Using the Template Editor

You can use templates to generate letters from the selected borrower (or open order, order, or interloan) that is currently displayed.  Templates determine what data is extracted from the selected record and the wording/formatting of the letter. Any fields present in the template are populated with the corresponding data from the record when the letter is created.

To use the Template Editor

1. If you have not already done so, display any borrower, interloan, order or open order.

2. From the Record tab click the Ad Hoc Comm button.
   
   The Ad-Hoc Communications form for the selected record is displayed, containing a history of any previous letters that have been generated.

3. Click the button corresponding to the type of letter you wish to create.
   
   The Available templates form is displayed.

4. Either:

1. Click the Add new template button to create a new template for record. You will be prompted to enter a unique Template Code and a meaningful Description before clicking Continue.
   
   or

2. Select an existing template and click Modify template.
   
   The Template Editor form is displayed. Note that the name of the template is shown in the title bar.

5. Type your standard letter text directly into the template. You can use standard word processing commands to format the letter as appropriate, and copy images and text from other applications into the template.
   
   Hover the mouse over any area within the Template Editor toolbar to display a brief description of its function.

6. If you wish to extract data from the record:

1. Place the cursor where you want the data to appear.

2. Click the '' button (or click the Insert menu and choose Insert Alto field).
   
   The Available Field List is displayed. Note that the lists are different for each type of letter.

3. Double click on a field (or click <enter> when a field is highlighted) to insert it at the cursor location.
   
   The field is inserted into the template within angled brackets. When you create a letter from a template, the field will be replaced with the corresponding data from the selected record.  Note that in order to apply formatting to a merged parameter, you must select both of the end angle brackets and then apply the formatting.

7. When you have finished editing the template, click:

• The button to save the template to the database

• The button to save the template to the database and your local file system

• The button to print the template and save it to the database
  
  Templates are saved as .RTT files.

8. Having defined your template, you can use it to create letters for the same type of records.

Tips

• You can only select templates appropriate for the type of letter you are creating. That is, you will not be able to (for example) use a template created from the interloan record to create borrower letters.

• You can switch between the Template Editor and the relevant record in order to determine which fields to include in your letter.

• If the width of the Template Editor window is changed, letters will not print out exactly as they appear on screen. The default screen width matches A4 paper, but stretching or shrinking the width of the window will cause the printed text to wrap at different places than what is shown on the screen.

• You can open templates from within the Template Editor by choosing the File menu and selecting Open. To delete templates, select one from the Available templates form and click Delete template.
   

Related topics