Mail merges can be set up and run from a checklist item. This is most commonly used for onboarding communications, but the same approach applies to all checklist types.
Using mail merges with checklist items allows administrators to send consistent, personalised communications at specific stages of an employee’s journey.
Important notes
Checklist items do not automatically run mail merges. Mail merges must always be triggered manually by an administrator.
The checklist must be assigned to the employee first. If the checklist has not been initiated for the employee, the mail merge will not run correctly.
Once the checklist is assigned, the mail merge can then be manually run against the employee by an administrator.
Mail merge process for checklist items
The below describes the workflow process.
An administrator creates a checklist definition.
A checklist item is added and set to the Document type, leaving the Document field blank.
The mail merge is linked to the checklist definition using the Mail merges for checklist definition tab.
The checklist is generated and assigned to the intended employee.
An administrator runs the same mail merge manually against the relevant record (for example, the employee’s career history).
The employee logs in and opens the checklist item.
The document generated by the mail merge is downloaded.
The checklist item is marked as complete.
Test in your test system
For this example, the Standard Contract mail merge is run against an Onboarding checklist for a future starter.
Create the checklist definition
Click Configuration, Configuration, then click Checklist Definitions.
Select Create Template.
Complete the form and set Checklist Type to Onboarding.
Click Save & Continue.
Select Appointment, then select Continue.
Set the Date category to Start date, then click Save & continue.
When prompted to create a checklist item, set:
Item description and Tooltip to Generate and download contract.
Visible to person = enabled.
Visible after completion = enabled.
Checklist item type = Document.
Do not select a document — leave this field blank.
Click Save & continue.
Open the onboarding checklist definition.
Open the Mail merges for checklist items tab.
Select Add Merge.
Select the checklist definition item you just created. Only checklist items set to the document type can be selected.
Use the search icon next to mail merge and select Standard Contract.
Select Complete.
Assign the checklist to the user
Click Onboarding, Onboarding, then click Future Starters.
Select a future starter.
Select Create Onboarding Checklist.
Select the checklist definition and click Continue.
Run the mail merge manually
Click Employees, Employees, then click Career history.
Open the future starter record.
Open the All Appointments tab and select the employee record.
Open the Career History tab.
Select the career record the mail merge should run against.
Select Mail Merge.
Choose Standard Contract, then select Run Merge, then click Continue.
Confirm that the merge completes successfully and appears in the results list.
The mail merge must generate successfully at this stage for the checklist item to work.
Verify the checklist item
Click Admin, Admin, then click Checklists.
Open the checklist assigned to the user.
Open the checklist item.
Confirm that the document field is now populated with the generated mail merge.
The user can now open this checklist item from their onboarding menu to download their contract.