If the text of a standard form letter is not appropriate for the correspondence you want to send, you can create a custom usmail or email by copying a form letter and then modifying the text. This leaves the original form letter intact while letting you use the text of the form letter as the basis for a custom outgoing. Note that if the System Configuration Setting for your office is set to retain merge codes when customizing letters, IQ will copy all of the merge codes, except for Workflow References and Fill-Ins, into the customized letter.
If a modified form letter is not appropriate for correspondence you want to send, you can create an entirely new response. This process involves using a print or e-mail format as the basis for your letter. Formats do not have body text, but do contain merge codes for the date, inside address, and salutation information.
Note: If your office created form letters in a previous version of IQ using Microsoft Word, then you will have an option to customize the letter in Word or the HTML editor, if you select a converted form letter. If the form letter is created in IQ3.8c and is selected for customizing, then there will not be an option to customize the letter in Word.
To create a customized letter from a form letter with content in Word:
On the Mail panel in the Mail Record page, select the form letter you want to customize by clicking the search icon next to the Form Letter field. In the Select Letter dialog box, click the letter you want to use.
If the form letter you selected contains content in Microsoft Word, then IQ displays two options Customize HTML and Customize Word, below the Batch field.
Select Customize HTML, if you want to customize the form letter using the HTML editor inside the Mail record page.
Select Customize Word, if you want to customize the form letter using Microsoft Word.
If you selected Customize HTML, IQ changes the Status to On Hold and the Form Letter field name to Custom Letter. The word Customized is added to the beginning of the form letter name (for example, Customized Tax Reform). You may remove the default letter name and enter your own letter name. Make changes to the contents of the form letter text in the HTML editor inside the Mail record.
If you selected Customize Word, IQ opens Word with the contents of the form letter. Make changes to the letter text, save and exit Word to return back to the Mail Record page. IQ displays the checked out icon along with the text "This letter/print format is currently checked out by <Name of IQ User>. The changes to this custom letter/print format have not yet been saved." Select one of the following options:
Click the Save icon to save and check in the changes you made.
Click the Word icon to check the custom letter out and make additional changes.
Click the Undo icon to check the custom letter back in.
If needed, you can change the print or e-mail format for the customized letter by opening the Print Format or E-Mail Format panels and selecting another format from the drop-down list. IQ will display the contents of the selected format in the iframe. To preview the contents of the custom letter with the selected format, select the Printed View or E-Mail View radio option in the Outgoing section of the Mail panel.
Select the Request Approval status if your custom letter needs approval before it can be printed or sent; select the Approved status if you are ready to print the letter or send the e-mail message. Selecting a different status automatically checks the letter back in to the server. Once the letter is checked in, you must check it out again if you want to edit it further. For example, the Letter Date may need to be changed if the letter has aged while waiting to be approved.
Print the letter in draft, preview, or final form, send the e-mail message, or add the letter to a batch by selecting the appropriate action.
If you print the final letter or send an e-mail, the status of the mail record is automatically changed to Completed. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you print a draft or preview of the letter, the status remains Approved. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you add the letter to a batch, the status remains Approved until the final letter is printed from the batch. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
To create a customized letter from a form letter without any content in Word:
On the Mail panel in the Mail Record page, select the form letter you want to customize by clicking the search icon next to the Form Letter field. In the Select Letter dialog box, click the letter you want to use.
Click the Customize link located below the Batch field. IQ changes the Status to On Hold and changes the Form Letter field to Custom Letter. The word Customized is added to the beginning of the form letter name (for example, Customized Tax Reform). You may remove the default letter name and enter your own letter name.
Make changes to the contents of the form letter text in the HTML editor inside the Mail record.
If needed, you can change the print or e-mail format for the customized letter by opening the Print Format or E-Mail Format panels and selecting another format from the drop-down list. IQ will display the contents of the selected format in the iframe. To preview the contents of the custom letter with the selected format, select the Printed View or E-Mail View radio option in the Outgoing section of the Mail panel.
Select the Request Approval status if your custom letter needs approval before it can be printed or sent; select the Approved status if you are ready to print the letter or send the e-mail message. Selecting a different status automatically checks the letter back in to the server. Once the letter is checked in, you must check it out again if you want to edit it further. For example, the Letter Date may need to be changed if the letter has aged while waiting to be approved.
Print the letter in draft, preview, or final form, send the e-mail message, or add the letter to a batch by selecting the appropriate action.
If you print the final letter or send an e-mail, the status of the mail record is automatically changed to Completed. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you print a draft or preview of the letter, the status remains Approved. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you add the letter to a batch, the status remains Approved until the final letter is printed from the batch. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
To create a customized letter without a form letter:
Select a default custom letter format in your IQ user Preferences.
Create a new Mail record or access an existing one.
On the Mail panel in the Mail Record page, select the outgoing Method and leave the Form Letter field empty.
Click the Customize link located below the Batch field. IQ changes the Status to On Hold and changes the Form Letter field to Custom Letter. Enter a new name for the customized letter.
Type the contents of the custom letter in the HTML editor inside the Mail record.
If needed, you can change the print or e-mail format for the customized letter by opening the Print Format or E-Mail Format panels and selecting another format from the drop-down list. IQ will display the contents of the selected format in the iframe. To preview the contents of the custom letter with the selected format, select the Printed View or E-Mail View radio option in the Outgoing section of the Mail panel.
Select the Request Approval status if your custom letter needs approval before it can be printed or sent; select the Approved status if you are ready to print the letter or send the e-mail message. Selecting a different status automatically checks the letter back in to the server. Once the letter is checked in, you must check it out again if you want to edit it further. For example, the Letter Date may need to be changed if the letter has aged while waiting to be approved.
Print the letter in draft, preview, or final form, send the e-mail message, or add the letter to a batch by selecting the appropriate action.
If you print the final letter or send an e-mail, the status of the mail record is automatically changed to Completed. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you print a draft or preview of the letter, the status remains Approved. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
If you add the letter to a batch, the status remains Approved until the final letter is printed from the batch. Select the Close action to close the page and return to the Search Results page.
Note: You can create a form letter from the customized letter, by selecting the Convert to New Form Letter action. When you select this action the text of the form letter, envelope setting and/or email subject line are copied into a new form letter. Attachments do not carry forward into the new form letter. If the Mail record is pending, IQ will replace the customized letter with the newly created form letter. If, however, the Mail record is completed the letter will remain unchanged.