Operational Manual iComms


This is a new feature for iComms. The current situation required a user to set up features concerning the type of output. This was a tedious process and ITS decided to code these processes programmatically.

GENERAL
- Run the standard group just to make sure everything is working (this saves time) ,
then
Create user defined group and always use/link
-DEFLTLOG
-DEFLTBL
-ILT01LST (Check the name of the program (in this case iltbea) , and use its list
-ILT01LET (same as list, use the standard list just to make sure if the problem is with
your letter or program), If the standard letter is not printing, you can report the error to
the relevant team. If the standard letter is printing, the problem is with your letter.
(This can be made inactive on the user's group once everything on the group is perfect)

Letters
Bold
- Do not use bold tags next to a word that is not bolded (there won't be a space between bolded and unbolded word)
   e.g: You have met the requirements to be awarded a/the <QualFullName>
- If you bold a tag, make sure that the opening (<) and closing (>) of the tag are also bolded (if not, the tag won't be recognised as a tag)
   e.g: <QualFullName>


Images
-Make sure that all the images used in your letter are saved as PNG


 Previously upon creating the master group, a user had to fill in the following:

Summary of Style Sheet Usage / Set Up: this took place on GMNT-5 and still does for some of the features. The features in Bold are to be used in GMNT-14.

  Letter Paragraph Label ACSII SMS List Log Group
Save As and upload document as type *.rtf *.rtf *.rtf *.txt *.txt *.xsl *.xsl *.xsl
Output Format RTF RFT RTF RTF RDF PDF PDF MASTER
Output Type INC PINC INC INC SMS REP REP COMBIN
Mime Type (B1) text/rtf text/rtf text/rtf text/plain text/plain text/plain text/plain
Convert Document after Upload Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No

The following information is capture on {GMNT-5}, TAB - Document Groups: the features in Bold are captured on GMNT-14.

  Letter Paragraph Label ACSII SMS List GENXML Log Group
Individual or Batch Level I ** B B I B B B **
Display at Runtime No ** Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes **
Mime Type (B2) application/pdf ** application/pdf text/plain text/plain application/pdf Application/xml application/pdf **
File Extension of end result pdf ** pdf csv txt pdf Xml pdf
Label No No Yes No No No No No **

Now currently on ITS all the above takes place programmatically in the background, thus a user will only enter the Document Classification code and the system will generate all the above.

(Users cannot see or update this fields / data, that is being processed in the background).

Field Description
Output Format The output defines the make-up of the file that will be loaded, e.g. is this a comma separated or text or binary file.  Currently this is a fixed set as defined by ITS.
Output Type This defines the type of output generated by this file, e.g. SMS or letter or list.  Currently this is a fixed set as defined by ITS.
Mime Type Currently this is a fixed set as defined by W3C.  This defines the content of this entity.

Administration

1.    Word Processor documents are stored as RTF in ITS via {GMNT-14} iComms Style Sheet.
2.    Each iComms option consists of a grouping of letter output formats. These groups are stored in the "Document Groups"
3.    Tags to be used via the rtf - documents are stored in the "Letter Objects" - tab and must be matched with the specified letter from the "Document Groups" - tab.

Please note that tags are small stylesheet extracts that define the format and XML tag name(s) to be displayed every time the tag is referenced.

After being uploaded to the ITS System, documents may be merged with a specific set of data using the individual iComms programs in the subsystems to generate final / merged documents.

Demonstration #1

Purpose:  The creation of a  Master Group.

GMNT-14 Block 1

a) Create the Master Group, a master group is required so that the user can link the following features to it:
In this demonstration ITS will produce all of the above mentioned. 
  1. The user will create an iComms code (Preferably with the last three characters ending in GRP for Group) and a iComms description, the user must also take into account that no spaces are allowed in the description field as this description is often utilised as a tag.
  2. The user will then select a Document Classification for this Master by either utilizing the LOV and the selection of choice for this would be MST =  Master.
Explanation: Taking place in the background of the above mentioned process. When the user selects a Document Classification, the system will ascertain the aspects involved (The output Format, Output Type and the Mime Type that is now defined by ITS ), and populate this in the background. (Users cannot see or update this fields / data.)

This is the stylesheet that will be linked against the specific program in {USERS-1b4}.

Points: Please make sure that "Show" is activated. Upon committing the User will populate.

Image 1.
iComms Master Group

Demonstration #2

Purpose:  The creation of a Letter
  1. The user will create an iComms code (Preferably with the last three characters ending in LET for Letter ) and a iComms description. Same rule applies. No spaces.
  2. The user will then select a Document Classification for this Letter by either utilizing the LOV and the selection of choice for this would be LET =  Letter.
  3. Same Background Explanation as above.
Image 2.
Letter
 
Demonstration #3

Purpose:  The creation of a Paragraph
  1. The user will create an iComms code (Preferably with the last three characters ending in INC for Paragraph Include ) and a iComms description. Same rule applies. No spaces. Note that the paragraph defaults to "Show" = No. Keep it this way.
  2. The user will then select a Document Classification for this Paragraph Include by either utilizing the LOV and the selection of choice for this would be INC =  Paragraph Include.
  3. Same Background Explanation as above.
Image 3.
paragraph
 
Demonstration #4

Purpose:  The creation of a Label
  1. The user will create an iComms code (Preferably with the last three characters ending in LAB for Label ) and a iComms description. Same rule applies. No spaces. 
  2. The user will then select a Document Classification for this Paragraph Include by either utilizing the LOV and the selection of choice for this would be LAB =  Label.
  3. Same Background Explanation as above
Image 4.
lable
 

Demonstration #5

Purpose:  Linking all the creations to the Master Group.
  1. Make sure that on the iComms Style Sheet Application the user has accessed the Master Group. In other words, he/she must be currently on the GMNT1GRP record.
  2. Select Tab -  Document Groups.
    1. Enter the sequence.
    2. Enter the Document Classification, remember it must be the same as on iComms Style sheet, in this case LET.
    3. Select from the LOV the English Document Code, the LOV will list all codes created on iComms Style sheet Tab. Here it is GMN1LET.
    4. Enter an alternate document, if one is not available a user can enter the same document.
    5. Select Display at runtime, if this is not selected, the Letter will not print.
Image 5.
Linking letter to master group

Link to the Master Group the Label. NB: take note to the information on the images.

Image 6.
Link label


Demonstration #11

Purpose:  Copy letter object FROM the Default Letter to the Letter you created.  

Image 7.
Copy letter objects
 
  1. On option "A" in the above image, the user must specify the Default letter that he/she would like to obtain the objects from FOR the letter.
  2. Note: That the letter has not yet been designed in (Ms Word) the <tags> are necessary for this process and this is the way to obtain them.
  3. On Option "B" in the above image, the user must specify his/her letter that was LINKED in the document groups.
  4. Now the user will generate the <tags> by pressing the "Copy Letter Objects". 
  5. This same procedure is to be executed with every feature mentioned:
    1. For Labels: Copy from a Default Label to your created label.
    2. For  Lists: Copy from a Default List to your created list.
Image 8.
Copy done
 
  1. In the above image the letter objects are now available for the design of the letter created in block 1.
  2. In the image below is the report of the copying process.
Note: It is a good idea to save this report or any of the generated tag reports as a text file, and when designing ones letter, label or lists in word, copy and paste the tags.
  1. Once the user has obtained the objects and the reports, they can proceed to designing the actual letter, label or list.
 
Image 9.
copy report

 
Demonstration #6

Purpose:  Designing your created features in a Word Processor.

This demonstration will be using MS Word 2003.
  1. Open Ms Word, open the saved text file containing your tags.
  2. Copy and paste the tags you need and design your letter accordingly. ( See "A" on image a letter already designed)
  3. When completed, save this letter with its (See "C" on image for Save as type) being (rtf) and with the same name you created it on GMNT-14 block 1. In small caps, in this case (See "B" on image for Filename) gmn1let.rtf.
  4. Take note that when SAVING the user requires a directory named (See "D" on image for "itstemp") this is where the ITS system will be retrieving the letters and ect. from.
 
Image 10.
Letter design in word
 
  1. The same procedure applies to paragraph design (Image below, a plain simple paragraph). It must be saved as a (rtf).
Image 11.
paragraph design
 
The same procedure applies to labels design (Image below). It must be saved as a (rtf).


Image 12.
Label design

Once the user has created or designed the features in the word processor. He/she can now retrieve all these documents.

Demonstration #7

Purpose:  "Retrieving from Client".
  1. GMNT-14: The user must go to his/her letter.
  2. Click on "Retrieve from Client", the user will now look under the directory "itstemp" on the (C drive) for the letter they have created.
Image 13.
retrieving
 
  1. Once the user has done this process, a message appears confirming that the letter has been converted from "rich text format" to "forms objects".
Image 14.
Retrieved successfully
 
Demonstration #8

Purpose:  "Linking the group to a menu option".
Image 15.
users
 
Demonstration #12

Purpose: "Generating one output file for Letters"
Demonstration #9

Purpose:  "Printing the out put".

Letter Output
Image 16.
letter output
 
 Label Output
Image 17.
label output
 

Demonstration #10

Purpose:  "Inserting a Paragraph into a existing Letter".
  1. On Gmnt-14: Query your letter.
  2. Proceed to block 3: Letter objects and query your letter.
  3. Proceed to the last entry and insert a new line consisting on your paragraph.
  4. Commit.

Image 18.
paragraph include
 
  1. Open your Word processor, open the letter you created.
  2. Insert in your letter the new tag that was created: in this case (Gmnt_14_paragraph).
  3. Save the letter as before.
  4. Go back to GMNT-14 and perform the "Retrieve from Client" step again.
  5. Go to SCOM2-1 and run the group again.
  6. Conditional texts are created in the same way that paragraphs are created. Each conditional text will have its individual tag.

Image 19.
letter paragraph
 
 Letter with Paragraph include out put.
Image 20.
letter out put with paragraph
 

Processing
Rules		  
  No special processing rules


See Also:



History Of Changes

Date System Version By Whom Job Description
10-JUN-2009 v01.0.0.0 Charlene van der Schyff T159370 New manual format.
17-FEB-2011 v02.0.0.0 Bea Swart T170840 Demonstration #12 Purpose: "Generating one output file for Letters"
11-APR-2013 v02.0.0.1 Donald Lamola T189986 Update the manual : Add subheading descriptions
29-Apr-2013 v02.0.0.1 Dinong Sereko T189986 System owner proof read
18-Oct-2015 v03.0.0.0 Charlene van der Schyff t205119 Inserted links to other operational manuals