3C's Communication Generation - Change of Grade

Last Modified: Aug 9, 2023

Overview

This process was created for the Change of Grade Request Mod in Peoplesoft. The 3Cs Communication is used to notify the student and the faculty member of the the requests that have been processed. This implementation consisted of two different set ups, one for the student and another for the faculty member. You will need access in PeopleSoft to get to the set-up pages. The role name is SJ_CC_3C_ENGINE_ADMIN. You will also need to install the BI_Publisher Add-on for Microsoft Word.

I have documented the process of creating a Communications Generation using the Office of the Registrar’s Change of Grade Request Process as an example.

The navigation to the set up pages: Menu > Campus Community > Communications Setup

Communication Generation (COMM_GEN) Page Set-up

Create a Standard Letter Code

A Letter Code defines the types of letters that you want to generate by assigning a letter code and an administrative function. This where the letter type is designated.

1. The student communication used the STRM Administration Function.

2. The variable Data is EMPLID, STRM, CAREER and INSTITUTION

   1. You can find the variable data for the Administrative Function you are using at Set up SACR > Common Definitions > Administrative Function Table

   2. The faculty communication used the GEN Administration Function.

   3. The variable data is EMPLID for the GEN Administration Function.

Open

Main Menu > Campus Community > Communications  > Set up Communication > Standard Letter Table CS

Open

Main Menu > Campus Community > Communications  > Set up Communication > Standard Letter Table CS

Create an entry in the Communication Context Table

The Communication Context defines the format in which the communication will be sent and in which direction (Outgoing or Incoming). There could be multiple contexts per Letter Code.

1. The Letter Code is linked to the Communication Context, therefore, 2 COMM Contexts were created. 

Create an entry in the Communication Category table

The Categories Table is where you link the Communication Contexts in order to assign access by category.

Grant 3C Access to the Administrative Function for the Category

1. Grant the unit (ADM, REG, etc.) you are building this process for access to the Communications Category. This is where you grant 3C group access to the category.

Set up the Communication Speed Keys (to run 3Cs)

The Communication Speed Key will be used when running the 3C Engine before generating the communication. The Speed Key will be used when creating the Event Definition later on in the process.

1. Add a row to the Communication Speed Keys for the Administrative Function you are using.

Create a Data Source

The Data Source is the population used by the communication generation process, whether it be using the variable data only or a query.

1. Go to Menu > Campus Community > Communications > Set up Communication > Communication Data Source

2.  Add a Value.

3. Check off the Active checkbox.

4. Add your Administrative Function. 

5. Select Person, not Organization. 

6. Some generic data fields are automatically populated when the 3Cs process is run.  Therefore, leave the Critical Data checkboxes empty, unless you want to use the generic data. (1) (See snapshot below)

   1. When the 3Cs process is run, the variable data is made available for use, so it is not necessary to include this data in the data source query.

      1. You can find the variable data for the Administrative Function you are using at Set up SACR > Common Definitions > Administrative Function Table > Search for the Admin Function > Click Variable Data.

      2. In the snapshot below, ‘Name for extra use’ is checked as Critical Data. This data includes the Preferred and Primary Names.

7. Attach the query that you created as your data source. (2) (See Creating a query for the Data Source)

8. Set Max Nbr – this is the max amount of rows in one communication. In this instance, there should only be one per student, but in other reports there could be 50. (3)

9. Register Data Source! (4)

10. View/Download Sample Data File (5) This will be used when creating the RTF document.

Snapshot of Student Change of Grade Communication Data Source

Snapshot of the Faculty Student Change of Grade Communication Datasource

Creating a query for a the Data Source 

Create a query to extract any additional data you might need for your communication.

1. The Administrative Function variable data is available by default. You DO NOT have to create a query if additional information is not required.

2. The query should be a population of people that you will be using to select your recipients. This should be a broad set of data that you can use for more than just this communication. For example, your data source could be all Enrolled Students, all First Time Freshman, or all Probationary students. You will be able to refine your population later in your 3C’s query.

3. The student data source query for the Change of Grade Request process consists of all students with a “Processed” Change of Grade request. The value is S.

4. After the query is created, attach the query to the Data Source. See Snapshot under Create a Data Source (2).

TIPS to Remember:

The data source query must include prompts for all required Variable Data Fields. This is how the data loops through the report/document. You can find the variable data for the Administrative Function you are using at Set up SACR > Common Definitions > Administrative Function Table

Snapshots of the Change of Grade Request query for Students are below.

Snapshots of the Change of Grade Request query for Faculty are below.

BI Publisher Install 

Before being able to connect the communication template to PeopleSoft, you must first install the MS WORD Plug-in.

1. Select MS Office 64-bit

2. Click Download Now

3. Open MS WORD, you should now see a BI Publisher tab.

Rich Text File (RTF) Creation

In this set up, an RTF file is used for the email notification.

1. Create RTF file/report in Word. 

   1. Build the RTF Template with standard paragraphs with no variable fields. (You will plug those in later, you can insert placeholders where the variable fields will be.)

   2. Save the template as an RTF (Rich Text Format) file on your computer or a shared drive.

2. Since your report/document is created, you now need to upload the XML sample data.

   1. In WORD, go to the BI Publisher tab.

   2. Click on the Sample XML button. (You will be prompted to select a file.)

   3. Select the file that you downloaded after registering your data source.

   4. You should see a message “Data loaded successfully” once the upload is complete.

3. Once the sample data is imported, you can begin to insert parameters from the data source query results or the default data.

   1. Select the Field that is needed in the report/letter and Select Insert.

   2. Once all parameters are inserted, Save as an .rtf file.

Report Definition

The report definition is where you define the communication data source from which to extract data and the RTF file (BI Publisher template) file where you want to merge the extracted data.

1. Add a Value.

2. Name the Report Definition.

3. Specify Data Source Type as XMLDoc Object (See Snapshot below)

4. You must have Admin access to create a new Report Definition. (This access gives you the ability to select a Data Source of XMLDoc Object.)

Note: When requesting access, request this role too: XMLP Report Developer

5. Use the Data Source ID you created in a previous step.

Once the Report Definition is created, another window will open.

6. Definition Tab: Complete all data fields, except Retention Days.

Template Tab: This is where you will connect the RTF file.

7. The Channel for the Change of Grade request is Email. (This could be different based on how you are communicating.

8. Be sure to update the Status to “Active”

9. Click on the Upload button and select your rtf file.

Output Tab: This is where you will designate what type of communication you are setting up (Format).

The Properties, Security and Bursting tabs don’t need any changes.

Connecting the Report to the Letter Code

You must associate the report definition with the letter code to use so that the Communications Generation process knows which template and data source to use to create the communication.

1. Search for the Letter Code that was created during Set-up

2. Click on Define Comm Gen Parameters.

3. Click Report Name

4. Select the report from the pick list.

5. SAVE

Set-up for 3C Engine

The 3C Engine is the first step in generating communications. This process creates the record in Communication Management. If this step is not done, the Communication Generation will not work.

Create an Event Definition.

1. Add a New Value.

2. Create the Event ID.

3. Click Add.

Student Event Definition

Faculty Event Definition

Running 3C Engine

The 3C Engine must be run before the Communication Generation process because the 3Cs engine creates the record in Communication Management and sets the generic data fields (Variable Data) for the Administrative Function used in the Event Definition.

1. Add a Value to create a run control.

2. Process type will be Population Selection.

3. The Acad Institution is SJ000 and Administrative Function is STRM for Student and GEN for Faculty.

4. An Event ID must be created where the Communication Key is used that is created during the set up.

5. Selection Tool is a PS Query.

   1. A PS Query must be created to select your student population.

6. Click Save and Run.

**Note: To view the query in Query Viewer:

1. Look for query type = process (not user). 

2. The query looks for requests processed the same day you are running the query.

Communication Generation

1. Add a Value to create a run control.

2. ID Selection needs to set at All Person IDs

3. Select the Letter Code. All report information will get filled in automatically.

4. Communication Method Usage > Specified and Method is Email. (This is very important.)

Student Selection Parameters

Faculty Selection Parameters

Process Parameters

1. Once these parameters are set, the only fields that need to be changed when running the process are the dates under Communication Date Range Selection.

2. The From Date should be set from the last date the process ran. The To Date should be set with the date your range should end or the current date. 

3. Nothing else on this page should change.

Email Parameters

1. These parameters should be set and won’t need to be changed again unless the email address the email is coming from should change. 

Communication Management

1. A record for each communication will be populated in this table for each notification sent.

2. From the Search Page, you can search for a communication to confirm it was generated successfully.