How to Use iDraw Email Merge for Bulk Writing Letters, Envelopes, and Personalized Mail

March 10, 2026

This guide explains how to use a Pen Plotter with Email Merge system to automate personalized handwriting at scale. It is ideal for bulk production scenarios such as:

Writing letters in bulk
Printing envelopes with different names and addresses
Personalized postcards and greeting cards
Mass mailing and marketing campaigns

This workflow supports:

Key capability: write different name/address with pen plotters automatically using CSV data.

Before You Start

1. Update and Install iDraw Merge Plugin

Update your Inkscape installation to include the latest iDraw merge extension.

Download the plugin package from here (Windows and Mac).
Unzip the “extensions include merge” file
Copy all extracted files
Replace them in Inkscape User Extensions folder

2. Prepare CSV Data File

Prepare a .CSV file containing:

First Name
Last Name
Address (optional)
ZIP code or other fields

This file will be used for personalization in bulk writing systems.

3. Prepare Your iDraw Machine

iDraw H Pen Plotter
iDraw H SE Pen Plotter
iDraw 2.0 Pen Plotter

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1 - Install Plugin

Unzip the downloaded [extensions Include Merge] file.

Copy all extracted files
Paste into Inkscape “User Extensions” directory
Replace existing files if prompted

Step 2 - Restart Inkscape

Restart Inkscape. If you can see [iDraw 2.0 Merge] in the menu, installation is successful.

Step 3 - Upload CSV File (Data Section)

Go to the Data section and import your CSV file.

First row = column headers (variables)
First column = data index reference

Sample files such as sample_data.csv may be included in the plugin package.

Important: Do not modify header structure or first column format.

Example usage:

Keep First Name column
Keep Last Name column
Save as name_data.csv

Step 4 - Using Variables ({{}} System)

Inside Inkscape design file:

Basic usage:

{{First}} {{Last}} → Row 1 data (e.g. Peter Swanton)

Advanced indexing:

{{First++1}} {{Last++1}} → Matt Jukes
{{First++2}} {{Last++2}} → Ez Robin
{{First++3}} {{Last++3}} → Andrew Lopez

Note: Index starts from 0, so {{First++3}} = Row 4.

Step 5 - Set Batch Range in Auto Section

Start row
End row

Example: Start = 1, End = 4 → generates 4 outputs.

This enables bulk writing letters/envelopes using pen plotters.

Step 6 - Configure Text Settings

Select font style
Adjust pen height
Set writing speed
Configure iDraw writing parameters

Step 7 - Start Automatic Writing

Go to Auto section and click Apply.

The system will:

Read CSV data
Replace variables {{}}
Generate multiple personalized outputs automatically

Additional Notes

Sample names may come from demo datasets
Names can be blurred if needed for privacy
Multiple greeting cards can be generated using same workflow

Advanced Layout Tip

If using iDraw 2.0 A4 format and space is limited:

Rotate layout inside Inkscape
Adjust positioning before export

Final Output

After execution, you can produce:

Personalized handwritten letters
Envelopes with unique addresses
Bulk greeting cards
Automated marketing mail