subject:outgoingMessageSubject, visible:true}
                tell thisMessage
                    make new to recipient with properties ¬
                        {address:recipientEmailAddress, name:(recipientFirstName & space & recipientLastName)}
                    make new attachment at end of paragraphs of content with properties ¬
                        {file name:file targetExportFileHFSPath}
                end tell
                set the end of createdMessages to thisMessage
            end tell
            
            -- delete the exported PDF file
            tell application "Finder"
                move document file targetExportFileHFSPath to the trash
            end tell
        end if
    end repeat
    
    -- SEND THE CREATED MESSAGES (OPTIONAL)
    if attemptMailSend is true then
        try
            tell application "Mail"
                activate
                repeat with i from 1 to the count of the createdMessages
                    set thisMessage to item i of the createdMessages
                    send thisMessage
                end repeat
            end tell
        on error errorMessage
            set the errorLog to errorLog & return & ¬
                "Attempt at sending messages failed." & space & errorMessage
        end try
    else
        tell application "Mail" to activate
    end if
    
    -- CHECK THE ERROR LOG
    if the (count of paragraphs of errorLog) is greater than 1 then
        -- create a new Pages document with the eror log
        set thisDocument to ¬
            make new document with properties {document template:template "Blank"}
        set body text of thisDocument to errorLog
        error number 10002
    else
        -- display dialog "Mail Merge completed." buttons {"OK"} default button 1
        display notification "Process completed." with title "Mail Merge with Contacts Group"
    end if
on error errorMessage number errorNumber
    if errorNumber is 10000 then
        set errorNumber to "OPEN DOCUMENTS"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "Please close all documents before running this script."
    else if errorNumber is 10001 then
        set errorNumber to "NO USER TEMPLATES"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "There are no Pages user templates installed on this computer."
    else if errorNumber is 10002 then
        set errorNumber to "MAIL MERGE ERRORS"
        set errorMessage to ¬
            "The open document lists the errors occuring during the Mail Merge."
    end if
    if errorNumber is not -128 then
        if errorNumber is in {10002} then
            display notification "Errors occured." with title "Mail Merge with Contacts Group"
        end if
        display alert (errorNumber as string) message errorMessage
    end if
    error number -128
end try
end tell

on replaceWordWithStringInBodyText(searchWord, replacementString)
tell application "Pages"
    activate
    tell the front document
        tell body text
            -- start at the end and go to the beginning
            repeat with i from the (count of paragraphs) to 1 by -1
                tell paragraph i
                    repeat
                        try
                            if exists searchWord then
                                set (last word where it is searchWord) to replacementString
                            else
                                exit repeat
                            end if
                        on error errorMessage
                            exit repeat
                        end try
                    end repeat
                end tell
            end repeat
        end tell
    end tell
    return true
end tell
end replaceWordWithStringInBodyText