Understanding Form Letters for PeopleSoft Human Resources

PeopleSoft delivers a set of sample letters for use with the following:

  • PeopleSoft Human Resources: Administer Training

  • PeopleSoft Human Resources: Manage Labor Administration

The form letter processes search the database for records that have been tagged with specific letter codes. For example, when you enroll an employee in a training course using the Administer Training business process, you can add a letter code to the employee record that identifies the type of letter required. When you later run the training letter report, the system searches for records with the letter codes for training letters.

The form letter processes use Word to generate the letters based on data extracted from the PeopleSoft database.

To generate form letters for PeopleSoft Human Resources:

  1. Create letter codes by using the Standard Letter Table page (STANDARD_LTR_TABLE).

    Letter codes represent form letters and are used to link a record to the required letter.

  2. Tag people's records with the appropriate letter code in the PeopleSoft Human Resources database.

    Enter a letter code into the records of applicants, employees, contingent workers, or people of interest to flag the record when it's time to generate a form letter.

    For example, when you enroll or add students to waiting lists for training courses, the system inserts letter codes into employee, contingent worker, and person of interest records.

  3. Generate form letters by running a report that runs the following processes:

    1. An SQR data extract process.

    2. A WinWord WORDINIT process.

    3. The PSMERGE Application Engine process.

    The final step is completed by the Distribution Agent that moves the letter files to the Report Repository.

  4. Send training letters by email.

    This step is for the training letters only. The system also emails training letters to students if their email addresses are in their person records.

    Note:

    You must configure SMTP and activate Workflow to automatically send training letters by email.

    See PeopleTools System and Server Administration

  5. Print the letters by using Microsoft Word.

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

    The distributed architecture of the PeopleSoft Human Resources system enables you to access the application server far from local machines therefore 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.

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