Automatic Form Letters

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What is the best approach to automatic letter generation?

While I'm looking at a record, I would like to generate a form letter based
on the record and relating data, ideally with one click. I've tried both
reports and forms and find limitations in both.
 
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:51:01 -0700

Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:54:02 -0700

What is the best approach to automatic letter generation?

While I'm looking at a record, I would like to generate a form letter
based on the record and relating data, ideally with one click. I've
tried both reports and forms and find limitations in both.
Click to expand...



Three minutes is a bit optimistic; remember that some of us are still in
bed when it's nine o'clock wherever you are...


The answer to the question is usually the Access report designer. What
problem are you having with it?

Tim F
 
I find the Report Designer difficult to layout a letter. For example, the
body copy of the letter has variable information from the database. The end
result needs to flow with the content of the database.

Any suggestions
 
I use the Report writer in Access all of the time. What I did was to create
a table that holds all of the static letter info, the created a control that
can grow and shrink as needed. then placed something like this in the report.

=[ParagraphText1] & " " & [ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]

THis allows the flow to work nicely. I used to use a Word document but
found it to limiting for my needs.
 
I'm still new to the reporting and wanting to make sure I approach this
correctly. I've tried to enter an expression as a control source to a text
box. It works well but only allows me to enter a short expression.

The expression Cyberwolf listed as an example: =[ParagraphText1] & " " &
[ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]
Click to expand...

Where do you place that in the report generator?


Thanks in advance....


Cyberwolf said:
I use the Report writer in Access all of the time. What I did was to create
a table that holds all of the static letter info, the created a control that
can grow and shrink as needed. then placed something like this in the report.

=[ParagraphText1] & " " & [ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]

THis allows the flow to work nicely. I used to use a Word document but
found it to limiting for my needs.
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


Zanstemic said:
I find the Report Designer difficult to layout a letter. For example, the
body copy of the letter has variable information from the database. The end
result needs to flow with the content of the database.

Any suggestions
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Are you generating the report on the fly, or do you have a report that is
already created in the reports section. If you have it already created in
the reports section, place it in the "Details" area of the report. If you
can give my until later tonight, I can show you a screen print of what one of
mine looks like on my website. Let me know through this thread, and I will
do that and we can go from that point.

If you creating the report on the fly "meaning via code" I am not so sure
and would have to look into it and get back to you.

HTH
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


Zanstemic said:
I'm still new to the reporting and wanting to make sure I approach this
correctly. I've tried to enter an expression as a control source to a text
box. It works well but only allows me to enter a short expression.

The expression Cyberwolf listed as an example: =[ParagraphText1] & " " &
[ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]
Click to expand...

Where do you place that in the report generator?


Thanks in advance....


Cyberwolf said:
I use the Report writer in Access all of the time. What I did was to create
a table that holds all of the static letter info, the created a control that
can grow and shrink as needed. then placed something like this in the report.

=[ParagraphText1] & " " & [ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]

THis allows the flow to work nicely. I used to use a Word document but
found it to limiting for my needs.
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


Zanstemic said:
I find the Report Designer difficult to layout a letter. For example, the
body copy of the letter has variable information from the database. The end
result needs to flow with the content of the database.

Any suggestions

:


Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:51:01 -0700


Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:54:02 -0700

What is the best approach to automatic letter generation?

While I'm looking at a record, I would like to generate a form letter
based on the record and relating data, ideally with one click. I've
tried both reports and forms and find limitations in both.



Three minutes is a bit optimistic; remember that some of us are still in
bed when it's nine o'clock wherever you are...


The answer to the question is usually the Access report designer. What
problem are you having with it?

Tim F
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I have a report created in the report section. I'll try the Details area.

Cyberwolf said:
Are you generating the report on the fly, or do you have a report that is
already created in the reports section. If you have it already created in
the reports section, place it in the "Details" area of the report. If you
can give my until later tonight, I can show you a screen print of what one of
mine looks like on my website. Let me know through this thread, and I will
do that and we can go from that point.

If you creating the report on the fly "meaning via code" I am not so sure
and would have to look into it and get back to you.

HTH
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


Zanstemic said:
I'm still new to the reporting and wanting to make sure I approach this
correctly. I've tried to enter an expression as a control source to a text
box. It works well but only allows me to enter a short expression.

The expression Cyberwolf listed as an example: =[ParagraphText1] & " " &
[ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]
Click to expand...

Where do you place that in the report generator?


Thanks in advance....


Cyberwolf said:
I use the Report writer in Access all of the time. What I did was to create
a table that holds all of the static letter info, the created a control that
can grow and shrink as needed. then placed something like this in the report.

=[ParagraphText1] & " " & [ParagraphText2] & " " & [CartonNo] & " " &
[ParagraphText3]

THis allows the flow to work nicely. I used to use a Word document but
found it to limiting for my needs.
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


:

I find the Report Designer difficult to layout a letter. For example, the
body copy of the letter has variable information from the database. The end
result needs to flow with the content of the database.

Any suggestions

:


Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:51:01 -0700


Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:54:02 -0700

What is the best approach to automatic letter generation?

While I'm looking at a record, I would like to generate a form letter
based on the record and relating data, ideally with one click. I've
tried both reports and forms and find limitations in both.



Three minutes is a bit optimistic; remember that some of us are still in
bed when it's nine o'clock wherever you are...


The answer to the question is usually the Access report designer. What
problem are you having with it?

Tim F
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
It may be because it's late but I'm still stuck on this one. I've created a
text field in the report generator and place the following in the Control
Source. This is representing the first sentence in a paragraph for a letter.

="Your Student" & Attendees!AttendeeFirstName & " " &
Attendees!AttendeeLastName & " has been sheduled for an "

I'm getting a #Error in the field. I've tried different syntax with [] but
same result. I can get this same code to work with Form Creation but if I add
another variable it seems to reach a limit.
 
I'm not sure why you would include the table names in the expression. The
fields are in the Record Source aren't they? The name of the text box can't
be the name of a field.

--
Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP

Zanstemic said:
It may be because it's late but I'm still stuck on this one. I've created
a
text field in the report generator and place the following in the Control
Source. This is representing the first sentence in a paragraph for a
letter.

="Your Student" & Attendees!AttendeeFirstName & " " &
Attendees!AttendeeLastName & " has been sheduled for an "

I'm getting a #Error in the field. I've tried different syntax with [] but
same result. I can get this same code to work with Form Creation but if I
add
another variable it seems to reach a limit.

Cyberwolf said:
oops! my bad. I did foget to put in that pesky little "Control source"
heheheh
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
You are correct and a silly mistake on my part. They are in the record souce
and the following worked well;

="Your Student " & [AttendeeFirstName] & " " & [AttendeeLastName] & " has
been sheduled for an " & [EventName] & " scheduled on " & [Date Scheduled]



Duane Hookom said:
I'm not sure why you would include the table names in the expression. The
fields are in the Record Source aren't they? The name of the text box can't
be the name of a field.

--
Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP

Zanstemic said:
It may be because it's late but I'm still stuck on this one. I've created
a
text field in the report generator and place the following in the Control
Source. This is representing the first sentence in a paragraph for a
letter.

="Your Student" & Attendees!AttendeeFirstName & " " &
Attendees!AttendeeLastName & " has been sheduled for an "

I'm getting a #Error in the field. I've tried different syntax with [] but
same result. I can get this same code to work with Form Creation but if I
add
another variable it seems to reach a limit.

Cyberwolf said:
oops! my bad. I did foget to put in that pesky little "Control source"
heheheh
--
James Gaylord
Finder of Paths, Hunter of Prey
Ghost of the Night, Shadow of Day
The Wolf


:



Where do you place that in the report generator?




In the controlsource property of a text box in the Details section of
the
report.

HTH


Tim F
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Is there a way to create the letters in word and automate the printing
through the word engine?
 
The whole point is to get around using word. You should be able to do all of
your printing through the report writer in Access. Unless, there is
something special you are needing to do that the report writer can't.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice. As recommended, the Report Generator works
the best for creating form letters. Simply create the appropriate query and
tables. Placing the expression in the control panel makes custom paragraphs
simple.

I also found Pete's Software Letter Merger to be user friendly and for basic
letters anyone can create a nice letter once the query is created. The only
reason for this project I'm using Report Generator is that columns are not
supported at this time creating a limitation that is required.

I have an office administrator creating the letters in Report Generator and
they seem to be doing well. Once the tables and queries are setup, the time
to layout a report can be off loaded.

Thanks again,
Larry
"On to the next hoop"
 
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