---

AM7 Combine Setup

 

Purpose: Combine is the process by which AM7 merges multiple mail pieces together in order to reduce

the total number of mail pieces. It is also known as Duplicates or Mail Merge.

 

Pieces are combined together based on Match Codes. If two pieces have the same Match Code, then

those two or more pieces are combined into a single mail piece. One piece is designated the Master and

the other(s) are the child or slave record(s). The Master record’s data (such as account number and user

fields) is used for the resulting combined mail pieces, while the child’s data is essentially ignored. In

dissimilar weight mailings, the Master’s weight, page counts, and thickness will be total for the master

and all of the children.

 

Match Codes must be selected on the Combine setup screen to be used. The Name of the match code is

simply a way for the user to identify the setting.

 

The MasterRecordIndicator is how AM7 determines which field will be the master record. Selecting

Default will result in the first record (based on ID) as the master. Selecting MatchField will allow you to

setup the MasterRecordField and the MasterMatchField. This determines the master record when the

value in the MasterRecordField and the MasterMatchField match. For example

 

 

We want ID 1 and ID 2 to combine into a single mail piece with ID 1 being the master. We set the

MasterRecordField to Master Account and the MasterMatchField to Account Number. Selecting Order

as the MasterRecordIndicator will use the MasterRecordField to sort the records with the first record

being the master.

 

The CombinedPieceMaxPageCount and CombinedPieceMaxWeightOz are used to limit the size of the

combined mail piece to prevent creating pieces that would not qualify for discounts.

 

The SortMasterRecordLast option will place the master record last when exporting or outputting the

mail pieces; otherwise the Master will occur first.

 

The IncludeNonMailed options allow records that have been excluded to be included when determining

combines. Note: this could result in an excluded piece being mailed as part of a combined mail piece or

a non-excluded piece to NOT be mailed because its master had been excluded.

 

The Filters option allows the user to set up filters for what records will be considered for combining with

this match code. Match Codes can have one more fields. The fields can be AM7 fields or user fields or pieces of those

fields. The ProcessAs setting for a field allows a field to be processed as a Full Name, a Name of

Household, None, or ParseValue. Process as None will use the field without any modification. Name

fields can be processed as Full Names or as Name of Household. For Name of Household AM7 attempts

to parse out the Last Name from the field and uses that field in the match code. The NameFormat is

used to help in this parsing. Fields can also be processed as ParsedValue and parsed from the beginning,

from the end or from a start position for a given Length.