Mail merge aggregation (print-ready mailing export)

Mail merge aggregation produces a structured, print-ready Excel export from a list, designed specifically for physical mail-outs and print campaigns. It intelligently groups contacts, formats names and salutations, and selects the most appropriate address based on the priorities you set — turning your Contacts data into a vendor-ready mailing list suitable for printers, fulfilment houses, and postal services.

Unlike the individual and bulk Documents flows (which produce a Word file or a combined PDF), mail merge aggregation outputs an Excel spreadsheet of formatted recipients. It's run from List Builder, the same place you start a bulk mail merge.

What you can do

• Export a list into a mail merge aggregation Excel format built for physical mail.
• Group contacts by individual, household, or family.
• Combine households intelligently so couples and families receive a single, correctly addressed item.
• Configure accurate salutations and name formatting for personalised correspondence.
• Select and prioritise address types, with automatic fallback to the next-best address.
• Produce print-ready, vendor-ready mailing data, including Australia Post compatible formats and quick-scan barcode data where available.

Before you start

• Build the list of contacts you want to mail in List Builder, just as you would for any other action.
• Decide how you want recipients grouped (individuals, households, or families) and which address types are acceptable for this campaign.

Create a mail merge aggregation export — step by step

1. Build your list as normal in List Builder.
2. Open the list actions and select Mail Merge Aggregation.
3. Enter a campaign name for the export.
4. Configure the grouping, salutation, and address rules described below.
5. Save the mail merge configuration, then export the file as an Excel document.

Configuring grouping rules

Choose how contacts should be grouped so households are combined or separated correctly for mailing:

• Group by Individuals, Households, or Families.
• Select how many surnames should be included.
• Configure whether families or couples should be split.
• Set an age-difference threshold that determines when a split should occur.

Configuring salutation rules

Define how greetings appear so each item reads correctly:

• Set how salutations should appear.
• Set formatting for names and titles.
• Apply any salutation overrides as required.

Configuring address formatting

• Choose how the address name appears.
• Set the address display format for the export.

Setting address priority

Address priority guarantees the best available address is used for each contact:

• Use the tick boxes to select the accepted address types.
• Reorder address types from top to bottom.
• SwiftFox attempts to use the top address first, then falls back to the next type if one isn't available, continuing until a valid address is found or none exists.

Exporting the file

1. Save the mail merge configuration.
2. Export the file as an Excel document.

The export includes:

• Combined and formatted contact names.
• Correctly generated salutations.
• The selected address details.
• Australia Post sorting formats.
• Quick-scan barcode data where applicable.
• An OddEvenOrder column.

OddEvenOrder is a sort value worked out from each address's unit and street number. Sorting the export by it groups a run of addresses into the order someone would walk them — down the odd-numbered side of a street, then back along the even-numbered side — which is useful when a mail-out is being hand-delivered rather than posted. Addresses SwiftFox cannot place in that order are given a value of -1.

How it fits together

• Mail merge aggregation is accessed from the list actions in List Builder.
• Export limits and approvals apply if configured for your account.
• Address data uses each contact's existing address records.
• Grouping logic respects household and family structures.
• The output integrates with standard mail merge tools and print vendors.

Tips

• Group by household or family to combine couples and families into a single mailing item and avoid sending duplicates to the same address.
• Set a sensible address priority order so contacts without your preferred address type still receive mail at the next-best address.
• Review your list in List Builder before exporting, so the campaign reaches exactly the right recipients.