Download and Print Decision Letters

Updated February 03, 2023 19:27

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Slate offers multiple methods for printing decision letters. Depending on your process, one or more of the options outlined below may be suitable for your office. This article provides more information about Decision Codes.

Download and Print Letter from Student Status Page

This allows an applicant to download a PDF version of the Slate Letter Template from the student status page. You may configure the PDF to include your institutional branding (such as your school logo). Merge fields and Liquid Markup will display appropriately.

Important

Any links included in a Letter Template will not work on the PDF. However, the URL of a link will automatically render in brackets directly after the linked text. For example:

This is a link to google <http://www.google.com>

Configure the Decision Code to be Printable.
Upload a PDF that contains a header (for example, your school logo) and a footer image to the File Editor. Configure the path name to be:
/apply/decision.pdf

Note: By including a round key in the path, this file can be round specific. For example:

/apply/PHD/decision.pdf
Add one multi-line merge field to the PDF.
Important: Configure the Field Name as: letter
Expand the letter field to fit within the margins of the PDF. (You may need to adjust the size of the merge field to achieve the desired layout.)
When applicants click the Status Update/View Update link on their Status Portal and view their letter, a Download PDF link appears at the bottom of the page.

Download Individual Letter from Student Record

This allows a Slate administrator to download a PDF version of the Slate Letter Template from an individual student record. Merge fields and Liquid Markup will display appropriately.

Important

Any links included in a Letter Template will not work on the PDF. However, the URL of a link will automatically render in brackets directly after the linked text. For example:

This is a link to google <http://www.google.com>

Configure the Decision Code to be Printable.
Associate the Letter Template with the printable Decision Code (for example, the Admit Letter is associated with the Admit Decision Code).
Important: Ensure that the decision has been released for the target population.
Go to Reader Tab Groups and insert a new item.
Configure the Type as Administrative PDF Download. Provide a Name (for example, "Decision Letters") and an Order.
Go to Reader Tab Materials and insert a new item.
Configure the Tab to match the Tab Group you made in step 5.
Configure the Type as Decision Letters.
From the applicant's student record, select the appropriate application tab and select Download PDF.
Select the Decision Letters item from the list.
Select Download and access a PDF version of the decision letter from your desktop.

Tips

If you allow applicants to download a PDF version of their letter from the status page, the download will use the configurations from the decision.pdf file in the File Editor and the PDF will include any images you have added.

By default, the Download PDF functionality allows an administrator to download any part of the application, including all system and custom materials. The default functionality does not include decision letters.

When you make an active Administrative PDF Download Reader Tab Group (step 5), you will no longer have access to the default PDF download functionality. In order to access those default materials:

Deactivate any Administrative PDF Download Reader Tab Groups

-OR-

Make additional Administrative PDF Download Reader Tab Groups and associate the necessary Reader Tab Materials with those groups.

Download Letters in Batch

This allows a Slate administrator to download a PDF version of the Slate Letter Template in batch (such as for multiple applicants) using the Query Tool. Merge fields and Liquid Markup will display appropriately.

Important

Any links included in a Letter Template will not work on the PDF. However, the URL of a link will automatically render in brackets directly after the linked text. For example:

This is a link to google <http://www.google.com>

Configure the Decision Code to be Printable.
Associate the Letter Template with the printable Decision Code (for example the Admit Letter is associated with the Admit Decision Code).
Important: Ensure that the decision has been released for the target population.
Go to Reader Tab Groups and insert a new item.
Configure the Type as Administrative PDF Download. Provide a Name (for example, "Decision Letters") and an Order.
Go to Reader Tab Materials and insert a new item.
Configure the Tab to match the Tab Group you made in step 5.
Configure the Type as Decision Letters.
Open the Query Tool and create a new query, using the population/query base: Slate Template Library: Decisions.
Add at least one export.
Use filters to isolate the target population (for example, "Decisions Letter IN Admit - 1/1/2017 - Admit Letter").
Run the query and select the PDF Document Export destination.
Select the desired format (such as Export as individual PDFs within a ZIP archive).
Select the Decision Letters item from the Insert Part list.

Tips

If you allow applicants to download a PDF version of their letter from the status page, the download will use the configurations from the decision.pdf file in the File Editor, and the PDF will include any images you have added.

By default, the Download PDF functionality allows an administrator to download any part of the application, including all system and custom materials. The default functionality does not include decision letters.

Deactivate any Administrative PDF Download Reader Tab Groups

-OR-

Make additional Administrative PDF Download Reader Tab Groups and associate the necessary Reader Tab Materials with those groups.