Letter Editor

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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

Important Information about this Tool

Letter Formats

Letter Languages

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.
  • If you would like to send a letter to notify people when they are reaching the end of their eligibility period, see the following article: Eligibility Ending Letter.
  • 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.
  • For information about creating custom online Food Service letters, see the Online Application Editor article.
  • To enable Meal Benefits in FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences you must have at least one English (Portal) Process Inbox letter on the Letter Editor tab. If the letter is not set up, the error message "Online Application Letters must be set up" will display on the FRAM Preferences.

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 
 

Selecting the Language from the Letter Detail editor only associated the letter to a language. It will not translate the template into the selected language.

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
To create a language other than English, it is recommended the English version be translated into the desired language, or use a State/Federal translated version. Create the language version of the letter in a word processing tool (MS Word, etc.) and then copy/paste the text into the Letter Editor. Additional formatting may need to be done, such as adjusting bullets.

BabelStone Han is the font type to select for the Language Type of Chinese and Simplified Chinese. This will allow the Print Sample to display the correct characters.


Create a Letter

The following provides information on creating, generating and copying FRAM letters.

It is not possible to add text formatting (bold, italic, etc.) within the editor.

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.

  1. Select the New Letter icon from the action bar. A Letter Detail editor will appear.
  2. Select the School Year from the dropdown list, indicating the year for which this letter will be printed.
  3. Select the Type of letter to create from the dropdown list.
  4. Select the Language option from the dropdown list.
  5. Select the Font Type of the letter from the dropdown list.
  6. If printing the letters on district letterhead, mark the Allow Margin for Letter Head checkbox. 
  7. Click the Save icon when finished. The new letter will appear as a PDF icon below the Letter Type.  
 It is advised that one designated person from each district/school have the ability to create letters. Having more users with rights to this tool could lead to the overwriting of templates and cause inaccurate letters to be sent to households.

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

  1. After the letter is created, select the desired PDF icon for that letter type. A Letter Format editor will appear.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

  1. Select the desired letter to copy by selecting the PDF icon below the letter type. 
  2. Click the Copy icon in the action bar.
    Result
    The Letter Detail editor displays.
  3. Select the appropriate School Year from the dropdown list.
  4. Select the desired Language of this new letter from the dropdown list. 
  5. Select the desired Font Type from the dropdown list.
  6. 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. 
  7. 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.)
  8. 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.

  1. Select the desired PDF letter icon from the appropriate letter type.
  2. 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

FRAM Letter Batch

This letter will print for all households in the district where at least one student has an active enrollment for the upcoming school year.

This letter uses logic included in the Census Mailing Labels report. One letter per household will print.

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.

The Pre-Application Letter is a required letter that must be sent to every household in the district. This letter is typically sent in July or August prior to school starting. The letter explains to parents/guardians about the Free/Reduced Application process and how to apply for benefits.

Direct Certification Approval Letter

FRAM Letter Batch

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.

This letter should be sent to households where students are approved for free benefits via a Direct Certification file. The district must send the household guardian a letter indicating the students in the household were approved for free benefits from the state agency.

This letter will typically be printed on a daily basis when the Direct Certifications are entered.

Approval/Denial Letter


This letter can be printed from multiple locations:

Online Applications 


Process Inbox Message


FRAM Letter Batch


Household Application Editor

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.

  • If the Use Custom Approval/Denial Letter checkbox is selected in FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences, the custom letter will print or be sent via Inbox Messages. The option is required if using online Meal Benefits Applications or if sending electronically via Inbox Messages.
  • If the Use Custom Approval/Denial Letter checkbox is not selected in FRAM Preferences > Application Preferences, the default letter will print.
    The mailing flag must be set for the application signer for a letter to generate.
    This letter is addressed to the application signer and uses that person's mailing address. 

Verification Letters


Pre-Notice 1


Pre-Notice 2


Post Notice

Verification

All three verification letters (Pre-Notice 1, Pre-Notice 2 and Post Notice) will ONLY print from the Verification tool. 

  • If the Use Custom Verification Letters checkbox is selected in FRAM Preferences > Verification Preferences the custom letter will print.
  • If the Use Custom Verification Letters checkbox is not selected in FRAM Preferences > Verification Preferences the default letter will print.
    The mailing flag must be set for the signer for a letter to generate.
    This letter is addressed to the application signer and uses that person's mailing address.

Process Inbox Messages

Messages (Portal)

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.

 

 

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