[sims] Pupils with Chosen Code - SIMs

[MrMDStreet]

Hopefully somebody might be able to point me in the right direction or has a clue what I am babbling about.

 

As a mail merge setup is too difficult for some members of our Admin team to grasp the concept of, I thought that setting up the letter template in a report for SIMs might be more useful for them. So the setup is this.

 

The letter template is ready to roll however the data required is captured from the report found in Reports - Attendance - Selected Pupil Reports - Pupils with Chosen Code Report.

 

Is there any way to modify this report so that it can include pupil address, the selection of a date range and specifically the code 'L' for Late. Then using this to merge the data into the predefined word template?

 

This would save a lot of time and hassle in the fact the 2 months later I would probably need to train the users on mail merging again.

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[jimbojames136]

Could you not design a report and use the "Form Report" with a user-defined template?

[MrMDStreet]

I could if the reports setup was something that was very specific and the options that are needed to be selected not clear. If you have any ideas about the options to select, that would be cool. I have looked but I can't seem to spot them.

[jimbojames136]

so you want to be able to run a report on all students between a set date range with a specific code? with address details and put it all into a template in word?

[MrMDStreet]

Indeed I do. I feel like I'm being a bit dim but my initial SIMs training was 6 years ago and it was basic. It's no getting to a point that to save myself some hassle I almost need to have designed the software to know how to do what I need.

[jimbojames136]

I've PM'd you or i would have if my browser would let me.

 

give this a look.

 

you will need to add your template to the Form Report user defined output, and set the fields as required.

Attendance By Code.rar

Edited June 4, 2014 by jimbojames136

[MrMDStreet]

You are a legend. This is exactly what I was after. It pulls the data for all pupils in the school but that's fine. I did try using the filters to add a greater than 2 rule for L but it returns no results.

[jimbojames136]

glad i could help. I'm not sure on the filtering, i have had problems like that before. Haven't figured out why yet.

[MrMDStreet]

No worries. Thank you for your help.

[BKGarry]

I would look at Tools > Setups > Attendance Setup > Letter Definition

 

In here you can make letters based on attendance information and run it through reports > Lesson Monitor (or attendance) > Letters > Print and send letters

 

Hope that helps

[jimbojames136]

That is much better, I had no idea this existed. Just goes to show there are many more hidden areas of SIMS left to discover for me

[BKGarry]

I only discovered it 4 years ago, when on the phone to our Local Support Service trying to make a report to do what you was doing and they said you do realise you can generate these letters straight from attendance, I was like nope.

 

Needless to say, it is great to do what you are trying to do, and there should be some documentation on it, in the attendance manual in the Documents Centre :-)

[MrMDStreet]

Hmm, just tried accessing that section and "Directory not found" with it being linked to our old DC. This is annoying as I didn't set it up so I wouldn't have the first idea where to look.

[BKGarry]

May be best to check out Capita Supportnet on that one, or speak to your support supplier for SIMS

[MrMDStreet]

Yeah I plan to tomorrow. Both of you have been really helpful.

[BKGarry]

No problems @MrMDStreet that's what we are here for, but it could be M$ word settings for the dictionary rather than SIMS itself (you will have to do some playing) but once you have the first couple of letter working then you can show the admin staff how to edit the templates :-)