9.2 Communications - Using the Letter Generation Process

Purpose: Use this document as a reference for using the letter generation process in ctcLink.

Audience: College staff responsible for creating student communications

You must have at least one of these local college managed security roles:

  • <there are no college-assignable roles>

If you need assistance with the above security roles, please contact your local college supervisor or IT Admin to request role access.

You must set the following SACR Security permissions:

For Letter Generation, the institution's word processing software is used to merge data into a template created with that software and associated with the letter code; or into one of the sample Microsoft Word templates that the ctcLink application delivers.

Prior to running the Letter Generation process, the communications set up process must be completed. Please contact a ctcLink system administrator for assistance with that process.

Communications-Using the Letter Generation Process

Navigation:  NavBar > Navigator > Campus Community > Communications > Letter Generation

  1. The Letter Generation run control ID search page displays.
  2. Select the Add a New Value tab.
  3. Enter Run Control ID.
  4. Select Add.
Letter Generation Add a New Value tab
  1. The General Parameters tab displays.
  2. In ID Selection, select the appropriate communication recipients
    1. All IDs: all person and organization IDs system wide. (Rarely used)
    2. One Person ID: opens a box to input a single Person ID. (Common)
    3. All Person IDs: all person and organization IDs system wide. (Common)
    4. One Org ID: opens a box to input a single Organization ID. (Rarely used)
    5. All Org IDs: This will select all organization IDs system wide. (Rarely used)
  1. Enter or select the Letter Code that identifies the template into which to merge this extract data. Individual 3C group security access will define the available selections.
  1. Select the Missing Critical Data check boxes for the process to produce and/or complete the communication even if critical data is missing, for example, even if address information or name of the recipient is missing.
  1. In Name and Address Usage, select the appropriate Address, Address Name and Salutation for the communication being sent. For assistance with the usage of these fields, contact ctcLink support.
  2. Select the Date/Merge Parameters tab.
General Parameters tab
  1. The Data/Merge Parameters tab displays.
  2. Enter the appropriate file name into Extract File Path/Options. The path must be a valid network path, containing the path delimiter (forward slash or back slash), and be in the appropriate letter case (upper or lower) for your platform. For example, on Windows NT where the target machine is Machine01 and the target folder is LtrData, the valid path is \\Machine01\temp\LtrData.
  3. Select the File Type (CSV or Other) to create an extract file compatible with the associated word processing program. Comma delimited (.csv) files are compatible with most word processing programs. The process also creates a .dat file specifically for Microsoft Word and the Word templates delivered with the system.
  1. In the Update Communication section, select the date that will appear on the letter to the student and the date the communication is assigned in the system.
  2. Enter the appropriate selections in Update Communication Letter Printed Date With (date printed on the letter) and Update Communication Letter Completed Date With (date system will show the communication was completed).
    1. Communication Date: Selects the date the communication is assigned in the system.
    2. System Date: The current date.
    3. User Supplied Date: opens a box to enter a custom date for the system to assign to the communication.
  1. Enter the date range for this communication in the Communications Date Range Selection section.
  1. Enter the Template Path (the document to merge the data into) in the Word Merge Parameters section.
  2. Select the preferred Sort Option for the completed letters.
  3. Select Send to Printer to send the letters directly to the printer after Run is selected.
  4. Select the Checklist Parameters tab.
Date Merge Parameters tab
  1. The Checklist Parameters tab displays.  Use it to specify any checklist items to extract and use in the letter.
    1. Checklist Type: enter the types of checklists from which the process should extract data for this letter or email.
    2. Tracking Group: Enter the tracking group codes with checklist item data that should be extracted for this letter or email.
    3. Checklist Code: enter the specific checklist codes with checklist item data that should be extracted for this letter or email.
    4. Tracking Group Status: Select to extract tracking group data with the status of Initiated for this letter.
    5. Checklist Status: Select to extract data from checklists with the status of Initiated or Completed for this letter.
    6. Item Status: If a checklist code is specified, a checklist item status is required. Multiple status options can be selected.
  2. After all tabs have been completed, select Run.  Refer to the Process Scheduling QRG for instructions.
Checklist Parameters tab
  1. Process complete.

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