Use this export to produce files that contain the label data and/or other customer data that you use when you need computer readable addresses instead of printed labels. You can also use these files with your word processor to produce customized promotional letters.
The file produced includes all of the address and customer demographic fields for the customers, but does not include any subscription data. If you need subscription data, such as expiration dates and statuses you should use the Subscription Export instead.
The filter screen for the customer export has several tabs. You can move easily between tabs by clicking on the tab to which you would like to move. For most of the files you'll want to produce, you don't need to fill in more than the first few tabs of the filter. But you should familiarize yourself with the other tabs, because they give you considerable additional flexibility.
Format
The export file can be created in any of 10 different formats. Right click once to see the list of possible formats. (Click here for the file layouts for each format.)
Scan customers, Scan subscriptions
These radio buttons allow you to specify the method that QuickFill will use to select your customers. If you select 'Scan customers', QuickFill will examine customer records in the order that they occur in the database. Choose this method if your database only has one publication or if you will be selecting a majority of the customers in your database; it will be faster.
If you select "Scan subscriptions," QuickFill will examine only the customers who are linked to the publications and/or prospect lists that you have selected. Choose this method if you will be selecting names from only a few publications or prospect lists. When you scan subscriptions QuickFill examines each subscription during the first pass and writes all of the ship-to customers into a file. In the second pass the file is sorted and de-duplicated. The de-duplication has to be done because a customer may be linked to more than one subscription and may have been "found" more than once during the first pass. Only unique customers are written to the final export file. It isn't until the end of the second pass that the actual final customer count is displayed in the progress box.
Technical note
When you specify a maximum number of customers to be exported, the customers selected will be different depending upon whether you scan customers or subscriptions. When you scan customers, QuickFill selects customers as it goes through the database. Therefore, the customers who have been in your database the longest will be selected first.
When you specify a maximum number of customers to be exported and scan subscriptions, QuickFill selects customers after they have been sorted by zip code. Therefore, the customers with the lowest zip codes will be selected first.
Output file name
Enter in this field, the name of the disk file where you want to store your output. This file name can be "fully-qualified." That is, you can include a disk drive and directory designation as well as a file name. You can type in the filename and/or path and filename or click on "Browse" to locate the path and/or filename you would like to use.
Example: To store your output in MYFILE.MM in the root directory of the A: drive, enter A:\MYFILE.MM. (If you omit the drive and directory, the file goes in the mail-merge directory)
If you direct the output to a floppy disk drive, or any other disk drive with removable media, then QuickFill will ask for a new disk after each disk is filled.
Maximum number of customers desired
The number you enter here is the maximum number of records QuickFill will produce—no matter how large your file or which selections you make. Entering a number in this field lets you print an exact number of records. Leave this field blank, and QuickFill exports records for all your selected customers.
Example: Say you had 2,000 orders for a new promotion and your marketing department wants to send a one-time survey to 250 of the people who placed those orders. Enter 250 in this field, fill in the rest of the filter appropriately (be sure to select the tracking code), run the export, and QuickFill will include 250 customers.
Do not use this field to select a portion of your customers for a promotion in which you want to select the rest of them at a later date. You will not be able to do this because when you go back to select those other customers there is no way to distinguish whether or not a customer was selected the first time. Use the 'Random numbers' field when you want to select a portion of your customers.
Key code to be printed on labels
For 'formatted' output only QuickFill puts this entry in the "1st label line" field for each record output. Use this feature to include a tracking code if the records are for your own use—for a cross-promotion, say. That way you know exactly which tracking codes to enter when you get an order. If you're renting a list, enter in this field the key code the renter requests.
The value you enter in this field has no effect on the unformatted output options. Nor does it work with the National Change of Address format.
Include customer number on labels
Check this box and QuickFill includes the customer number in the "1st label line" field for each record output. This feature greatly simplifies data entry, if you're using the file for a cross-promotion. Instead of retyping the name and address when you enter the new order, you need to enter only the customer number. QuickFill will enter the rest of the customer information automatically.
Include seed names
This option is selected by default so that seed names are included in the export file regardless of whether 'Scan subscriptions' was selected or the 'Maximum customers desired' was limited. For example, let's say that you have 10 seed names in your database and you run the 'Customer export' to include seed names and limit the output to 150 customers. QuickFill will export the 10 customers who are seeds and then 140 other customers based on the specified criteria.
If you would like to exclude seeds, click on this field so that the check mark disappears.
Substitute first name for seeds
Enter a name or initials here, and it will be used as the first name for all seed records. Leave this field blank, and all seed records will have the first name you gave them in the customer record. Filling in this field allows you to use unique seed names each time you run a list for rental purposes. (Click here for details on seed names.)
Click here for more information about Filter screens and Options for running exports.