Printers and Correspondence

XTRAC supports both remote and local printers. Remote printers let you print automatically and manually generated correspondence. Local printers let you print only manually generated correspondence.

The following rules apply when printing correspondence:

• Local printers that print manually generated correspondence and remote printers that print automatically generated correspondence from correspondence generation rules must support postscript.
• Any correspondence that is printed in postscript format retains the bold, italic, underline, and font styles that it contains.

Note: The software that converts the correspondence RFT format to postscript format for both automatic and manual correspondence does not support all of Microsoft Word's features. For example, animated check boxes, specific table configurations, etc. Test any templates that you plan to use to ensure that the conversion supports the Microsoft Word features that you want to use.

• XTRAC prints enclosures on manual remote printers and local printers.

You can set up some types of printers yourself. Other printers required you to work with XTRAC Technical Services.

Before you can complete creating and associating a printer group, you must define the following components:

• Nodes
• Printers
• Correspondence types

Note: Ticklers are no longer supported and are included only for backwards compatibility.

Printers and Printer Groups

XTRAC supports both remote and local printers. When you create a letter template, you specify the printer where XTRAC prints the correspondence.

You can create a printer group by associating one or more correspondence types with a specified printer. You then assign the printer group to a node. When an operator working at that node sends correspondence to the printer, XTRAC determines the printer to use based on the correspondence type of the letter. If there are no correspondence types associated with the letter, XTRAC uses the default printer that you assigned to the node.

Printer Order

When an operator generates correspondence at a node, XTRAC determines the printer to use by checking the following items in order:

1. The printer that is associated with the assigned printer group at the work item’s current node.
   See Printer in Printer Group at the Node
2. The printer that is associated with the correspondence type.
   See Printer Associated with the Correspondence Type.
3. The printer that is assigned at the work item’s current node.
   See Printer Assigned at the Node.

If XTRAC cannot find a printer, it displays a message indicating that the letter cannot be printed because there is no associated printer.

Printer in Printer Group at the Node

If a printer is assigned to the work item’s current node and the correspondence type of the submitted document is in the printer group, XTRAC sends the correspondence to the printer that is defined in the printer group.

For example, an operator submits correspondence with the following details:

• Letter template = BANKLT
• Correspondence type = BANKCT
• Work item's current node = BANK

XTRAC checks the BANK node for an assigned printer group and to see if the correspondence type is in that group. The BANK node has the following details:

• Printer group = BANKPG
• Correspondence types = BANKCT, NEWCT, PURCT
• Printer = PRNT3

Because a print group exists for the BANK node and the BANKCT type is defined in the printer group, XTRAC sends the correspondence to the PRNT3 printer that is defined in the group.

Printer Associated with the Correspondence Type

If a printer group is not assigned to the work item’s current node or the correspondence type is not in the printer group, XTRAC sends the correspondence to the printer that is associated with the correspondence type.

For example, an operator submits correspondence with the following details:

• Letter template = BANKLT
• Correspondence type = BANKCT
• Work item's current node = BANK

XTRAC determines that there isn't a printer assigned to the BANK node or that the correspondence type is not associated with the printer group.

XTRAC then looks at the BANKCT type of the submitted document. BANKCT has the following details:

• Printer = PRNT2

Because the correspondence type includes an associated printer, XTRAC sends the correspondence to the PRNT2 printer.

Printer Assigned at the Node

If a printer group is not assigned at the work item’s current node or the applicable correspondence type is not associated with the printer group and the correspondence type does not have an associated printer, XTRAC sends the correspondence to the printer that is assigned to the node.

For example, an operator submits correspondence with the following details:

• Letter template = BANKLT
• Correspondence type = BANKCT
• Work item's current node = BANK

XTRAC determines that a printer group is not associated to the BANK node or that the correspondence type is not associated with the printer group. XTRAC also determines a printer is not associated with the correspondence type.

XTRAC then looks at the BANK node to see which printer is assigned to the node, which is PRNT1, so XTRAC sends the correspondence to the PRNT1 printer that is defined for the node.

Creating a Printer Group

Note: To define a printer group, you need the Create and Printer Group security functions as part of the security group that is associated with your entitlement set.

To create a printer group

1. In Feature Explorer, click Correspondence.
2. Click Printer Groups.
3. In the Printer Group Summary window, click New.
4. In the Printer Group Detail window, in the Name field, enter a name for the printer group (up to 30 characters).
5.  In the Description field, enter a description (up to 60 characters).
6. In the Printer drop-down list box, select the printer you want to add to the group.
7. Click Add to add correspondence types.
8. In the Select Correspondence Types window, select one or more correspondence types, and then click OK.

The Printer Group Detail window opens and lists the correspondence types that you selected.

Note: To remove a correspondence type, select it and then click Remove. The Remove option is disabled until you select a row.

9.  (Optional) In the Change Request ID field, enter the ID for the change request (up to 30 characters).
10. (Optional) In the Memo field, enter the reason for creating the printer group (up to 60 characters).
11. Click Save.

XTRAC saves the new printer group and lists it in the Printer Group Summary window.

Associating a Printer Group with a Node

To associate a printer group with a node

1. In Feature Explorer, click Environment.
2. Click Nodes.
3. In the Node Summary window, select the node that you want to associate the printer group with, and then click Open
4. In the Node Detail window, click the Correspondence tab.
5. In the Printer Group drop-down list box, select the printer group that you want to associate with this node.
6. (Optional) In the Change Request ID field, enter the ID of the change request (up to 30 characters).
7. (Optional) In the Memo field, enter the reason for associating a printer group (up to 60 characters).
8. Click Save.

XTRAC associates the printer group with the selected node.

Associating a Printer with a Node

To associate a printer with a node

1. In Feature Explorer, click Environment.
2. Click Nodes.
3. In the Node Summary window, select the node that you want to associate with the printer, and then click Open.
4. In the Node Detail window, click the Correspondence tab.
5. In the Printer drop-down list box, select the printer that you want to associated with the node.
6. (Optional) In the Change Request ID field, enter the ID of the change request (up to 30 characters).
7. (Optional) In the Memo field, enter the reason for associating the printer (up to 60 characters).
8. Click Save.

XTRAC associates the specified printer with the selected node.

Reprints

If correspondence is damaged at the printer or needs to be reprinted, XTRAC lets an operator to reprint it at a local printer or at the printer where it was originally printed.

XTRAC then adds a REPRNT event in the work item’s history.

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