Purpose

To enable the creation and maintenance of Letter Parameter Types for use in the creation of letters

Institution defined Letter Parameter Types are items that are assigned to System Parameter Types, and provide details for correspondence. More than one institution defined Letter Parameter Type can be mapped to a System Parameter Type. These System Parameter Types have basically three formats.

Format 1 - System Letter Parameters of type PHRASE.

Mapping Letter Parameters to the System Parameter Type of PHRASE allows for pre-stored text (phrases, see CORF2550) to be allocated to the Letter Parameter for individual letters. Alternatively, un-stored text (phrase text) can be allocated to the Letter Parameter for individual letters.

Format 2 - System Letter Parameters of type LETTER TEXT.

Mapping Letter Parameters to the System Parameter Type of Letter Text allows for pre-stored text (Letter Text) to be allocated to the Letter Parameter for all letters. Generally, it would be advisable to include such text in the template (see designing a template), rather than using Letter Text.

Format 3 - System Letter Parameters of types System OBJECTS and RULES.

Mapping Letter Parameters to other System Parameter Types will return either data from Callista or text from the rules facility. For further information on System objects and rules refer to the specialist links below.

Letter Parameters can be restricted to use for specific correspondence types. The information provided here and for related forms is for a 'typical' setup.

Allocation of Letter Parameters to System Letter Parameters

Typically, System Letter Parameters have been created within Callista to provide specific functionality for particular correspondence needs. Multiple mapping to the same System Letter Parameter is required when the information is to be displayed in letters more than once. Mapping to System objects, will return the appropriate data from Callista. (see specialist links below). Mapping to System objects that are calls to the rules facility of Callista, will return text as determined by the rules facility (see specialist links below).

Restricting Letter Parameters to a Correspondence Type

Typically, Letter Parameters are mapped to System objects and rules, that only have meaning for a limited number of correspondence types. It is recommended that such Letter Parameters are restricted to the appropriate correspondence types to reduce confusion when determining the parameters to include in a System letter definition (see CORF2520). If no restrictions are specified, the Letter Parameter is available to all correspondence types.

Admission Specialist.

Letter Parameter Types for Admission Correspondence.

Letter Template Design for Admission Correspondence.

Rules for Admission Correspondence.

Assessment Specialist

Letter Parameter Types for Academic Transcript.

Transcript Template Design for Academic Transcript.

The Letter Parameter Type block contains:

• Parameter Type
• Description
• Closed check box
• System Parameter Type
• Letter Text

The Letter Parameter Type Restriction block contains:

• Correspondence Type
• Description

Use this form to record the appropriate Letter Parameters to appear in a System letter.

Enter the Parameter Type name, Description and System Parameter Type.

If appropriate, enter the Letter Text for the parameter.

If appropriate, select the Correspondence Types to restrict the Letter Parameter to.

Letter Parameters that have been assigned to a System Letter cannot be deleted, use the closed check box instead.

Rules/Notes:

Parameter Type names should only contain alphabetical, numerical and the underscore '_' characters. Do not use hyphens in parameter type names.

Parameter Type names must be unique and should not be a subset of other names. For example, do not use ADMISSION and ADMISSION_NAME as Parameter Types as the letter creation process may assume they are the same parameter.

Multiple Parameter Types can be created for System Parameter Types. This is required when the same System Parameter is to be displayed on the template more than once.

Letter Text can only be assigned to Parameter Types mapped to System Parameter Types of 'LETTERTEXT'.

Letter Text can be no more than 2000 characters long.