Extracting Data From Your BridalTrack Database
Your BridalTrack Database is a lot more than just a storage system for names and addresses. It assists you in addressing wedding invitation envelopes, tracking RSVP responses, cataloging gifts received and staying on top of all your wedding's correspondence. BridalTrack's main focus is to help you use your data, not just store it.
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
The key to a lot of these tasks is the ability to easily extract your data in a format that best suits the task at hand. For example, because there are no formal rules for sending a Save The Date Notice, there is no right or wrong way to use your data for this task. You can use mailing labels, you can hand write them and you can send them to a professional printer for customization.
It is entirely up to you which method you choose. By using BridalTrack, multiple ways of extracting your data are available so you can accomplish any of those options and more.
This guide will explain how to extract your data from your database and detail all the output options you have available. Extracting data from your database, and this guide, are broken down into 5 key parts:
| 1. Applying Criteria | 4. Data File |
The first item of this guide explains how you apply criteria to your list so that you can extract just the contacts you need. The other 4 items are the actual formats to which you can output your data.
For example, if you wanted to generate mailing labels to everyone who is to be sent a Save The Date Notice, you can quickly apply criteria to your list to select just the contacts you designated to receive a Save The Date Notice and then select the "Mailing Labels" extraction option. Applying other criteria and using other extraction formats is just as simple.
While this guide will help you learn about extracting data from your BridalTrack Database, the best method is to experiment with your own BridalTrack Database. Sign up for an account, enter some contacts and see how easy it is to extract your data in the format you want. Have no fear of losing or deleting contacts when you extract your data because extracting data just copies your data from your database to desired output format. Familiarizing yourself with the extraction method will not change nor delete any of your information.
Applying Criteria
Being able to control exactly what data you want when you want it is just as important as the format in which you do it. Some tasks and correspondence pieces don't involve everyone on your list and being able to extract just those that you need will save a lot of time. BridalTrack recognizes, provides for and simplifies this.For example, Step 2 of the Control Center Page involves sending Save The Date Notices. When you select an extraction option and click the "View Button" in that section, you will be provided with just those contacts who you designated to receive a Save The Date Notice. BridalTrack is automatically configured to apply the correct criteria to your list to select just the contacts you need at that time.
That is just one way that BridalTrack allows you to apply criteria to your list to extract just the contacts you need when you need them. Another way that you can apply criteria to your list, is manually by using the View List Page. On that page you can apply various criteria (contacts who have given gifts, contacts who are affiliated with the groom, etc.) and see which contacts in your database match. After generating that customized list, you can then export it using one of the various methods that will be discussed later in this guide.
Example of the BridalTrack Control Center, Step 2
Here's how it works: Going back to Step 2 of the Control Center Page, to the right of the blue box you will see a line that reads "Save The Date Notices: " followed by a number. That number represents the total number contacts you have designated to receive a Save The Date Notice. Further, that number acts as a link to the View List Page to show just those contacts. When you click that link, the page should look similar to this:
Example of The BridalTrack View List Page With Criteria Applied
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The top part of the page highlights the criteria that is being applied to your list with the applied criteria highlighted in orange ("All" in a criteria box means that all results will be returned regardless of the value). Just above the "Current Filter Criteria" area is a link that says "Filter Area" that takes you to the input area of the page where you can select new criteria to apply to your database. Once you set the criteria, click the "Generate List" button and the page will reload, show the new current criteria at the top, and list all the contacts in your database that matched.
Example of The BridalTrack View List Page, Set Filter Criteria
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Once you have the list you want to work with showing on the page, you can easily extract it. On the View List Page, just above the "Set Filter Criteria" area is the "Data Extraction Area".
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
This box is similar in design and function to the one that appears in Step 2 of the Control Center Page. To use it, simply select an extraction format from the drop down box and click the "Export" button. All the data you are viewing will then be provided to you in the format you choose.
For complete instructions on how this page works and how to manually filter your list, please see the instructions for the View List Page. Or, you can just dive in and start applying criteria to see exactly how it works. Since applying criteria to your list does not change your data, you will not accidentally change nor delete any of it. So feel free to familiarize yourself with using the criteria inputs through trial and error.
Contact Report
This extraction option allows you to print or save all the data of the selected contacts in a text-based format. That is, it essentially turns your database information into a document (i.e. Microsoft Word).
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
The layout and formatting of the Contact Report is similiar to that of the View List Page. Atop both are any criteria that have been applied to the list, which allows you to know exactly what set of contacts with which you are working. A difference, though, is that The Contact Report contains every piece of information you have for the listed contacts. It gives you a comprehensive look at your contacts data.
Example of The BridalTrack Contact Report
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The Contact Report is the Swiss-Army knife of extraction options. It is the best extraction option when you just need to see your data and/or print it off. For example, if you need to send someone your list to double check data or to make sure you included everyone, the Contact Report would be a good formt to use. It would also work well for use in setting up a seating chart, finding out what gifts people sent or just creating a hard copy print out of your entire database.
Because it contains all the information in your database, the Contact Report will definetly provide you with the data you need to accomplish a specific task. Of course, it may also be overkill, and not exactly the right format for what you need, but it will certainly contain the information you need. That is why when you don't know which extraction option to choose, the Contact Report is a good place to start.
Mailing Labels
What would a correspondence system be without mailing labels? With your BridalTrack database you have the ability to create and print them directly from your browser. Just select the contacts you want, select "Mailing Labels" link and you are ready to print.
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
Having your computer do the tedious chore of addressing correspondence can take hours off the task and avoid typographical errors. However, in accordance with formal wedding etiquette, using mailing labels is only appropriate for Save The Date Notices and Wedding Announcements. You should extract data for addressing Invitations and Thank You Notes differently because the rules of etiquette deem those pieces more formal and require hand addressing.
Example of BridalTrack Mailing Labels
Click To View Sample
The dimensions of BridalTrack's Mailing Labels are 1" X 2 5/8". That size is very common and Avery #5160® compatible, which will make it as inexpensive as it easy to generate mailing labels on your own. Simplifing the process even further is the ability to print documents directly from most web browsers. Once you are viewing your Mailing Labels all you have to do is go to the browser's toolbar, select the appropriate printer, load the labels into it and click the "Print" button.
While the Mailing Labels with your BridalTrack Database are extremely easy to use, they are not customizable. That is, if you need labels with different specifications (size, font, color, etc.) you would need to set those up on your own and extract your data with the Data File option. That method is explained in the next section of this guide.
Data File
When you need an electronic copy of your data, use the Data File extraction option. This method downloads your data from your BridalTrack Database to your computer in a format that can be read by a variety of software programs (i.e. Microsoft Excel). Once downloaded, you can give that file to a professional printer, use it in your own mail-merge documents and store it as a back up.
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
After selecting this extraction option, BridalTrack prompts you to choose a location on your computer to save the file. It then downloads your contact's data to a comma delimited text file (.csv), which is essentially a generic spreadsheet. It has no pretty formatting, just the data arranged properly so that a spreadsheet program can read it. From there you can manipulate or format your data in any manner you need.
Example of a Data File
A comma delimited text file easily lends itself to the mail merge functions of common word processing software (i.e. Microsoft Word). With that software, you can make a template document and merge your BridalTrack Data File into it to create a personalized piece for each contact you have. For specific instructions, please consult the help files of your word processing program.
Since it is a common format, the Data File can also be given to a professional printer to let them create personalized pieces for you. For example, a professional print shop could customize each and every Save The Date Notice for every contact. For more information about creating those pieces and what items can be created, contact a professional printer in your area or on the web.
Invitation Guide
The most complicated task of managing your wedding correspondence is correctly addressing each invitation envelope. There are rules for where each name goes, rules for how to address individuals with specific titles and lots of other seemingly capricious etiquette rules. BridalTrack makes addressing wedding invitation envelopes a lot easier by providing you all the information you need to complete each invitation envelope as well as recommendations for how each and every one should be completed.
Example of the BridalTrack View List Page, Data Extraction Area
The BridalTrack Invitation Guide is how you should extract your data when you are ready to address your wedding invitation envelopes. Because they are typically handwritten, it is best to print out your Invitation Guide and work through it as you complete each invitation. The guide itself provides all the data you need to address a mailing envelope: name, address, city, state and zip code.
It also provides the reference number BridalTrack assigns each of your contacts. That number goes on a contact's RSVP response card and helps in tracking every response. For more information about how this reference number system can alleviate a lot of the problems with tracking RSVP responses please see the Tracking RSVP Responses page of the BridalTrack User's Manual.
Example of The BridalTrack Invitation Guide
Click To View Sample
BridalTrack has been able to translate the etiquette rules that govern invitation addressing to a set of computer instructions. What that means is that your database is able to take your data, feed it into the Invitation Guide and generate exact recommendations for how exactly your contacts' invitation envelopes should appear. For a better understanding of those rules, as well as the exceptions to them, see the BridalTrack Addressing Guide.
Outer Envelope
| Inner Envelope
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Example of Invitation Envelope Recommendations from the Invitation Guide
Unfortunately, the suggestions on your BridalTrack Invitation Guide are not always 100% accurate. This is because some information needed to accurately address your envelopes is not captured by your BridalTrack Database (relationship status, formal titles, etc). Exceptions will slip through and it is up to you to catch them by learning about the rules and exceptions that govern wedding invitation addressing.
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