Manage Templates

Navigate: Closed Reports and Interfaces > Correspondence > Report Setups

Description

Use this screen to manage correspondence document templates.

Steps

  1. On the Manage Report Setups screen, click Manage Templates in the Command Item bar.
  2. On the Manage Templates screen, you can:

    1. Click Upload to open.

      NOTE: Certain jurisdictions include a pop-up that prompts to create an event upon uploading the template. Click Yes and OK to generate a system event.

    2. Click on the template to select and upload it automatically. After uploading, a message displays at the top indicating the file was successfully uploaded.

      • Click Manage Report Setups to associate the template with the report setup, which is the next step to setting up correspondence.

    1. Click Only show unassociated templates to show only templates that have not been associated with report setups.

    2. To manage an existing template, click on the report template file name hyperlink. A pop-up displays asking whether you want to Open or Save the template (or Cancel).

      3. NOTE: A pop-up confirmation displays in certain jurisdictions when replacing a templates to confirm that you want to replace the existing template. Click Yes to replace it, select the required Reason Code for replacing the template, and click OK to upload the template and to replace the existing one.

    3. Click Save to save to your hard drive temporary download folder.

      • Save As to select the file location.

      • Save and Open to save it and open the document.

      • Edit the template as applicable.

      • When finished, re-upload the template using the Upload button.

    4. Click Open to open the document. If a data source exists for the document, the document opens in Word.  Otherwise, a pop-up message displays indicating that opening the document runs the applicable SQL command.

      • If you select No, the document template opens in Word. You can then modify the document template as desired. Follow the instructions following this section to create the document as a mail merge document before uploading.

      • If you selectYes, a pop-up displays:

      • Click Find Data Source to open the Select Data Source window. Select the datasource or click New Source to create a new one. When finished, save the file to the selected data source.
      • Click Optionsto open a Microsoft Office Word dialog pop-up.

        • Click Remove Data/Header Source to remove it's associated with the original data source and open the document in Word, or

        • Click Remove All Merge Info to remove mail merge information and open the data source in Word.

    5. Click Delete on any template to delete it.

    6. Click Manage Report Setups to navigate to the Manage Report Setups screen to associate the template with the report setup, which is the next step to setting up correspondence.

    To create a new mail merge document template:

    1. In Microsoft Word, click the Mailings Tab in Microsoft Word to insert data fields into your Word document.

    2. Click Select Recipients, then Use Existing List. Navigate to the file you created or to the file you downloaded and saved to your computer.
      • Set your cursor in the document where you want to enter a merge field. On the Mailings Tab, click Insert Merge Field. Any available fields for the merge are displayed for your selection. If there is only 1 field, that is the only selection. If there are multiple fields, a pop-up displays them.

      • Select the field(s) you want to insert for the merge.

      • NOTE: Some datasources contain a secondary datasource within the main datasource, for example, the Tax Sale Redemption Notices datasource. This type of datasource contains columns TableStart:Detail and TableEnd:Detail, with a secondary datasource located between the TableStart:Detail and TableEnd:Detail. You must follow these steps in order to insert the fields from the secondary datasource into your document. The document and datasource are set up this way so that you can print information for multiple records within the main letter. In the following example, the main record contains Buyer information and the secondary datasource contains all of the redemptions that will be paid to this buyer.

      • Click on the Insert tab in your mail merge document, then click Quick Parts. From the Quick Parts menu, click Field.

      • In the Field pop-up, select MergeField from the Fieldnames list. Enter the TableStart:Detail in the Field name text box. Click OK. A new filed <<TableStart:Detail>> is added to your document. Repeat these steps to add TableEnd:Detail.

      IMPORTANT: You must insert the mail merge fields from the secondary datasource between the <<TableStart:Detail>> and <<TableEnd:Detail>> fields in your document.

    3. Upload the mail merge document (.doc or .docx file) via the Manage Templates screen. If you have updated an existing document, you will need to replace the existing file.

      NOTES:

      • The old file will no longer be available after you overwrite it.
      • Make sure to upload the .doc or .docx and not the .htm!
      • After uploading the correspondence file make sure to associate it with the correct matching process on the Manage Report Setups screen.

    NOTE: Certain mail merge document templates (datasource.htm documents) already exist for certain jurisdictions. These are displayed and are available for selection, downloading, and updating via the Manage Templates screen. The file is named automatically for the process. Here are some examples.

    • Agency Letter_datasource.htm - for Agency Letter correspondences to taxing authorities to request negative balances

    • Audit Correspondence Datasource.htm - for correspondences for audits to business, trust tax, and personal accounts

    • Delinquent_datasource.htm - datasource file for delinquent notices

    • DelinquentAdditional_datasource.htm - additional fields for notices

    • DelinquentRedemption_datasource.htm - fields for redemption notices

    • DelinquentWarrants_datasource.htm - for warrants notices

    • License Bill Correspondence Datasource.htm - for business license bills

    • License Correspondence_datasource.htm - for business license correspondences

    • Refund and Surplus Notices_datasource.htm - for accounts receivable refund and surplus notices

    • Tax Sale Notices_datasource.htm - for tax sale notices

    • Transfer_Correspondence_datasource.htm - for Change In Ownership Statement (CIOS) and Homeowner Exemption Claim forms for ownership transfers

    • Trust Tax Return Correspondence Datasource.htm - for business trust tax return correspondences

    • Trust Tax Return Bill Correspondence Datasource.htm - for business trust tax return bills

An existing data service must exist or you must first create it using the Data Services task.

Tips

Currently you can use data from only a single tax year on a notice.

Prerequisites

Correspondence Installation

Correspondence installation must be performed by your Aumentum Implementation team.

Application Settings

Maximum Upload File Size (Common) - This setting is also shared by Import Tax Bill Addresses for Mail Presort, Select Bills or Revenue Objects, and Import Lender Revenue Objects in Billing; and A/R Batch Collection imports.

Note that this application setting needs to accurately show the IIS limit on import/export file size. Changing this application setting in Aumentum does not change the file size allowed in IIS. IIS must be changed first and then this application setting changed to correspond to IIS. Changing it in IIS requires a system administrator or appropriate Aumentum personnel.

NOTE: Do not change the following application settings:

  • Audit Correspondence
  • Business Account Correspondence
  • Delinquent
  • DelinquentAdditional
  • DelinquentRedemption
  • DelinquentWarrant (Correspondence)
  • License Bill Correspondence
  • License Correspondence
  • Trust Tax Account Correspondence
  • Trust Tax Return Bill Correspondence
  • Trust Tax Return Correspondence

Troubleshooting

If Access denied or similar messages are displayed it usually means that the user under which Aumentum is running cannot create the correspondence folders.  This user was not specified when IIS was installed or when it was last configured.

For IIS 5.1 it is usually SYSTEM.

For IIS 6.0 it is usually ASP.NET.

For IIS running on a laptop or standalone machine it could also be the domain\username of the machine.  Example is kzo\marcos.

Use Internet Information Services and the DirectorySecurity tab of the website to determine this user. You can also ask your Aumentum Support representative for assistance.

  • Also, ASP.NET is included as part of the machinename/Users group.  So giving full access to machinename/Users will also work if the user is ASP.NET.

  • Once the user is determined, give full rights to the Aumentum Reports folder to solve this issue.

  • Make sure that any reports/correspondence folders and subfolders do not have the Read-only attribute selected in its properties; If so, clear the Read-only checkbox.

Mail Merge Failure

  • If the mail merge fails on the batch server, you will get an exception error.

    • See the 2 files listed (.htm and .doc or .docx) in the error. A normal process would have produced just one file (.doc or .docx).

    • Download both of these files to another client computer that has Microsoft Word installed.

    • Run the mail merge on the other computer.

Troubleshooting Notices

  • No subdivision prints on the notice when using DelinquentAdditional_Datasource.htm:

    • Two Delinquent module application settings must be set for subdivision information to show when using DelinquentAdditional_Datasource.htm for  correspondence.  These two application settings map where to get this information from the Records module:

    • Subdivsion Header Type

    • Subdivision Description Detail Type.

    • Both must be filled in. If not set, no data will be displayed.

    • If the application settings are correctly set but no data is found, then Unknown Subdivision prints instead of the subdivision name for those bills missing that data.

  • Net taxable value is not showing in the notice when using DelinquentAdditional_Datasource.htm.

    • Map the net taxable value in the ValueType table. This is done through Levy Management > Setup > Value Type Mapping. If this is not mapped, then net taxable value will not show in the Delinquent Additional Datasource.

  • Error when printing notice: Could not find file <templatename>.doc

    • After uploading the correspondence file, make sure it is associated with the correct matching process (report setup) on the Manage Report Setups screen (Reports and Interfaces > Correspondence > Report Setups > Manage Report Setups).

  • Owner as of delinquent date does not print on notices.

    • If no owner prints in the notices, then step 1 (below) was probably not completed properly.

      • Set up the delinquent date in the Functional Calendar before performing the tax roll processing (which creates the dates needed for Correspondence.)

      • Select Owner as of delinquent date from the Defendant Information drop-down list of Create a Delinquent Notice.

    • To test for correct setup of the delinquent date, run this query. It must return a valid value. If it returns no value, then set up the delinquent date as specified in step 1 above.

      select max(bd.datevalue) from taxbilldates_v bd where taxbillid = x and bd.eventtype = 152501

  • Click Close to end the task.