Understanding Form Letters for Other PeopleSoft HCM Applications

Before you generate any form letters or modify any of the sample form letters that are delivered with PeopleSoft HCM, you need to understand how the process works for PeopleSoft HCM applications other than PeopleSoft Human Resources.

To generate form letters for other PeopleSoft HCM applications:

1. Use the report writer to run SQRs.

   The SQRs search your PeopleSoft HCM database, retrieve data, and create data extract files containing one line of data for each letter.

2. Use Microsoft Word to run the macros that merge the data extract files into form letter templates, one for each type of letter.

   To generate form letters by using PeopleSoft Process Scheduler, PeopleSoft delivers two files (stdltr.dot and stdltr.95 located in the \PS\WINWORD directory on your application CD) containing the Word macros. You must use the file that is appropriate for your system.

   • The macros in stdltr.dot are for use with Word 97 (in Microsoft Office 97) and are written in Visual Basic.

   • The macros in stdltr.p5 are for use with Word 7.0 (used in Microsoft Windows 95) and are written in Word Basic.

     If you need to use stdltr.95, copy it to your system and rename it stdltr.dot.

3. Print the letters by using Microsoft Word.

   The system creates the form letters in a temporary directory on the application server, putting all letters of the same type in one file.

   The distributed architecture of your PeopleSoft HCM system means that your application server can be located far from your machine, so the system doesn't print letters to a default printer. Instead, you select where you want to print the letters by using standard Microsoft Word print options.