AWAM - Creating a Merge Profile

For a description of Merge profiles, refer to the AWAM - Merge Profiles.

Merge profiles are used in conjunction with DAT-MAIL’s AWAM Merge Mail.dat Files utility, which is for Mail.dat files (jobs) that have already been imported into DAT-MAIL. Thus, they can be created before use from within AWAM or while using the utility.

This section describes how to create a Merge profile through AWAM (ahead of time). Instructions for using/applying a Merge profile can be found under AWAM - DAT-MAIL's Merge Mail.dat Files Utility.

Merge profiles can be created from the server, a stand-alone, or a workstation in a server-with-workstations environment.

To create a Merge profile, perform the following:

This procedure assumes that AWAM has already been launched at least once on the server.

  1. From DAT-MAIL, click the AWAM icon to launch AWAM.

  2. The Control Center will display. Click Edit Profiles.

  3. The Browse Profiles screen will display. Any previously created profiles (active and deactivate) will be listed, along with the import path they use. To create a new profile, click Insert and select New Merge Profile.

  4. A Profile Will Be Added screen will display. Enter a profile-specific name (in the example here, “Merge Test” is entered for the Merge profile’s name).

  5. Under the Merge tab, set or enable the appropriate functions:

    Below the print screen is an explanation:

  • Fast Network Option: This option is intended for users in a server-with-workstations environment. The data resides on a machine other than the workstation to help speed up file processing. If the file processing is being done on a server or a stand-alone where the data resides, there is no benefit to enabling this option.

  • Job Number and Job Name: These are free-text fields where you can enter any alphanumeric value. Both of these fields coincide with their counterparts found in DAT-MAIL. When the selected files are merged, whatever value has been entered in these two fields will become the new Job Number and Job Name for the resulting Mail.dat.

  • If nothing is entered in the Job Number field by you, a system-generated Job Number will be assigned in DAT-MAIL. This system-generated Job Number uses the date (MMDD) and the time (HHMM). For example, if files were merged on August 16 at 12:31 p. m., the new Job Number in DAT-MAIL would display as “08161231.”

  • If nothing is entered in the Job Name field by you, a system-generated Job Name will be assigned in DAT-MAIL. This system-generated Job Name uses the date (YYYY-MM-DD) and the time (HH:MM). So, for example, if files were merged on August 16, 2021, at 12:31 p. m., the new Job Name in DAT-MAIL would display as “2021-08-16 12:31.”

  • Estimated Mail Date; In Home Delivery Date; and Delivery Window: In the Mail.dat created by the merge, these fields will be populated using the displayed values. Any modifications to the displayed values by you will be used in the new Mail.dat.

  • Merge Type: Click the drop-down to select from the list of available merge types. The default value is Normal without OCI. This value must be set before proceeding with the file merge.

  • Various Merge Actions: Select any additional options to be performed when the selected files are merged into a new, single Mail.dat. The options shown on the screen will be enabled or disabled depending on which Merge Type is selected.

  • In this example, when the Merge type - Tray based CoPalletization was selected, it disabled the Combine Segments and Rename SEG ID and MPU ID checkboxes were disabled.

  1. Click the Post Processing tab. From within the screen’s General Settings tab, set or enable any of the available actions that should occur in the new Mail.dat created due to the merge process.

As mentioned in AWAM - Merge Profiles, please check out using the Source Category and Target Category fields, see File > Category Maintenance.

If an option exists in both DAT-MAIL and an AWAM profile, that option will override the DAT-MAIL setting when files are imported, merge, or have post-processing actions applied to them using that profile.

If you are interested in creating or selecting a Mass Update Profile, see AWAM - Creating and Using the Run Mass Updates Function or AWAM - Enabling and Selecting the Run Mass Updates Function

Selecting the option to Palletize Pallets Automatically will enable and display the Post Processing tab’s Palletizing screen to be used for additional configurations.

The DAT-MAIL Toolbox and/or the DAT-MAIL Editor with the Palletization add-on is required to be able to use the Palletizing option. For more information about the Palletization module, see Advanced Navigator - Vertical Panel - Palletization Module or View Pallets.

Selecting the option to Run Planalyzerwill enable and display the Post Processing tab’s Planalyzer screen to be used for additional configurations.

The DAT-MAIL Toolbox is required to be able to use the Planalyzer option. For more information about Planalyzer, see Advanced Navigator - Freight Planning.

  1. Select the Auto Exports tab. Set or enable any of the available actions that should occur in the new Mail.dat after the merge is complete.

  2. Click on the Dates tab. Set or enable any of the available actions that should occur in the new Mail.dat after the merge process is complete (for more information on how to use the functions located under the Dates tab, refer to AWAM - Using the Dates Tab).

  3. Select the Intelligent Mail Barcode tab. Set or enable any of the available actions that should occur in the new Mail.dat after the merge process is complete (for more information on how to use the functions located under the Intelligent Mail Barcode tab, refer to AWAM - Using the Intelligent Mail Barcode Tab).

  4. Click on the Batch Reports tab. If you need to generate production reports, select the Run Batch Reports checkbox and then Insert to add Batch Reports profiles you have already created or insert new ones.

    You can select multiple Batch Reports profiles. Since you can select various profiles, you can send reports to multiple printers and save reports to PDF.

  5. Click OK when finished entering all of the necessary criteria for the new Merge profile ("Merge Test"). The Profile Will Be Added screen will close, and the Browse Profiles screen will display and contain the newly created profile ("Merge Test").

  6. At this time, the new profile "Merge Test" can be activated by selecting it and clicking Activate. The profile can be activated later when selected for use through the AWAM Merge Mail.dat Files utility in DAT-MAIL.

    A green checkmark will display next to the profile, signifying that the profile is now active.

  1. Click Close to close the Browse Profiles screen.

Instructions for using/applying Merge profiles can be found under the AWAM - DAT-MAIL's Merge Mail.dat Files Utility.

Continue AWAM - Creating a Post Process Profile