need help please....

[BM]

I am very new at this so thought some of you might be willing to help. I have about 800 names and addresses that I need to put on a list where I will be able to check and see if I already have a certain name when I receive a new one and I need to be able also to put these on mailing labels each month....so since I don't have excel what would be the easiest way for me to go about this. This will really be the only thing I would need the software for so didn't know whether it would even pay me to buy excel.
Openoffice.org takes sooo long to download since I'm on slowwww dial up and also didn't know whether that would be more than I need.
I had asked for your advice on this some time back and some one suggested freeware guide spreadsheets but not being very smart on these things I couldn't figure out which one I needed to download.:BangHead:

Thanks, Becky

 

[Don]

http://www.freeware-guide.com/dir/business/spreadsheets.html

My suggestion is to download several, and try each one until you find the one best for you.

 

[BM]

I am having a problem getting into the freeware site. It says cannot find server.

 

[kubel]

OpenOffice.org is less than 100MB, so that's something like 4 hours on dialup. It might be worth it to leave your computer online overnight and download the suite, or have someone from church that has a high speed connection download it and burn it to a CD for you.

While a spreadsheet would probably work, you might want to consider using a database to store this information. It's a lot easier to pull the info you need out of it, and it can fit the demands of almost all levels of administration- all integrated into one place. You can create custom data entry forms (and also protect against erroneous/duplicate entries), create various reports (which can be set up to output mailing labels), queries to give results on any criteria you are looking for, etc...

 

[exscentric]

A second on Kubel's thought on using a database. Microsoft Works isn't very expensive if you could afford a little money.

I could burn a cd of open office as well. Would only take a couple days with some good luck with USPS - I know that is asking a lot of usps :tongue3:

I downloaded it over night and it worked well.

 

[BM]

Thanks for your advice. I will try down loading it tonight. :wavey:

 

[BM]

I forgot to say that I have microsoft Works (data base) but don't know how to merge it over to my labels or if it is suppose to. I do know how to put the names and addresses into it though.

 

[exscentric]

I think MS Works will merge with emails and labels, even the older versions were supposed to, though I have not done it in the newer ones. Did it a few times on a very old version.

I think there are wizards to help you do those tasks.

 

[BM]

I thought I would tell you that I left my computer on all night so it could down load open office which by the way said it would take like 25 hours (I must really have slow service) and when I got up this morning my internet had went off It may be set to where it automatically goes off after so long not for sure.

 

[Don]

Try opening a Microsoft Works Document.

Click on Tools; then on Labels.

You probably want to choose Mailing Labels, since that seems to be the only one that gives you an option to get data from an external source. Click OK.

Next window is for the mailing label size; you should be able to get this from the mailing label package. Once you've selected the right size, click "New Document."

Depending on where you have the names and addresses, choose either Address Book or "Merge from another file."

If you choose "Merge from another file," it pops up a window asking where the file is. You may have to change the File Type. Find your file with all your names and addresses, and click Open.

From here, you might have to make some more choices, depending on the type of file you're using (i.e., database vs. Excel vs. Text File).

With any luck, that'll at least get you started. If all your addresses are in the Address Book, Works will import them with no problem. It'll ask you which fields you want to add (first name, last name, city, state, zip, phone, etc.); and then you can even click between the << and >> to add spaces, commas, etc. for the template. Unfortunately, Address Book doesn't seem to check for duplicates.

Hope that helps you get started.

 

[Don]

Just looked at Works a little more.

Alternatively, you can start a Works Database. When you do, you're given five options: Blank Database, Home Inventory, Home Lists, and a couple of others.

Choose Home Lists. If your Works Task Organizer is running, an explanation appears to the right, with a link for "Start this task"; click on that.

It then gives you options for the type of database you want to create; from what you've indicated, you want "Address/Contact Information" or "Member Directory." You can click on either option to see what they'll each look like.

I went ahead and chose Address/Contact Info to check this out. Click on Finish, and you're ready to start entering information.

Address/Contact Info may have more stuff than you want (birthdays, etc.). Member Directory might also have some fields you don't need (position, dues, etc.).

If so, go to the top and click on View, then on List. This is an alternative way to enter the information, and resembles a spreadsheet. If there's a field you don't want (I tried this on Address 3), click on the Field Name (which should highlight the entire column), then right-click and choose Delete Field. It'll ask for a confirmation, so don't worry about accidentally deleting something.

Once you're done inputting the information, you then follow the directions for doing a mailing list.

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FRANKLY, Works is WAY too watered down for my tastes. While you can do some basic things with the database, the report function only creates reports. There's no function to find/delete duplicates, no query functions, etc.

Works is free because it's already on your computer, and it'll certainly do what you're asking for; but you have to finagle it to make it happen.

 

[Don]

Accidentally double-posted.
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Try http://www.rkssoftware.com/personalmailinglist/overview.html; $20.

Alternatively, you might check out the Wal-mart software section, and take a look at their cheap software (usually at the top, in a small case just big enough to hold the CD); they might have a label-making program to do just what you're asking for.