How To Setup Letter Service File Format - Not Ontario Format

Collect! gives you the ability to output letter service using something other than Ontario format. This Help topic is intended to provide technical information for implementing, using and supporting the Letter Service functionality.

The Letter Service module produces files in the "Ontario" file format, by default. To have it produce a CSV file in Non-Ontario format, follow the menu path "System\Preferences\ Reports and Printing\Report and Printer Setup" and check the box beside the option "Don't use Ontario format".

Within Collect!, letters are stored with codes that represent database information and other aspects to be printed. When a letter is being sent to a letter service, Collect! only outputs the data itself, plus a letter number to identify which letter template the data is to be inserted into.

You can set up your letter reports to output CSV text by manually inserting commas and quotes around your data output field names in the report body.

An example letter body might have the following codes, with quotes and commas.

"@de.na<","@de.ad<","@de.a1<","@de.ci<","@de.st<","@de.zi<"

File Format Output

When the Letter Service is performed through the Letter Service module, the system will write three CSV columns before outputting letter data to your Letter Service file.

The first column contains a "D" plus the Debtor File Number to indicate that this will be regarding a debtor letter to a debtor address, or a "C" plus the Debtor File Number when generating a letter to a Cosigner on the debtor account.

The next column contains either 'OK' to indicate a Change of Address request is not required. Or it contains 'COA' to indicate a Change Of Address search is requested.

NCOA preference setting is set in the Report "Options" for each letter that you have set up to generate in Letter Service batch.

Open up each letter template designated for Letter Service from "Print\ Customize Printing\Edit Report Templates", then select the individual letter to be reviewed. After opening up the Report Body, click the "Options" button and check the NCOA (National Change of Address) setting. Checked means it is turned on for this letter and blank means it is switched OFF for this letter.

The third column contains the letter number ID that has been designated for this letter form in the same "Options" screen. This ID needs to match the template number that your letter service provider has set up for each of your letters.

The output file would look like the following:

"D1400","OK","1","Aubin, Kevin","1101-703 Eastwood Crescent","","Princeton","California","98975-0016"
"C1400","OK","1","Wilson, Gordon","45 17th Street","","Verndale","AZ","44593-6473"
"C1400","COA","1","Test, Joe","","","","",""
"D1287","COA","2","Balford, Allen","345965 Gable Road","","Neward","New Jersey","27856"

Custom Letter Service Output

The Letter Service module produces files in the "Ontario" file format, by default. To have it produce a file in a format of your choosing, follow the menu path "System\Preferences\Reports and Printing\ Report and Printer Setup" and check the box beside the option "Letter service custom format".

Within Collect!, letters are stored with codes that represent database information and other aspects to be printed. When a letter is being sent to a letter service, Collect! only outputs the text in the report body.

You can set up your letter reports to output any text format by manually the formatting the report body.

An example letter body might have the following codes, with quotes and commas.

"@ro.ln<","@de.na<","@de.ad<","@de.a1<","@de.ci<","@de.st<","@de.zi<"

An example letter body might have the following codes, with pipe delimitation.

"@ro.ln<"|"@de.na<"|"@de.ad<"|"@de.a1<"|"@de.ci<"|"@de.st<"|"@de.zi<"

An example letter body might have the following codes, with tab delimitation.

"@ro.ln<" "@de.na<" "@de.ad<" "@de.a1<" "@de.ci<" "@de.st<" "@de.zi<"

You need to use the tab key on the keyboard instead of the @> command as Printer Control Codes are not executed in the Letter Service module.

The process automatically performs analysis of the letters being printed, and runs a 3 pass data output procedure. The first pass creates the letter number and Debtor name and information. The second pass outputs all other fixed variables, and the optional third pass outputs any lists(loops) and variable length data.