[bromcom] Problems with headers/footers in Mail Merge process

[CarterUSM]

Hi

I am having problems in ensuring that a Word mail merge document is formatted in the way that I intend it to. I have never encountered these problems before in any Bromcom mail merge process.

SLT want our student reports to go out as a double-sided document, with a so-called ‘pedagogy wheel’ illustration on the reverse page. The report incorporates a header which should only appear on the first page. In addition, fields containing both positive and negative behaviour points should appear at the bottom of the page. (The file should appear as the attached example ‘Example report KS3’.)

The Word mail merge document I originally created (‘Y7 Autumn Term Review’, attached) originally had the header setting ‘Different First Page’. However, when I ran the merge, the header only appeared on the first page of the whole mail merge document (i.e. not on the first page of the individual student reports, other than the first student in the cohort). The fields containing positive and negative behaviour points did actually appear at the bottom of the page as required. The strange thing is that when I change the header settings from ‘Different First Page’ to ‘Different Odd & Even Pages’, the heading does not appear on any pages in the merge document.

To try and overcome this, I cloned a new Word template (‘Y7 Autumn Term Review 2’, also attached), with the header setting as ‘Different Odd & Even Pages’. However, for some reason completely beyond my comprehension, I cannot get the positive and negative behaviour points to appear at the bottom of the page as required. I’ve tried adjusting the size/layout of the header (including the crest within), but to no avail. At least when I ran the merge, the heading appeared on alternate pages as required. I think the solution could be to reduce the margin of the footer, but it doesn’t appear to be able to do this.

I’ve attached a file (‘Y7 Mail Merge Issue’) showing the steps I’ve taken to date.

I will ultimately try and run the merge using ‘Y7 Autumn Term Review 2’, but I need to know how to adjust the appropriate settings to ensure that (i) the positive and negative behaviour points appear at the bottom of the page, (ii) the pedagogy wheel appears in its entirety on the reverse of the front page. Would anyone be able to assist me with this please?

Very many thanks in anticipation of your assistance.

Y7 Mail Merge issue.docx

Example report KS3.docx

Y7 Autumn Term Review.docx

Y7 Autumn Term Review V2.docx

[DODICT]

I recall some fun and games with something similar - do you need to place the images in the header ? Can you just add it as an image outside of header to avoid any fun and games with header footer settings ? It is a bit of trial and error sometimes and with merge fields like name sometimes you get exceptions that take up 2 lines and push things out. I'd just be making the table smaller and then sanity checking it works ok and then tweak the table bigger till it stops working as suspect it will be just the process squeezing that onto a second page ?

[Bromcom_ML]

Good morning

 

Have you tried posting your query on our Community? There's a wealth of knowledge there from both Bromcom staff and thousands of Bromcom users. It should be a single-sign on from within the MIS, but you can find it here: https://community.bromcomcloud.com/

[bobsmith]

when you run the report are you asking it to produce the single document with all the kids - or the individual report that uploads to the DMS?

[CarterUSM]

Thanks for your reply, yes, I've been on Bromcommunity and have a few responses. Just trying to collate all responses at the moment.

[CarterUSM]

Hi

Just to let you know I’ve resolved the issue. It was quite simple in the end, a process of trial and error. I removed the pedagogy wheel image, tabbed the positive/negative points image to where I wanted it to be at the bottom of page 1; and pasted the pedagogy wheel image back onto page 2. The merge works as intended now.

Many thanks for your contributions with this issue.

[Bromcom_Darren]

Header not appearing in subsequent pages of mail merge document

 

Pleased you got sorted Andrew.

 

Thanks

Darren Moody

Community Manager