1. Using Mail Merge for Lotus Notes Email
Author: Gavin Bollard, 19 May 2011
Reviewed: David Turner, 29 Sept 2011, for release 1.2

2. Contents Part 1: Getting the Files Part 2: Installation
Part 3: Creating the Merge
Part 4: Sending the Merge Files

3. Part 1: Getting the Files
Go to OpenNTF (
Look for a project called;
MailMerge Excel to Notes
Click on Releases
Download the latest ZIP File
Extract it.

5. Part 2: Installation
This needs to be done by someone with the IBM Domino Designer application.
For test purposes, apply it on a single mail database file.
Once tested, you should probably do it on your mail file master template for easy distribution.

6. Copy Agents from Project File
In Designer, open the MailMerge.nsf database included in the ZIP File.
On the Left Hand Navigator, expand Code
Double-Click on Agents to see the three Mail Merge agents:
Mail Merge\Create Mail Merge
Mail Merge\Send Mail Merge
Mail Merge\Send Selected Mail Merge
Copy the agents.

7. Paste Agents in Mail File
Open your Mail file or template (7.x or 8.x compatible).
On the Left Hand Navigator, expand Code
Paste the agents onto the Agent node.

8. Copy agents from MailMerge database
Paste into your mail database

9. Part 3: Creating the Merge
To do a merge, you’ll need;
An Excel spreadsheet containing merge data.
A Lotus Notes in draft mode.

10. Creating the Spreadsheet
Start Excel and create some columns.
To – SendTo address
Cc – CopyTo address
Bcc – BlindCopyTo address
Subject – Subject
Attachments – Filenames to attach to the
One of the address fields must be provided.
Attachment files must exist. A list can be pipe-separated (|), and it supports wildcards (*).
And add any extra columns you want.
Any headers and data may be formula-based.
Save your spreadsheet.

12. Creating the Email In Lotus Notes, create a new Mail Memo
Leave the Address Details blank but you can put a subject in (it will get overwritten anyway).
In the body, type some text in uppercase and square brackets (e.g. [SURNAME]) whenever you want to reference a field in your spreadsheet.
When finished, click Save as Draft.

14. Creating the Merged Emails
Open your drafts folder and select (click on without opening) your new .
From the Notes Menu, select;
Actions, Mail Merge, Create Mail Merge

16. Click Ok If you missed fields, you’ll get a warning.
Otherwise you’ll just get a message.
In both cases, Note the ID Number and click Ok.

17. Click Ok Again
The mail merge operation will then go and create draft s.
When it has finished, it will tell you how many it created and remind you of the ID number.
Note that drafting lots of s could take a while so test on a small number first.
Click Ok to continue.

18. View Your Drafts Your drafts should appear in the drafts folder.
You can view, edit and delete them just like normal .

19. Check an or Two
Be sure to do a few checks before sending your s.
You’ll see that your fields have been filled in.

20. Check an or Two
Be sure to do a few checks before sending your s.
You’ll see that your fields have been filled in.

21. Part 4: Sending the Merge Files
You don’t actually have to do this part.
You can send your drafts individually, just like normal s.
But it’s easier to send in bulk.
You can choose to either:
A: send all drafts, or
B: only selected drafts.

22. A: Send All Process From the Notes Menu, select,
Actions, Mail Merge, Send Mail Merge.

23. B: Send Selected Process
In your Drafts folder, select the mails you want to send (or you can select all).
Drafts which don’t contain the merge ID won’t be sent.
From the Notes Menu, select,
Actions, Mail Merge, Send Selected Mail Merge.

24. Enter ID
The merge will prompt you for the ID number you wrote down earlier.
Usually it guesses it right based on your selection or the previously created batch.

25. Click Ok
The last warning screen will be displayed telling you how many s it found with the Batch ID you used.
If this is ok, click Ok.

26. Wait for Confirmation
The time taken will vary depending on how many s you sent.
At the end of the process, you’ll be told how many were sent and how many errors were received.
Click ok when done.

27. What it Looks Like It just looks like a normal email.
Here’s my Gmail test.

28. The End And a big thank you to For developing such a great utility.
David Turner
Sacha Chua
For developing such a great utility.