Classic View: FRAM > Letter Editor
Search Terms: Letter Editor
The FRAM Letter Editor allows users to modify and print letters and send messages using pre-defined templates. The FRAM Letter templates are used for paper and online Meal Benefits Applications, Approval/Denial Letter and portal messages. These templates are formatted after the USDA letter templates.
| What can I do? | What do I need to know? |
|---|---|
| Create a Letter Modify the Letter Format Copy Letters Delete Letters Print a Sample Letter Generate Letters |
Letter Editor Example
Important Information about this Tool
- Letters are created for the school year. Only one letter per language type can be created per year. FRAM letters can be created or copied from previous years to prepare for the upcoming school year.
- You MUST create custom approval/denial letters if
- you marked the Use Custom Approval/Denial Letter checkbox on the FRAM Preferences tab,
- and/or you are using the Online Meal Benefits Application. Letters must be created for non-Portal AND Portal language types when using the Online Meal Benefits Application.
Letter Formats
- Each letter type uses a standard font size of 10. This cannot be modified. The font type is defaulted to Arial; this can be changed by the user to Times New Roman, if desired. Letters will print on standard size paper (8.5 x 11) and will fit into standard #10 window envelopes when tri-folded.
- The top margin, commonly used to leave space for district letterhead, can be increased or decreased by selecting the Allow Margin for Letter Head option. Side and bottom margins cannot be adjusted.
- For more information about each letter format, see the Generating Letters section.
Letter Languages
Letters can be created in any supported language as desired. A letter will generate in the designated language for guardians who have that preferred language set in the Preferred Language field on the Demographics tab.
The Preferred Language dropdown list is populated from the Attribute/Dictionary preferred language list (System Administration > Custom > Attribute Dictionary > Contact > Preferred Language). This list can be modified to fit district’s needs.
Preferred Language
Spanish Letter Sample
The following languages are supported in the PDF rendering of a letter:
- Cambodian
- English
- French
- Haitian Creole
- Hmong
- Portuguese
- Samoan
- Somali
- Simplified Chinese
- Spanish
- Tagalog
- Traditional Chinese
Create a Letter
The following provides information on creating, generating and copying FRAM letters.
When first using this tool, the Letter Editor will not contain any letters. A new letter will need to be created for each letter type.
- Select the New Letter icon from the action bar. A Letter Detail editor will appear.
- Select the School Year from the dropdown list, indicating the year for which this letter will be printed.
- Select the Type of letter to create from the dropdown list.
- Select the Language option from the dropdown list.
- Select the Font Type of the letter from the dropdown list.
- If printing the letters on district letterhead, mark the Allow Margin for Letter Head checkbox.
- Click the Save icon when finished. The new letter will appear as a PDF icon below the Letter Type.
Each text box within the letter must be populated. If text is removed and the letter saved, the default text from the template will be repopulated.
Modify the Letter Format
- After the letter is created, select the desired PDF icon for that letter type. A Letter Format editor will appear.
- Make appropriate changes to the Letter Detail section:
- Change the Font Type.
- Mark the Use Mailing Address checkbox.
- Mark the Allow Margin for Letter Head checkbox. This is not available for portal messages.
- Make appropriate changes to the Letter Format section:
- Modify all text fields, as desired.
Carefully review the fields you want to modify. For example, be sure to keep the free/reduced portions of the Direct Certification Approval Letter and do NOT update the checkbox areas on the Approval/Denial Letter.
- Verify the Disclaimer text.
- Modify all text fields, as desired.
Click the Save icon when finished.
The information included in the body of the FRAM Letters must be populated completely by the end user. Sub-reports and Campus Data Fields are not available. FRAM Preference information is not used in the FRAM Letter Editor.
Copy Letters
- Select the desired letter to copy by selecting the PDF icon below the letter type.
- Click the Copy icon in the action bar.
Result
The Letter Detail editor displays. - Select the appropriate School Year from the dropdown list.
- Select the desired Language of this new letter from the dropdown list.
- Select the desired Font Type from the dropdown list.
- Mark the Use Mailing Address checkbox (for the Pre-Application Letter only) if the letter should be sent to the mailing address designated for the household.
- Mark the Allow Margin for Letter Head checkbox if the letter should be formatted to print on district letterhead.
(This option is not available for all letter types.) - Click the Save Icon when finished. The letter will appear with the selected Letter Type in the selected school year.
Delete Letters
To delete a letter, select the Delete icon from the dropdown list. A warning message will appear indicating the letter is about to be deleted. Click OK to continue with the deletion process or click Cancel to not delete the letter.
Print a Sample Letter
Since this is a template of a letter, modify the page breaks or other formatting before generating the actual letter.
- Select the desired PDF letter icon from the appropriate letter type.
- Select the Print Sample icon from the action row. The letter will appear in a new tab in PDF format, displaying the format options chosen. This sample will resemble how the printed letter will look. From this sample view, users can determine if additional changes need to be made to the body text.
Print Sample
Generate Letters
Once a letter is created in the FRAM Letter Editor, it can be generated from other FRAM tools. The table below lists from where letters can be generated.
Letter Type | Generated From | Logic | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Pre-Application Letter | This letter will print for all households in the district where at least one student has an active enrollment for the upcoming school year. | In order for this letter to print with addresses, the Use Mailing Address option needs to be selected on the created letter. If this is not selected, the letter will print without an address so it can be used in a bulk mailing where the district may send a generic letter to households using mailing labels. | |
Direct Certification Approval Letter | This letter will be sent to households where Direct Certification files have been imported or manually entered and the district must send the household guardian a letter indicating the students in the household were approved for free benefits from the state agency. | Guardian and mailing assignments for students will determine how letters are addressed and how students appear on the letter. | |
| Approval/Denial Letter | This letter can be printed from multiple locations: | The Approval/Denial Letter can be printed after the paper or online Meal Benefits Application has been processed via the Household Applications Editor or the Online Applications Editor. It can also be printed at the end of the day in a batch format to send to households. Another optional method of delivery is to send the letter electronically via an Inbox Message. This feature is enabled in FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences > Process Inbox Messages. If the letter signer is missing on the application, Campus will use the Head of Household as the name on the letter. | This letter notifies the application signer whether the application was approved or denied.
|
Verification Letters Pre-Notice 1 Pre-Notice 2 Post Notice | All three verification letters (Pre-Notice 1, Pre-Notice 2 and Post Notice) will ONLY print from the Verification tool. |
| |
Process Inbox Messages | Portal inbox messages provide information to the application signer informing them their online Meal Benefits Application has been submitted and processed. An optional message can be sent informing the application signer if their paper application has been processed. | Process Inbox Messages templates need to be created if using Online Applications for Meal Benefits or if the optional Process Inbox Message selections have been marked in FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences for paper Meal Benefits Applications. |
