[sims] Students who need a second set of correspondance sent to an alternative address

[strength_10]

Hello,

I seem to have ended up as the "go to" guy in SIMS in our school, which is ironic as I probably have the least experience in it. One of our admin team recently asked me the following:

 

"When we print address labels it will not pick up if a student has a second home and we have to remember who has asked for correspondence to be sent to a second address and send any info separately.

 

At the moment we record this by putting a full stop at the end of the parent salutation so that when we send the letters we can see who needs the same info sent to another address, but this is sometimes missed.

 

It would be really good if this could happen automatically when we run a report. Can you see if this would be possible?"

 

Well...any ideas how to make this process better?

Thanks in advance.

[Brucy]

You could have a user defined field, which you check when a duplicate is required. Then it's just a case of running a report to get the duplicates - no manual checked needed!

[GeeHubb]

Presumably you are meaning for a separated parent scenario? In which case are you using the tick box on the contact details for 'correspondence' and 'report'? If you use those fields, I think you can then run a report which will identify them. Can't check from home, but I'll have a look in the morning.

[vikpaw]

Presumably you are meaning for a separated parent scenario? In which case are you using the tick box on the contact details for 'correspondence' and 'report'? If you use those fields, I think you can then run a report which will identify them. Can't check from home, but I'll have a look in the morning.

We don't use them, but that's what i always thought those boxes were for. Though i guess in practise to prevent duplication, you'd need to not put a tick unless they need extra correspondence .. would that work? So you do a second run looking for those ticks.

[GeeHubb]

There are two reports amongst the pre-defined reports that you can run that will produce labels for any contacts for whom the Correspondence or Reports box is ticked. It can be found via Run Reports choose Contacts as the focus and it is called 'Set to Receive Correspondence'. There is a similar one for 'Set to Receive Reports'. I have just run it and it does seem to need a bit of a 'tweak' as it is picking up children who have long since left us and one or two are printing with no address - I wonder if that's because the boxes are also ticked for non disclosure or transfer of the address....... These two reports print to labels.

 

If you decide to 'tweak' them use Design Report but remember to re-name them or your changes will be overwritten next time you import pre-defined reports.

 

EDIT:

Yes you need to have the little box ticked in the contact details that allows the address to be disclosed in order to get the address to print on the label.

Edited November 28, 2012 by GeeHubb
bit more info

[vikpaw]

The thing is, does that mean you only tick correspondence for one parent / guardian? It doesn't make sense. Normally, in our usage, we send info home to the mailing point. Both parents should get correspondence and if they are at the same mailing point then they get it.

If i ticked both parents we'd have twice as many labels.

To send a second copy, you'd want a tick box for 'extra copy of correspondence'.

It's one of those SIMSEnigmas.

[GeeHubb]

The thing is, does that mean you only tick correspondence for one parent / guardian? It doesn't make sense. Normally, in our usage, we send info home to the mailing point. Both parents should get correspondence and if they are at the same mailing point then they get it.

If i ticked both parents we'd have twice as many labels.

To send a second copy, you'd want a tick box for 'extra copy of correspondence'.

It's one of those SIMSEnigmas.

 

Yes. You must only use the correspondence/report box for the parent living away from the home address. Otherwise it is pointless - as you say if you tick it for both parents you have rendered it useless.

 

If you've got it set up correctly, you can run your usual report for parents at home, then run the second report as I've detailed above and hey presto, Bob's your Uncle!

Edited December 1, 2012 by GeeHubb
Oops said no meant yes. I think...

[vikpaw]

They need to rename that box!

[GeeHubb]

Hmm possibly. But try coming up with one word to describe its purpose! Mind you those two tick boxes could be renamed 'absent Parent'? If we can come up with something we'll do a change request....

[vikpaw]

How about 'copy correspondence' and 'copy reports' or 'cc correspondence' and 'cc report' ? We can probably add a label ourselves but it's nicer to come from the core.