To access this screen, go to AutoMail and click Templates from the Letter Request Browser.
In this topic we provide step by step instructions on how to create your own letter based on the IRIS standard tax return cover letter.
To create a copy of the IRIS standard tax return cover letter:
Click New Template.
Type in the template description, for example, description for the letter.
Click the magnifying glass next to Based On (this option is used to base a letter on a previous template).
Highlight the folder Word templates with header and footer.
Find the tax return cover letter.
Highlight the template and click Select.
You are now ready to set the template properties to customise your template. At the end of the topic is a description for each of the properties present on the New Template screen.
Once the properties are set, click OK to open a Tag Selection screen and a Word document will then open. The Tag Selection screen displays the available tags, that is, the information from the IRIS database. The Microsoft Word letter displays the IRIS standard tax return cover letter.
To save the template click Save on the Tag Selection screen. The next topic progressively follows on how to edit the template, click here to move onto the next topic.
List of each of the template properties present on the New Template screen for customisation:
Type - this determines whether the template will be of Old Automail (WordPad letter) type or the New AutoMail (Word letter) type, which mean the template will open in Microsoft Word for editing.
We recommend that all new templates are created using the Word letter type, via Microsoft Word. For this reason, all new templates will a automatically assume the Word letter type.
Context type - the context type of a letter determines which tags will be available from the IRIS database to insert into your template. The context type selected should reflect the relevant information for the intended recipients of the letter. For example, a general letter to all client types should retain a Client context type, whereas a letter send to individuals regarding their tax correspondence should be set to Individual (Personal Tax) context type.
For more information on context types, see our reference topic.
Default logging type - the default logging types determines how the letter requests are stored and recorded on the communication log. As a template is used there are three possibilities in recording the letter:
Log & Save - this means that we are going to create an entry in the communication log showing that the letter has been generated, and save the letter as a retrievable document to view at a later stage.
Log only - will create a log to indicate the letter has been generated. Any changes made to the instantiation of the letter will be lost if the letter is reprinted
None - will neither log the entry on the communication log nor save any changes to the instantiation.
Job type - templates can be grouped using job types. This is an additional property you can set against the letter, should you wish to for reporting purposes to search for letters grouped within a particular job type.
Log type changeable - the logging type can be set to prevent users from changing the properties of the template. If this is selected then any user can change the properties for the template.
The default is to have this selected.
Prompt for values for empty tags - this option will prompt each time the system comes across an empty tag upon generating the template. For example if the template has the tag to insert the clients town, but no information is present for this tag in the database then the user will be prompted to enter the details for the tag upon generation of the letter.
Treat multiples separately - If generating the letter for multiple clients you have two options:
save a letter for every client (separate document for each client)
or save all the letters as one document
The default is to have this ticked.
Suppress blank lines - if a tag is empty this option provides the ability to suppress the line if the tag is the only item on the line.
User editable - once the template has been setup, should you wish users to edit the template tick this option. The default is to have this selected.
Permanent - this is an additional property you can set against your templates to specify whether the template is a permanent letter or not. This field can be used as a search criteria when retrieving documents in the communication log.
Fees template - this property can be set against your template to specify whether the template is a fee template or not. This field can be used as a search criteria when retrieving documents in the communication log.
Contents
To/From/About - these fields allow you to specify who the letter is from, to and (where applicable) about. For each field you may select from the following:
Agent
Bank
Client
Co House
Employee
Employer
Tax Office
When these fields are set they can be used as a search criteria when retrieving documents in the communication log.
Date adjustment - you can set date adjustments on the template for various dates contained within the IRIS database. For example, you can add 7 years to the account period end date stored in the IRIS database, to specify how long records should be kept for.
You must select the relevant tag with date adjustment in the tag selection screen to make use of this feature.