Form Letter Templates
HawkSoft enables you to merge client and policy information from the client into a letter, modify the letter as needed, and attach a copy for documentation purposes.
Once a letter is attached to the client, you can perform actions from the Attachments List, such as emailing the letter or sending the letter for an electronic signature.
This article explains how to create and edit a letter from a client using a previously created form letter template.
See Form Letter Templates for information on creating templates using the HawkSoft Letter editor.
This task is typically performed by an Owner/Administrator or Manager.
To get you started, all form letter templates use the layout and formatting of the Base Form Letter Template. You can also create a template based on an existing Word document.
Required Permissions:
In order to complete this task, user permissions must be set to include:
Agency Setup > Correspondence Templates
See User Permissions for more information.
To access the Form Letter Templates
Click the
Setup menu, and then select Correspondence Templates.
The Correspondence Templates dialog opens with the Form Letters tab selected.
Create a new template from a Base template
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Click the Add button.
Each new form letter template contains the layout saved in your HawkSoft Form Letters Base Template. See Base Templates to modify, if needed.
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Complete the Name of Letter field, and then click OK.
The HawkSoft Letter Editor displays the Base Template.
- Type and format the letter contents, as needed, to create the new Form Letter Template.
See Correspondence Templates - Formatting Options (Letters, Memos, Proposals, and Policy Overview) for more information on adding merge fields, images, logos, etc.
When you have created several letter templates, these templates can be sorted into categories, for example, "Personal Lines" or "Commercial", to enable quick retrieval of specific templates.
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Click Save & Close.
The Form Letter template is now ready to use.
Create a new template from an existing Word document
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Open File Explorer and navigate to your Word document.
- Right-click on the Word document and click Copy.
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Return to the Correspondence Templates dialog and right-click in the list of Form Letters templates, and then select Paste.
The new template appears in the list and keeps the title of the original Word document.
- Optional: Highlight the new template and click Rename to change the template description, and then click OK.
- Optional: Click Edit to modify the template. See detailed steps below.
When you have created several letter templates, these templates can be sorted into categories, for example, "Personal Lines" or "Commercial", to enable quick retrieval of specific templates.
Once your form letter templates have been added, you can create form letters from a client file or from a report.
Select a form letter template from the list, and then use the following buttons as needed:
Edit – Click to open the HawkSoft Letter Editor and modify the template as needed, and then click Save and Close.
See Correspondence Templates - Formatting Options (Letters, Memos, Proposals, and Policy Overview) for more information.
Each correspondence template is created from a base template. See Base Templates to modify the default HawkSoft Form Letter base template, if needed.
Rename – Click to enter a new template description.
Duplicate – Click to copy the template and enter a new description for the copy.
Remove – Click to delete the template.
Create template categories to help organize your form letter templates. Once created, these categories are available for the entire agency.
Example: You may want to group together all letters pertaining to Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, etc.
To create a new category
Click the Categories button.
The Category Setup dialog opens.
Click New.
Enter a Category name, and then click OK.
Assign or remove templates
Each template is listed with a check box. Select each template to be included in the selected Category.
Click the Categories button.
The Category Setup dialog opens.
Select a Category from the drop-down.
Check each box next to the templates to be included in the selected category.
When creating a letter using the Action menu, users can filter templates by category to quickly find the right template to use for the new letter.
HawkSoft includes the ability to import form letter templates into HawkSoft from your local files, as well as export existing templates to your local files. This enables you to use templates from other sources, as well as send your agency's templates to other HawkSoft agencies.
See Importing and Exporting Correspondence Templates for detailed steps.