CatalogWriter (Auction Tracker)

Auction Catalogs and program books come in all shapes and sizes. However, they all have a common theme with respect to their content. An opening letter, auction rules, thank you pages, catalog items sectioned by "live"  and "silent" auction items, and more.

Creating an auction catalog using the mail merge process is considered one step up in sophistication from letter production. Unlike name and address headers which primarily default to the left margin, fields are now going to be placed at specific locations within the document. Further, text immediately preceding or following the macro may also be added. For example, take the line in an item listing where donors are listed. It is customary to add the label "Donors:" directly behind the field tag for identification purposes.

Creating A Mail Merge Template

Creating the template or table in the word processor requires a little up-front layout work which is best done on paper. Here is a trick to creating a catalog. Imagine if you will, a page out of an organization's catalog. On that page, imagine what an item presentation looks like. It is that layout that needs to be created. Use options such as type fonts, tab stops, and indents to set how the catalog item template/table is laid out. When this layout is created, each item exported is processed through the layout resulting in a finished look.

1. Take a piece of paper, write down the item fields to be used, in the format required. Layout the fields going left to right, top to bottom. Later on, this is the order in which the fields are selected. The following format example is used when creating a presentation for multiple items running down a page:
   
   Catalog Number            Catalog Name                Value
   Description
   Restriction
   Donor
2. Next, for reference purposes, assign “Field” tags or numbers to each of the data components. Again, assign them by starting at the top, going left to right, top to bottom. If using Corel WordPerfect or another word processor that does not use field headers, the field tags are used to identify each of the macros during a merge. For Microsoft Word or other word processors that bring over field headers in the data file, the field tags are ignored.
   
   Catalog Number ^F1            Catalog Name ^F2                Value ^F3
   Description ^F4
   Restriction ^F5
   Donor ^F6
   
   The template, now created on paper, can be used to create a mail merge data file from Auction-Tracker.
3. Beginning with Auction-Tracker, create a mail merge data file from CatalogWriter. Select the fields following the order provided above. If field tag #1 is assigned to Catalog Number, select Catalog Number from the macro list first. Upon selection, Catalog Number appears in the "F1" position on right-hand side of the CatalogWriter window. Now move to F2, then F3, etc.. When all macros have been selected and the mail merge file is created, be sure to write down its saved location and name for later reference. By default, the file saves to Auction-Tracker's User Documents folder.
4. In the word processor, create a primary merge document or table (depending on the word processor) for the catalog and select the mail merge file from Auction-Tracker as the data source for the merge. Format the catalog template to the organization's requirements, including field names or numbers, tab indents, special fonts, and any additional formatting desired. Once the document or table is complete, save document.
5. With the primary merge document or table for the catalog being created complete, use the mail merge file and perform a mail merge.
6. When the mail merge is complete, the merged catalog pages appear in the window. At this point they may printed or saved as needed.
7. Finally take this document and size it, add headers and/or footers, merge it with a master word processing file that contains other items and the rest of the unique catalog.

There are several tips and tricks to keep in mind when creating and performing a mail merge:

Issue #1 - Not all mail merges come out perfect the first time they are tried. Once the template or table has been setup, the user may need to experiment with the layout until it is produces the desired result.

Issue #2 - A traditional Delimited ASCII (mail merge) file uses a Field Delimiter of a , and a Field Encapsulate Character of  “. Auction-Tracker deals with plain text that potentially can include quotes as a part of the data itself, a different Field Encapsulate Character must be used. Of the standard ASCII characters available on the computer's keyboard, the ^ can be used. Therefore, the user needs to set the word processor's delimited ASCII environment for a FIELD DELIMITER of ^ and a RECORD DELIMITER of a hard return.

Issue #3 - Use the word processor to format the document exactly as needed. The word processor allows the user to set type style, character (point) size, justification, page layout preferences, and more.

Issue #4 - Usually word processors automatically remove blank lines when there is no data in a field. Remember, not all records contain information in all fields being exported. Take the second address line for example. If no second address line exists on a record, a blank line takes its place (or the space is removed depending on the word processor used). By requesting the resulting blank lines be removed, the data is pushed up so there are no blank lines left. If the merge shows blank lines for some records, adjust the configuration of the word processor to remove resulting blank lines.

Issue #5 - Remember that the merge process is not limited just one specific layout. An unlimited number of layouts can be created. One suggestion for keeping track of all merge documents/tables for use with Auction-Tracker is to keep them in their own folder on the computer's hard drive.

Creating The Catalog Addendum

For production of an auction catalog, standard time lines call for a procurement deadline and the catalog ready for printing by the 30-day mark, prior to an event. Do not miss this deadline. Depending on the type and creativeness of the catalog the committee intends to produce, the deadline date is critical.

However, because some donors will miss that procurement deadline and because some volunteers work a full-time job, not all items make it into the catalog. In that case, create a catalog addendum.

A catalog addendum is very common to see at a gala event. Depending on the event preparation timeline, there is no need to put a lot of time into creating it. The time frame for printing an addendum is usually the day prior to the event. Recommended steps for creating the addendum include:

• Keep track of the last catalog number issued for each silent section as well as the live auction. As additional items are received, determine what section to place them in, and assign the next catalog number in successive order. Use CatalogWriter to produce the addendum, using an output of catalog items by catalog number range. This provides better control when exporting just a few items per section.
• Before re-assigning catalog numbers to live auction items, be sure to check with the auctioneer first if he/she ordered the live auction items for bid. They are expecting to call the live auction in the order agreed to early in the procurement process. Changing it without their knowledge leaves them with an unwanted last minute surprise!
• At the appointed cut-off time, put the catalog creation skills back to work. Use the exact same procedure used to create the auction catalog.
• Next, either use the same export template created in the word processor to create the main catalog -or- create a new template specifically designed for the addendum.

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Auction-Tracker CatalogWriter Macro List         

For reference, the following chart comprises a complete list of merge macros available for CatalogWriter. Macros available for merge depends on criteria selection made before macro selection.