Customer Letter Instructions

Use the Customer Letter Instructions to create utility-related letters or notices for selected customers.  You can use the routine to print a variety of letters.  For example, you can use the Customer Letters routine to send payment plan agreements, upcoming meter maintenance or replacement notices, rate change notices or even past due notices.  The Letters can be run for customers on an individual basis or they can be set to run as a batch for a group of customers.  Use the parameters to specify the customers to receive the selected letter.

Notes:

• This routine uses the information specified by the selected options to generate data in an XML format and sends it to a job site file that you specify.

• During installation, the letter format and the job site file (job to the print file) are defined using your specifications.  For more information, contact NDS Technical Support.

• For more information about running reports, see Print View.

• For more information about the buttons on the toolbar, see the Reporting Toolbar.

Directions:

To see directions for...

• Opening the Customer Letters, click More.

  1.  Click Processes from the Menu Bar.

  2.  Click Letters.

  3.  Click Customer Letters.
  
  Tip:  Or, use the keyboard shortcut:  [ALT] [p] [e] [e] [c].

   

  Customer Letters Window Example:

  

   

• Choosing the Selections at the Prompt Window, click More.

   

  Customer Letters Prompts Tip:  To see more information about a field, click the hyperlink for the field name.
  Services	To select the Services to print, click to check the appropriate Services listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all Services listed, click the Check All icon.
  Companies	To select the Companies to print, click to check the appropriate Companies listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all Companies listed, click the Check All icon.
  Finance Periods	To select the Finance Periods to print, click to check the appropriate Finance Periods listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all Finance Periods listed, click the Check All icon.
  Rate Classes	To select the Rate Classes to print, click to check the appropriate Rate Classes listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all Rate Classes listed, click the Check All icon.
  Status	To select the Statuses to print, click to check the appropriate Statuses listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all Statuses listed, click the Check All icon.
  Category	To select the categories to print, click to check the appropriate categories listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all categories listed, click the Check All icon .
  Credit Rating	To select the customer credit ratings to print, click to check the appropriate credit ratings listed. Tip:  To quickly select or de-select all credit ratings listed, click the Check All icon.
  Sort	To choose a sort option, click to select one of the following: Sort Options: Last Name - Prints the letters in Last Name order. Zip Code - Prints the letters in customer Zip Code order. Customer ID - Prints the letters in Customer ID order.
  Letter Ranges
  Last Name From	To limit the letters to a range of customer Last Names, Zip Codes or Accounts, enter the appropriate beginning item in the range. Tip:  To include all Last Names, Zip Codes or Accounts, leave blank.
  Through	To limit the letters to a range of customer Last Names, Zip Codes or Accounts, enter the appropriate ending item in the range. Tip:  To include all Last Names, Zip Codes or Accounts, leave blank.
  Balance From	To limit the letters to a range of customer Balances, enter the appropriate beginning Balance in the range. Tip:  To include all customer Balances, leave blank.
  Through	To limit the letters to a range of customer Balances, enter the appropriate ending customer Balance in the range. Tips:  To include all customer Balances, leave blank.
  Service Date From	To limit the letters to the customers with a Service date during a specified time period, enter the beginning customer Service Date. (mm/dd/ccyy) Tip:  To include all customers, leave blank.
  Through	To limit the letters to customers within a range of dates, enter the desired ending Service Date in the range. (mm\dd\ccyy) Tip:  To include all dates, leave blank.
  Message Code	To print an additional message on the letters, enter the message code. (up to 5 characters) Tips:   To search for a Message Code, click Search or press [CTRL + f]. To create a new Message Code, click Fast Access Maintenance or press [CTRL + o].
  	To begin printing to the Windows® default printer, click Print, or press [ENTER]. Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + p]
  	To print to the Print View window, click here.
  	To escape from the print routine, click Cancel. Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + c]
  Server Process Status
  Status	Displays information pertaining to the various phases of the reporting process to guide you. Note:  The status displays Complete when the process is ended.  In addition, the Message window displays Time Started and Time Ended to alert you when the routine is complete.
  	To close the window when the report is complete, click Close .

   

• Report Sample(s), click More.

   

  Note:  A sample of the printed XML Customer Letter is not available because it is uniquely tailored to your installation.