Writing letters
🟥 This text describes the functions of the "Letters" tab in Leadtime® ERP for generating and managing formal letters.
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The "Letters" section in an organization's tab is used to quickly and efficiently compose formal letters to members of an organization. This function is part of the document automation in Leadtime ERP and is intended to simplify and centralize the process of writing letters. As letters no longer need to be written very often these days, it is still helpful to do this in the same system in which all other business processes are handled. This way, the letter remains in the right place and can be found again at any time.
Organizations / [Organization] / Letters
Overview of the "Letters" tab
When the "Letters" tab of an organization is called up, a table with the letters already created is displayed. This table contains the following columns:
- Subject: The title or subject of the letter that was specified when it was created.
- Created: The date on which the letter was created.
- Date: The date specified on the letter itself, which may differ from the creation date (e.g. if the letter is backdated).
- Created by: The name of the user who created the letter.
- Member: The recipient of the letter, i.e. the member of the organization to whom the letter is addressed.
- Last updated: The date the letter was last edited, if it was subsequently changed.
The following actions are available at the end of each row in the table:
- Trash can icon: Deletes the letter.
- PDF icon: Enables the letter to be downloaded in PDF format.
- Pencil icon: Opens the letter for editing.
In addition to the table there are:
- Quick search: Allows you to quickly search for specific letters based on the subject or other information.
- Filter options: This function can be used to filter the letters displayed according to specific criteria.
- "Add letter" button: Allows you to create a new letter.
Creating a new letter
When the "Add letter" button is clicked, a dialog window opens in which the following fields must be filled in:
- Organization: the organization for which the letter is being created is automatically preselected.
- Member: The recipient of the letter can be selected here from the members of the organization.
- Date of the letter: The current date is pre-filled by default, but can be changed manually, e.g. to create a backdated letter.
- Address type: You can select whether the letter is sent to the organization (main address) or to the private address of a member.
- Subject: A free text field in which the title or subject of the letter is entered.
- Content: The main field in which the content of the letter is written. Macros can also be used here to automate the text and insert personalized content.
Use of macros
Macros are special placeholders that are automatically filled with the relevant information. They make it easier to personalize the letter and save time when writing. The available macros are:
- #CustomerCompanyName: Inserts the name of the customer's organization.
- #ContactPerson: Inserts the primary contact person of the organization to whom the letter is addressed.
- #NameAndPositionOfSender: Inserts both the name and the position of the sender (e.g. "Thomas Tester, Managing Director").
- #NameOfSender: Inserts only the name of the sender.
- #PositionOfSender: Inserts only the position of the sender.
- #TodayDate: Inserts the current date.
- #DearCustomer: Inserts a personalized greeting that automatically inserts "Dear Sir/Madam" depending on the gender of the recipient.
Actions after the letter composition
There are four important action buttons below the text field for the content:
- PDF Preview: Creates a PDF preview of the letter without actually saving it to the system. This preview is used to check the letter in advance.
- Cancel: Closes the dialog box without saving the letter.
- Save: Saves the letter in the system, adds it to the table of letters, but does not yet generate a PDF version.
- Save and download: Saves the letter in the system and immediately downloads it as a PDF.
By easily creating and managing letters directly in Leadtime ERP, all customer communication remains clear and organized, supporting efficient project and business management.