> The location of the database doesn't matter. All that should be required is that a connection can be made to it using ODBC, etc.
>
> If I had a .txt list of email addresses, I'd run a mail merge in Word and use that list as the data source.
>
> --
> Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
> Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
> http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
> and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
> Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
> http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx
>
> "Rebecca" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:07871C5C-14A4-4153-97D8-28F23B300C11@microsoft.com...

>> Thanks, Sue, but the database is DATATRIEVE on our HP OpenVMS Alpha system,
>> it's not Windows.
>>
>> I don't understand the implication when you say "If each list is for
>> one-time use, a DL would be an expensive solution in terms of time spent.".
>> Therefore, what SHOULD I do? If you yourself needed to send a one-time-only
>> email to about 20 or 30 people who were not already in your Contacts, and
>> someone had given you the list of names and emails as a fixed-column ..TXT,
>> what steps would you take to send that email?
>>
>>
>> "Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>>

>>> If the data is already in a database, then putting it into Outlook is an extra step you may not need. Word's mail merge feature can use a database as its data source.
>>>
>>> If each list is for one-time use, a DL would be an expensive solution in terms of time spent.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
>>> Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
>>> http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
>>> and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
>>> Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
>>> http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx
>>>
>>> "Rebecca" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:A8E6D393-6617-4C96-AFAD-BCC77EE4E1DD@microsoft.com...

>>>> Thanks, Russ, I'll look at these. For this purpose, creating Contacts would
>>>> not be correct, I don't think. These are temporary DL lists to send
>>>> one-time-only reminders to customers whose insurance premiums are due the
>>>> following month. I'm extracting the name and email info from a database and
>>>> putting it in a DL, unless you know a way to import name and email into a
>>>> Contacts folder that's unique?
>>>>
>>>> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>>>>

>>>>> You can't mail merge to a DL. You'd have to create Contacts, which you
>>>>> should have done all along. DL's are not a reliable way to store Contact
>>>>> information.
>>>>> For an overview of mail merges take a look here:
>>>>> http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/printlabel.htm
>>>>> http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/mailmerge.htm
>>>>> http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011186361033.aspx
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Russ Valentine
>>>>> [MVP-Outlook]
>>>>> "Rebecca" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:94F4A8F3-8769-4994-AEEB-FB23FDF4B100@microsoft.com...

>>>>>> I've done a mail merge where the form is an MS-Word doc, the data is in MS
>>>>>> Excel and the output doc is an MS-Word letter that we print on paper.
>>>>>> I've
>>>>>> never done a mail merge where the form is an email, the data is a DL and
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> output doc is an email. Where can I find instructions to do that?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Two options:
>>>>>>> 1. Use a mail merge if you want each recipient to see only their own
>>>>>>> name.
>>>>>>> 2. Create a dummy Contact that has the name of your DL and put it in the
>>>>>>> To:
>>>>>>> field while you put the actual DL in the BCC field.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Russ Valentine
>>>>>>> [MVP-Outlook]
>>>>>>> "Rebecca" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>>>>> news:678B419B-E783-473E-8B31-3F48669AD314@microsoft.com...

>>>>>>>> What is the BEST way to send the same email message to a large group of
>>>>>>>> customers, but control what the recipient sees in the "To:" field of
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> email they receive?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sample distribution list "MY CUSTOMERS"
>>>>>>>> Miles Smith (msmith@abbott.com)
>>>>>>>> Michael Dell (mdell@dell.com)
>>>>>>>> Steve Ballmer (sballmer@microsoft.com)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I know by default that when I choose a distribution list such as
>>>>>>>> "MY CUSTOMERS" in the "To:" field when I create the message, it looks
>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>> To: + MY CUSTOMERS on my screen, but when the email is received by each
>>>>>>>> person,
>>>>>>>> their received email shows every individual name and email:
>>>>>>>> To: Miles Smith (msmith@abbot.com; Michael Dell (mdell@dell.com); Steve
>>>>>>>> Ballmer
>>>>>>>> (sballmer@microsoft.com)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I would rather have the recipient's email display just the distribution
>>>>>>>> list
>>>>>>>> name
>>>>>>>> To: MY CUSTOMERS
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> or ideally display with only their own name
>>>>>>>> To: Michael Dell
>>>>>>>> even though it was sent to tons of people.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> When creating the message, if I put nothing in the "To:" field and I
>>>>>>>> put
>>>>>>>> MY
>>>>>>>> CUSTOMERS in the BCC field, it does hide all the names, but the message
>>>>>>>> looks
>>>>>>>> too blank and impersonal:
>>>>>>>> From: Becky
>>>>>>>> To:
>>>>>>>> Cc:
>>>>>>>> Subject: whatever
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If I put my own name in the To: field and the distribution list in the
>>>>>>>> BCC
>>>>>>>> then the received email really looks weird:
>>>>>>>> From: Becky
>>>>>>>> To: Becky
>>>>>>>> CC:
>>>>>>>> Subject: whatever

>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>

>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>

>>>

>