Merge Code Types

Vision provides you with a set of standard merge codes for each Info Center. You add these merge codes to merge templates that you create with Microsoft Word.

The merge codes specify the data to retrieve from the Info Center, the data's location on the proposal page, and, if formatted, its appearance. Each Word merge template can use merge codes from only one Info Center.

In a Word merge template, the Info Center is identified by the section code, which is displayed on the first line. If you rename an Info Center field, the field's merge code does not get automatically renamed. If your firm renames Info Center fields, Deltek recommends that you keep a spreadsheet or other document to enter in each new field name and its related merge code.

Section Code

A Section Code marks the start of data from a specific Info Center. A Section Code must be the first code in a merge template, and must be on a separate line in the merge template.

A Section Code in the Custom Proposals part of Vision is the equivalent of the External code in SF254 and SF255 Proposals part of Vision.

You must enter Section Codes within brackets [] and use "Begin" with the name of the Info Center; for example, [Begin Employees]. The last Section End code [End] must be the last code in a merge template, and must be on a separate line.

Do not change the format or the font (bold, underline, italic, font changes) of either the Begin or the End Code.

Individual Merge Codes

Individual merge codes get data from the Info Center that is identified in the merge template's Section Code; for example, [Begin Projects]. They must always be put between the template's Begin and End codes.

The data field can have only one value; for example, the primary client's name.

If you are formatting a code to specify its appearance in the merged document, you must format the whole code, including the brackets; for example, [Name].

Merged Merge Codes

Use the Merged merge code to get data for project description text or resume text that you create in the Custom Proposals part of Vision, instead of from the Info Center.

To get data for resumes from the Custom Proposals part, instead of from the Employees Info Center part of Vision, use the code [Merged Resume].

To get data for project descriptions from the Custom Proposals part, instead of from the Projects Info Center part of Vision, use the code [Merged Description].

Relational/Individual Merge Code

A Relational/Individual merge code gets data from an Info Center that is different from the one identified in the merge template's Section Code. Use Relational/Individual merge codes when the data has only one value; for example, a client's Primary Address.

If you are formatting a code to specify its appearance in the merged document, you must format the whole code, including the brackets; for example, [Name].

Most Relational/Individual merge codes have names that match the data they get from the database; for example, the Project’s Principal [Principal]. Other Relational/Individual merge codes get data from a grid that has more than one record. An example is the Clients grid on the Project’s Clients/Contacts tab. One set of Relational/Individual Merge Codes gets data only for the Owner or only for a clientwith a specific role.

These Relational/Individual merge codes must have begin and end codes. This mix of merge codes is called a Group Code. For example, to merge only the project owner name from the Clients grid of the Clients/Contacts tab, use this group of codes:

[Owner:][Name][End]

Relational Merge Code

A Relational merge code gets data from an Info Center that is different from the one that is identified in the merge template's Section/ External Code. It does not use an [End] code.

If you are formatting a code to specify its appearance in the merged document, you must format the whole code, including the brackets; for example, [Name].

The format of a relational merge code depends on the data field and on which merge template uses it.

Relational/Unlimited Merge Code

A Relational/Unlimited merge code gets data from an Info Center that is different from the one that is identified in the merge template's Section Code. It shows that the data in this field can have more than one value.

In the Custom Proposals part of Vision, it uses Begin and End codes, and stops after it gets each of the available values. The Begin and End codes must stay unformatted.

If you are formatting a code to specify its appearance in the merged document, you must format the whole code, including the brackets; for example, [Name].

Unlimited Merge Code

An Unlimited merge code gets data from a linked table for the Info Center that is identified in the merge template's Section Code. The data can have more than one value.

All unlimited merge codes begin and end. For example, [Degrees:] begins the degrees table for the merged employee record, and [End] marks the end of the merge for the degrees table, for that employee record.

The End code also generates a hard return when it finishes merging the data. If you want only one blank line between the last item in the list and the next item, place the next item on the line directly below the End code, like this:

[End] Registrations:

You can change the format of an unlimited merge code to specify how the data is shown in the merged document.

The unlimited entry's [End] code marks the location on the template where the next entry in that loop starts. For example, if a person has multiple degrees, and the degrees should appear in a list, one under the other, enter the template merge codes this way:

[Degrees:][Year Degree Earned], [Degree Specialty]

[End]

The result will look like this:

1992, Civil Engineering Technology

1998, Structural Engineering