There are a number of general setup and testing considerations that will help in defining message formats effectively:
| Reviewing the Generated Document |
You can review the generated document without downloading it to Word. When defining templates, utilise this with caution as what is seen here is a representation of the generated Word document converted to HTML and depending on the document structure there could be significant differences. For example the HTML will not have:
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| Use Tables |
The layout of the generated document can vary significantly depending on how it has been constructed and the data being substituted. The best outcomes are achieved by defining the entire template within a table in the document and within that, vary the number of columns per row as required. This takes some getting used to but the benefit is that the substituted data is then contained within the cell and so the format and layout is much more predictable than if done in paragraphs outside of tables. |
| Be Careful of Complexity |
The more complex the document layout the less likely it is to convert nicely to an HTML view and so if edits are required then the output will need to be downloaded to Word, edited and then uploaded back into NX for sending. That process maybe fine for presentation style documents but for generic supplier advice, confirmations may not be seen as efficient. There would be a strong case for those types of documents to be kept simple and only allow editing in the HTML view. |
| Graphics Files |
Graphics can be embedded in the Word templates and in NX Notes. Graphics in the templates will likely be generic, whereas those in Notes will probably be Supplier or Product specific. Pasting a graphic into the Word Template and re-sizing it to suit the document is relatively easy, but inserting the graphic into a note requires that it first be saved in a graphics format - .jpg, .png – then resized in a graphics application, such as Paint and then inserted into the note by using the Insert Graphics Button in the note editor Button Bar (See Images in Templates and Notes). |
| Layout |
Discuss the options available for your messaging sections with a Tourplan expert. The suggested format to follow for Tourplan NX is to have a section per service type. To view the list of service types available within your organisation open System Setup > Code Setup > Product > Service Type. Careful planning is encouraged to ensure that your messaging and documentation displays the required information for the different service types. We suggest creating a booking with all service types whilst testing your message generation and formatting requirements. |