Bug 170360 - The Mail-merge in Libre Office Could use an Enhancement - Preview/Edit Layer
Summary: The Mail-merge in Libre Office Could use an Enhancement - Preview/Edit Layer
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
25.8.3.2 release
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard: QA:needsComment
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2026-01-16 02:26 UTC by pyz01
Modified: 2026-02-01 03:19 UTC (History)
0 users

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Description pyz01 2026-01-16 02:26:22 UTC
Description:
Mail merge has many problems because the merge engine is tied to the print subsystem, it lacks a preview/edit layer, and forces a one‑way commit loop that punishes the user for not catching formatting issues in placeholder mode.  The only workaround is to save the merged results to a second document and identify the errors -- get them fixed at the source -- and them hopefully re-commit to print.  

Actual Results:
Must commit to print before a format error in the data can be identified.  Once identified -- must go all the way back to the source to fix and hope that works.  A workaround it to save a second document and this is really clunky. 

Expected Results:
You should be able to preview the merged document BEFORE committing to print so that minor errors could be caught and corrected instantaneously not be forced to go back to square one and fix. 


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
The mail merge needs enhancement.  LibreOffice isn’t wrong, but it's clinging to a legacy model that ignores the lived experience of the user sitting in front of the screen trying to get real work done.

A preview/edit layer between template and print is the kind of enhancement that doesn’t require rewriting the universe. It’s not a new engine. It’s not a new data model. It’s simply a new mode that sits on top of the existing pipeline.  This enhancement would add a Preview Workspace between template and print:

Template → Preview Workspace → Print

This doesn’t require ripping out the print subsystem. It just exposes the merge engine before committing.

The merge engine already knows how to:

Pull data from the source; Replace fields; Render the result; Generate a new document

All that is needed is:  A button that says “Preview Merge”;  A temporary, editable merged document; A “Return to Template” toggle

IF this was done:  the user could see the merged labels (before committing to print); could inspect spacing, alignment, and formatting;  could tweak the template without the print loop; and most importantly, avoid the “commit first, fix later” frustration.

It respects the user’s time, attention, and workflow.

Essentially  a preview/edit layer — doesn’t require rewriting the merge engine.
It’s literally: Run the merge, Display the result in a temporary buffer, Allow edits, Commit only when the user says “Print” or “Finalize”.  Then print.  Please consider this enhancement. Thank you!