Choosing a format

Selecting the Text

Once you have selected the individuals who will receive the  postcards, you must select the text.  The computer will display available card, or letter, text files.  Simply select the one you  wish to use.

If you wish to add a new text, press the ESC key, and  you select the Text Editor option described later in this chapter.

Printing the Cards, Letters, Labels, or Lists

Before printing, be sure your printer has the paper, or cards,  properly loaded, and is "on line" ready to accept the computer  output.  The system will automatically print all of the cards you  have selected.

To interrupt the printing, press the ESC key.  Remember, however, that you must start the process over should you  stop in the middle of the operation.  Should you wish to interrupt  the printer temporarily, press the "on line" switch, deactivating  the printer.  Do not turn it off.

Work in small batches.  For example, you may wish to run a batch for  a one week period, rather than a full month.  This will allow you to  be finished more quickly, which is a safety factor if you have other  jobs to do.  If you have a high quality, slow speed, printer, you may wish to  have letters running after normal work hours.  It certainly will not  hurt the computer to be left on all night.  Start the print job as  you go home, and come back in the morning to a finished product -  and no one's time has been wasted.

Be sure that your 'paper path'  is clear - so that paper can be fed to the printer without  interference, and will stack properly as it comes out.  There are  special printer stands, with baskets, that work beautifully for this  task.  It is important to be sure the paper coming out of the  printer cannot backup onto the path of the paper being fed into the  printer.

The Merge File

Selected data can be saved to a merge file (  MRGDAT.DBF )  which can be read by most standard office products ( ie. Mircrosoft Office programs, and Word Perfect Suite ).  The file is independent of any data that you may be using for your daily work, and can be imported and/or manipulated by external programs without causing any difficulty to your main program.

Forms

You can use standard paper, or any 8.5 x 11 inch sheets for your letters and labels.  Labels are formatted for Avery  5160 or the equivalent, single sheet, 3 across format.   Postcards are designed to be printed on Avery 8387 card stock, and will print 4 cards per page.