MySQL based customer letter batch generation question

I have a MySQL database which is the lifeblood of my company. It consists of hundreds of thousands of records. The software we use is very limited in its ability to perform a lot of custom tasks so I recently took it upon myself to learn SQL.

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I have a basic (and very limited) background in C#, JavaScript, (HTML/CSS), and a touch of Python.

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Over the years, I've attempted to learn many languages but considering that my main job is to run a company, I usually spend a few weeks or months taking online classes, do a few sample projects and put it on hold. This has left me with a lot of basic understanding of programming and syntax but no language that I'm proficient in beside SQL.

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Learning SQL was one of the best decisions I've ever made because the restrictions my software placed on my access to my database was absurd now that I have the magic powers to run custom queries. It has also been much easier than I expected and incredibly rewarding and fun to learn.

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I've managed to use custom SQL queries to automate a lot of my tasks with one large exception- letter generation.

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There are 3 main letters that we send out here:

• Validation of Debt (Dunning Notice)
• Payment Plan Arrangement
• Paid in Full Letter

I have letter templates and I know how to access the fields from my SQL database.

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My software has the ability to generate letters in a very sloppy, time-consuming and obnoxious way that requires about 10 steps of human intervention. It uses SQL queries that exports fields to a spreadsheet and then runs mail merge between excel and MS word. That explanation of how it works leaves out a LOT of flaws it has that are too numerous to count and also requires more explanation than it's worth.

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I know the logic and the SQL, and I have the templates for these letters. This is what I'm hoping someone on this subreddit can help me to figure out.

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My goal is to create the letters I need to send out in large batches of dozens of letters at once. I don't care if the program inputs the letters into MS Word, Google Sheets, WordPad, or even HTML. It just needs to have some very minor formatting. I don't mind copying and pasting the text from the output to email if I need to.

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At some point down the line, I'd like to look into mailgun integration to create a program where I can just type in the file numbers (or import a csv containing the file number and letter type) and have the emails sent but I know that I have more skills to learn before that is going to be possible.

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I am willing to write a program in a language that I have a basic understanding of, it could give me a nice project to work on that teaches me practical skills, but I'm looking for even a rudimentary way (or the quickest path of skills to learn) to make letter generation a reality. It will ultimately save me countless hours.

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Also, if there is software that already exists to perform this task, I just can't find it.

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What would you recommend?

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