Understanding Communications Setup

To set up communications, use the following components: Standard Letter Table (SA_STNDR_LTR_TABLE), Communication Context Table (COMM_CTXT_TBL), Communication Category Table (COMM_CATG_TBL), Communication 3C Groups (COMM_GRP_3C_TBL), and Communication Speed Key Table (COMM_SPEED_KY_INST).

Use the Communication Contexts (SCC_COMM_CTXT_TBL) and Communication Categories (SCC_COMM_CATG_TBL) component interfaces to load the data into the tables for these components.

Use the Communication Data Source (SCC_CG_DTASRC) and Report Definition (PSXPRPTDEFN) components to set up the Communication Generation process.

Before you can assign communications to individuals, organizations, or groups of individuals, you must identify the letter codes and methods to use and set up the contexts and categories. You will also want to create 3C groups to control security access to communications, and define Communication Keys (Comm Keys) to streamline communication data entry.

A letter code must exist for each template that you plan to use. A letter code links extracted data to a template created to be used with the Letter Generation (Letter Gen) process or with the Communication Generation (Comm Gen) process. You can also use letter codes to group letters to send as enclosures. The PeopleSoft system delivers sample letter templates in Microsoft Word. You can use the sample templates as they are, modify them, or create your own.

You must create communication contexts and group them into communication categories to set up communication management. Communication contexts are broad groupings that indicate the type of communication and how it was sent or received. Methods include letter, phone call, fax, email, and in person. You can specify more than one method of communication for each context. For example, if students can contact your institution by letter, email, or phone to confirm admission acceptance, you might create an Admissions Acceptance communication context that includes all three methods.

A communication category is a broad grouping of communication contexts that generally indicates why a communication was sent or received. For example, you might create an Admissions communication category that includes the following communication contexts: application received, admission acceptance, admission decline, admission deferral, frosh admit, frosh deny, and so on, or you might decide to create more detailed communication categories such as Frosh Recruit, Frosh Admission, Graduate Recruit, and Graduate Admission.

Use communications 3C groups to grant groups of users inquiry or update security access to the categories of communications in your database.

Use Comm Keys (communication speed keys) to create a shorthand method of specifying common communication data. With the controls in place—standard letter codes, communication methods, communication directions, communication contexts, and communication categories—you can set up Comm Keys to combine these controls with a number of defaults into one shortcut page control.

To help decide which process is better for your institution, the following table lists the features of both the Letter Generation and the Communication Generation processes.