Sending letters to multiple customers

SOLVED

I would like to send a letter to a large number of my customers, I've adapted a standard letter to hold the text I need to send and set the email setting to send via SMTP in the same way as I send my invoices/statements.  

When I send to one customer it works fine but if I select two or more it won't send, hangs at stage 4 and then completely freezes so I have to use task manager to close the programme and restart.

Any ideas or suggestions to help on this as sending 1 email at a time wouldn't be viable?

Thanks

  • 0
    SUGGESTED

    Hi Sue

    Thanks for using Sage City. 

    Which letter have you amended please and what changes have you made? I can advise better if I understand what it is that's been added/removed, etc. 

    I look forward to hearing from you. 

    Kind regards

    Fiona, Sage UKI

  • 0 in reply to fiona wilson

    Hi Fiona,

    I used payment reminder V2 (with contact) and just amended the text to remind customers to quote their account reference when making BACS payments and added a field to confirm what their account reference is.  When i highlight one customer it will preview or email the letter fine but if I highlight 2 or more it hangs on step 4 and the completely freezes the programme, I've also tried to preview a standard letter with no changes and this does exactly the same thing

  • +1 in reply to Sue144
    verified answer

    Hi Sue

    Edit the layout to remove LETTER_TYPE.LETTER_TYPE and SALES_DEL_ADDR criteria and replace SALES_DEL_ADDR variables with SALES_LEDGER ones:  

    1. Browse to and select the required layout > Edit. 
    1. Report menu > Report Properties > enter a new layout name and description > OK. 
    1. Report menu > select the LETTER_TYPE.LETTER_TYPE criteria > Remove. 
    1. Select the CUSTOMER_REF criteria > Modify > Filter Expression > if SALES_DEL_ADDR.ACCOUNT_REF appears, proceed to step 6. If SALES_LEDGER.ACCOUNT_REF appears, click OK and proceed to step 7.
    2. Click OK > Remove > Yes > New Criteria > select SALES_LEDGER > select ACCOUNT_REF > OK.

    3. Criterion name > enter CUSTOMER_REF> OK.

    4. Click OK > Report menu > Filters.

    5. Remove the part of the filter that refers to the COMMUNICATION_ADDRESS table, for example, AND COMMUNICATION_ADDRESS.LETTER_TYPE_ID = 4 or AND COMMUNICATION_ADDRESS.ACCOUNT_TYPE = 0 > OK.

    6. Within the layout, delete any SALES_DEL_ADDR variables > replace them with the equivalent SALES_LEDGER variables. For example, replace SALES_DEL_ADDR.ADDRESS_1 with SALES_LEDGER.ADDRESS_1.

      Note:Within Properties > Email Options, ensure no SALES_DEL_ADDR variables are being used.
    7. Report menu > Joins > select the SALES_DEL_ADDR table > press Delete > select the COMMUNICATION_ADDRESS table > press Delete > OK.

      Tip: To check you've removed all the relevant variables, open the View menu and click Preview. Any remaining references to SALES_DEL_ADDR or COMMUNICATION_ADDRESS appear as errors.
    1. File > Save As > File name > enter a new file > Save > File > Exit.

     

    Kind regards

    Fiona, Sage UKI

  • 0 in reply to fiona wilson

    Hi Fiona

    I'm probably being stupid but I can't find the option to remove the Letter_type.letter_type criteria?

    Sue

  • +1 in reply to Sue144
    verified answer

    Hi Sue

    If there's no letter_type criteria, ignore that step. 

    Kind regards

    Fiona, Sage UKI

  • 0 in reply to fiona wilson

    Thanks Fiona got it all working now, just wondering though why it is necessary to carry out all these steps shouldn't the report run without having to modify, I couldn't get any of the standard letters to work for me

  • 0 in reply to Sue144

    Hi Sue

    It's a known issue with delivery addresses on the layouts and letters. The workaround of restoring the layoutsonlybackup,001 file from www.sage.co.uk/au generally fixes the issue, however, not if you're using a customised/amended layout or letter. 

    Kind regards

    Fiona, Sage UKI

  • 0 in reply to fiona wilson

    thank you for your time