This page will show you how to use the Quick Letter option for creating Templates and sending a Quick Letter to one or more Students.
This guide is broken down in to the following sections;
- Quick Letter
- Creating and Maintaining Templates
- Sending a Quick Letter
- Deleting a Quick Letter Template
- Using Bromcom AI to compose a Quick Letter
- Send a Quick Letter to a recipient’s preferred language
Access: The minimum permissions required to access Quick Letters can be found in the Framework module from within Config > Setup > Roles & Permissions.
See also: An Introduction to Roles and Permissions and How to Assign Roles and Permissions.
Quick Letter
To do this, go to the Students List Page.
Once you are there, select a Student so they are highlighted and press Actions>Quick Letter.
Alternatively, you can open the Students Record and by pressing View instead of Actions and then click on the Quick Letter button.
When first opened, the Quick Letter page will be blank, to add a Template click on the + icon to the right of the Quick Letter Templates.
Note: The + icon will only show when <NOT SELECTED> is displayed in the Template dropdown list.
Temporary Dynamic Fields can be added for use in a one-off Quick Letter allowing Student items to be used without the need of storing them within the system, by using the Upload CSV option.
When a CSV file is uploaded a second dropdown list Temporary Data Items is displayed, use this list to select your temporary Dynamic Fields.
Note: The CSV file must have the Student UPN.
The i Information button details.
Creating and Maintaining Templates
Click on the + icon right of the Template dropdown list, the Add Quick Letter Template page will then open.
Enter a Name for the Template and if it is to be the Default Template tick the Set as Default box, this will open the Quick Letter with this Template ready selected.
Use the Add and Remove buttons to add the Dynamic Fields to your Template and the Up and Down Arrow buttons to reposition them if required, when finished click the Save button.
If you already have a Word Document which you would like to use as a Template click on the Upload New Template button and select the Template from your saved area.
Note: This is likely to contain a Header and Footer image used by your School.
Once done the next time you open the Quick Edit page your Default Template will be displayed and the + icon will be replaced with the Pencil icon for editing.
If you click the Pencil icon this will open the Edit Quick Letter pop-up with the name of the Template.
There will also be a Download button, so the Template can be downloaded back to Word for changes, then Uploaded again.
Sending a Quick Letter
Select the Student or Students open the Quick Letter and select the Template to be used, this will show the saved Header for the Template.
Add the Subject and the Content, using the Dynamic Fields dropdown list where necessary.
Note: The Header selection can be amended, for instance if you selected Title, Initial, Surname they will display on separate rows, these can be moved onto one row with spaces manually.
You can now Preview your Quick Letter, by clicking the Preview button.
If you are happy with the Quick Letter make your selections from the options below:
- Keep copy of the produced letter(s) under Documents tab – if selected will save a copy of the Quick Letter under the Documents tab on the Student Details page
- Produce letter for contacts only with Parental Responsibility – if selected the Quick Letter will only be produced for Contacts with Parental Responsibility
- Add a record into student communication logs – if selected will save a copy of the Quick Letter under the Communication tab on the Student Details page
- Publish to MCAS – if selected will Publish the Quick Letter on MCAS. In the example below the Reports Module Title (see How to Configure Reports in MCAS) has been renamed Communication.
- Send the letter as email to recipients where possible – if selected will sent the Quick Letter to the Recipients email address, from the email address entered, the email will include an attachment of the letter and the email text will say please see attached letter.
Note: If sent by email and the Recipient does not have an email address a letter will be produced.
- Communication messages will be sent to contacts priorities indicated below – will send the Quick Letter only to the Recipients with the Priorities selected
When finished click the Process button a Confirmation Message will be given.
If OK is selected a further Information Message will be given.
Select OK to finish and sent the Quick Letter.
Deleting a Quick Letter Template
There may come a time where you no longer need or wish to delete a Quick Letter Template.
To do this, go to the Students List page, select a Student and press Actions>Quick Letter.
Once the Quick Letter area loads, you can delete a Template using the delete/bin icon.
This will only be visible when you hover over the Template from the Quick Letter Templates drop down.
Using Bromcom AI to compose a Quick Letter
Note: Access to will need to be given to the relevant roles in Config > Setup > Bromcom AI Settings.
There is an option to use Bromcom AI to generate content when a user sends a Quick Letter to students and parents.
Click on the new Bromcom AI : Generate Content link in the Quick Letter popup to open the Quick Letter – Bromcom AI wizard.
Here you will be prompted: ‘In a few words, please tell me what type of content you would like to create?’, e.g. write a letter to a parent to tell them a student was late for afternoon registration this week.
Note: If Subject is entered in the Quick Letter popup and the user selects Bromcom AI : Generate Content, this text automatically appears in the text box in the wizard.
There are options to select the Length, Tone and translate the letter into another Language.
Click Generate Content to produce the Bromcom AI letter.
From here you can click Back to go back to the wizard, Regenerate Content to create a different version of the letter, or Insert to copy the text to the Content field of the Quick Letter popup.
Note: Dynamic Fields will need to be inserted manually to replace where the user sees asterisks e.g. **School Name**.
This page will show you how to use the Quick Letter option for creating Templates and sending a Quick Letter to one or more Students.
This guide is broken down in to the following sections;
- Quick Letter
- Creating and Maintaining Templates
- Sending a Quick Letter
- Deleting a Quick Letter Template
- Using Bromcom AI to compose a Quick Letter
- Send a Quick Letter to a recipient’s preferred language
Access: The minimum permissions required to access Quick Letters can be found in the Framework module from within Config > Setup > Roles & Permissions.
See also: An Introduction to Roles and Permissions and How to Assign Roles and Permissions.
Quick Letter
To do this, go to the Students List Page.
Once you are there, select a Student so they are highlighted and press Actions>Quick Letter.
Alternatively, you can open the Students Record and by pressing View instead of Actions and then click on the Quick Letter button.
When first opened, the Quick Letter page will be blank, to add a Template click on the + icon to the right of the Quick Letter Templates.
Note: The + icon will only show when <NOT SELECTED> is displayed in the Template dropdown list.
Temporary Dynamic Fields can be added for use in a one-off Quick Letter allowing Student items to be used without the need of storing them within the system, by using the Upload CSV option.
When a CSV file is uploaded a second dropdown list Temporary Data Items is displayed, use this list to select your temporary Dynamic Fields.
Note: The CSV file must have the Student UPN.
The i Information button details displays tips on formatting your CSV upload.
Creating and Maintaining Templates
Click on the + icon right of the Template dropdown list, the Add Quick Letter Template page will then open.
Enter a Name for the Template and if it is to be the Default Template tick the Set as Default box, this will open the Quick Letter with this Template ready selected.
Use the Add and Remove buttons to add the Dynamic Fields to your Template and the Up and Down Arrow buttons to reposition them if required, when finished click the Save button.
If you already have a Word Document which you would like to use as a Template click on the Upload New Template button and select the Template from your saved area.
Note: This is likely to contain a Header and Footer image used by your School.
Once done the next time you open the Quick Edit page your Default Template will be displayed and the + icon will be replaced with the Pencil icon for editing.
If you click the Pencil icon this will open the Edit Quick Letter pop-up with the name of the Template.
There will also be a Download button, so the Template can be downloaded back to Word for changes, then Uploaded again.
Sending a Quick Letter
Select the Student or Students open the Quick Letter and select the Template to be used, this will show the saved Header for the Template.
Add the Subject and the Content, using the Dynamic Fields dropdown list where necessary.
Note: The Header selection can be amended, for instance if you selected Title, Initial, Surname they will display on separate rows, these can be moved onto one row with spaces manually.
You can now Preview your Quick Letter, by clicking the Preview button.
If you are happy with the Quick Letter make your selections from the options below:
- Keep copy of the produced letter(s) under Documents tab – if selected will save a copy of the Quick Letter under the Documents tab on the Student Details page
- Produce letter for contacts only with Parental Responsibility – if selected the Quick Letter will only be produced for Contacts with Parental Responsibility
- Add a record into student communication logs – if selected will save a copy of the Quick Letter under the Communication tab on the Student Details page
- Translate Content Into the Recipients Preferred Language – The Quick Letter will include an automatic translation of the content in the recipients preferred language first followed by the original content.
- Publish to MCAS – if selected will Publish the Quick Letter on MCAS
- Send the letter as email to recipients where possible – if selected will sent the Quick Letter to the Recipients email address, from the email address entered, the email will include an attachment of the letter and the email text will say please see attached letter.
Note: If sent by email and the Recipient does not have an email address a letter will be produced.
- Communication messages will be sent to contacts priorities indicated below – will send the Quick Letter only to the Recipients with the Priorities selected
When finished click the Process button a Confirmation Message will be given.
If OK is selected a further Information Message will be given.
Select OK to finish and sent the Quick Letter.
Deleting a Quick Letter Template
There may come a time where you no longer need or wish to delete a Quick Letter Template.
To do this, go to the Students List page, select a Student and press Actions>Quick Letter.
Once the Quick Letter area loads, you can delete a Template using the delete/bin icon.
This will only be visible when you hover over the Template from the Quick Letter Templates drop down.
Using Bromcom AI to compose a Quick Letter
Note: Access to will need to be given to the relevant roles in Config > Setup > Bromcom AI Settings.
There is an option to use Bromcom AI to generate content when a user sends a Quick Letter to students and parents.
Click on the new Bromcom AI : Generate Content link in the Quick Letter popup to open the Quick Letter – Bromcom AI wizard.
Here you will be prompted: ‘In a few words, please tell me what type of content you would like to create?’, e.g. write a letter to a parent to tell them a student was late for afternoon registration this week.
Note: If Subject is entered in the Quick Letter popup and the user selects Bromcom AI : Generate Content, this text automatically appears in the text box in the wizard.
There are options to select the Length, Tone and translate the letter into another Language.
Click Generate Content to produce the Bromcom AI letter.
From here you can click Back to go back to the wizard, Regenerate Content to create a different version of the letter, or Insert to copy the text to the Content field of the Quick Letter popup.
Note: Dynamic Fields will need to be inserted manually to replace where the user sees asterisks e.g. **School Name**.
Send a Quick Letter to a recipient’s preferred language
Tick the checkbox Translate the content to the recipient’s preferred language to send a Quick Letter in a recipient’s preferred language.
Note: The checkbox will only be visible if the Enable Preferred Communication Language Selection for Parents checkbox is enabled in the school MIS under Config > MyChildAtSchool > General Settings.
For parents with a preferred communication language that differs from the school’s communication language:
- Quick Letter
- The Message will be translated into the preferred language only at the moment of sending.
Note:
- Attachments in Quick Letter: The content of any attachments will NOT be translated as part of this functionality.
- Bulk communication: The system will recognise each recipient’s language preference when sending bulk communications.
- Bromcom AI: Content generated using Bromcom AI’s ‘Generate Content’ feature will be translated into the preferred language of communication if one has been specified (and is a language supported by Bromcom AI).
- Real time: Translation occurs in real-time, with no option for the sender to review, once Send/Process has been actioned.
- The Preferred Communication Language dropdown options in MCAS only populate the languages which can be translated by using Microsoft technologies.