Decision Communications

DECISION COMMUNICATIONS

As part of each new client’s initial setup, your AdmissionPros representative will complete initial setup of decisions and decision letters, covering the required steps below.  After initial setup, the client maintains (edits, creates new, etc.) decision letters.

NOTE:  decision letters are application year-specific, so part of transitioning to the next application year is the copying of decision letters from one year to the next.  If decision letters are not in place for the term of entry on an application that has been decisioned, decision audit will fail.

If no changes to the text of the letter are needed, open Mailing Management: Decision Letter Setup and click the COPY ENTIRE YEAR button.

Decision Letter Setup

Letters generated via AdmissionPros require the following:

• Define all decision + qualifier combinations in AdmissionPros.

  • Define core admission decisions (such as admit or deny) via Codes & Constants: School Decision Group).  For example:  admit and deny. 

  • Define decision qualifiers (any identifier for types of admit or deny) via Codes & Constants: School Decision.  For example, provisional (to use with admit), incomplete (to use with deny, etc.)

• Define all valid decision + qualifier combinations in Codes & Constants: Decisions.    For example, admit with no qualifier or admit with qualifier of Provisional.
  

• Create a MS Word mail merge letter for each unique decision letter required (see options below).  Format the letter as desired and insert any signature images used into the letter itself.   Be sure to use a system date vs. a fixed date in the letter header so that the date printed on all letters will be the current date.  Merge fields (such as name, address, major, term of entry, program, etc.) needed to personalize the letter are inserted using the MS Word mail merge letter setup process, and a test data file created via the TEST DATA button on the letter template screen.  MAIL MERGE FIELDS CANNOT BE MANUALLY INSERTED or TYPED INTO A LETTER.  If you need more detail on the process of creating a mail merge document in MS Word, please visit the Microsoft Office support site.

Option 1:  Use an existing letter where the mail merge fields required are already present.  You can then modify the letter as needed and save it under a new name.   

• Select the template you wish to copy from the Search Results list in AdmissionPros.

• Click the “Download” icon on the right end of the Document Template field.

• Locate the document in your Downloads folder on your computer and open it.

• Use the SAVE AS option to save it as a new MS Word document.

• Edit the text as needed.  Variables in place can be deleted, but not added using this option.

• In the Templates screen, click the “New” button.

• Enter the Document Group (“Decision Ltr(s)”) and Title.

• Click the “Select File” button and locate the new MS Word template.

• Click “Save”.

Option 2:  Create a new mail merge letter from scratch.

• Using the TEST DATA button on the letter template screen you can download a file of test data for the purpose of setting up the mail merge fields in your document.  This will automatically be stored in your local Downloads folder. 

• Create the body of the letter in MS Word and add a header, if needed.

• Using the MS Word mail merge tool, link the data file that you downloaded to your letter as the data source. 

• You can now insert merge fields to the MS Word letter where needed, using the data fields available from data source.

• Complete decision letter mapping (Mailing Management: Decision Letter Setup).  This tells AdmissionPros which letter to generate specific to the admission decision made.
  • Map each decision letter to the corresponding admission decision plus any qualifiers via Mailing Management: Decision Letter Setup.  Decision letters are mapped by applicant type to admission decisions and qualifiers via the Decision Letter Setup screen.  A unique decision letter is made possible by using a combination of applicant type + decision + decision qualifier. 

• Using the year, student type, decision, and decision qualifier fields, the decision letter to be used for any combination of applicant type + decision + qualifier is selected from the list of existing email templates provided in the Decision Letter #1 drop-down box.  Decision Letter #2 can be used to queue a second letter – such as a chancellor’s letter for high admit decisions – to print.  

Editing an Existing Decision Letter

These steps apply to text changes, only ... NOT merge fields.

• Open Mailing Management: Templates.

• Highlight the letter you want to edit.

The updated letter will be reflected in letters printed from the point of the change forward.  Decision letters printed prior to any change will remain as-is.

Generating Decision Letters

Upon approval of an admission decision via the Decision Audit screen, the letter that corresponds to the specific admission decision (applicant type + decision + qualifier), defined in Decision Letter Setup, is automatically queued to print, eliminating the need to manually queue a decision letter to print.  Letters will appear in the Mailing Management: Letters to Print screen.  

The PRINT LETTERS process generates the print job for you.  These jobs require your final review/approval, done via Management Consoles: Job Management. 

Once the letter is marked as approved, the letter print date will be set, and the letter PDF will be attached to the applicant’s record.  You also have the option to not approve the letter (if you found a mistake) or download/print the letter. 

Please note that this is a critical, final step in the letter generation process, and must be completed for the decision letter to be viewable on the applicant’s portal.