Differences in producing and editing standard letters

In Vebra/Encore Live, many of the letters are triggered by events that take place. When this happens, a prompt will appear with the option to run letter now or not to run letter now, in which case the letter would go into the list of letters to do. The auto letter prompt in Alto is very similar as you can see below:

Alto has the added ability of being able to select who the letter is signed off by.  This can be selected with the dropdown menu.

In Vebra/Encore Live, you can also produce a letter manually from the Event menu, when in a Person or Property record. This is useful when you want to resend a letter or produce a letter that is not linked to an event, for example;  free market appraisal offer letter. 

In Alto, you can achieve the same by using the Write a Letter option in the Docs menu from a contact or property record, or if using the Property Management module, the Docs menu in the tenancy record.

1. Click either Properties, Contacts or Tenancies on the main navigation bar
2. Search for and select the relevant record for whom you are creating the letter, from Recent & Favourite or via the Search bar in the top right
3. The Overview screen opens. Click Docs
4. In the dropdown menu, click Write a Letter...
5. In the Write a Letter window, you'll be asked if you want to write a letter Based upon a timeline entry, such as an offer accepted event OR Ad hoc, using a template from my library
   1. If you select Based upon a timeline entry, a list of events from which a letter can be produced are displayed. Click the timeline event that you want to produce a letter for and then click Next. You can then tick to select the letter you want to create
      For more information on how to Create and send an event driven letter, click here
      
   2. If you select Ad hoc, a list of letter templates that have been set up to be Ad hoc will be displayed (an Ad hoc letter can be produced at any time and is not triggered by an event).
      Choose which template to use for your letter, then click Next. You can then choose the associated records for your letter
      For more information on how to Create and send an ad hoc letter, click here
      
6. Click Finish. Your letter will open up in a new tab on your browser  

Differences in the Letter Editor

When you produce a letter in Alto, you will always have the chance to check and amend it before you send it. Any amendments will only apply to the letter you are working on and will not affect the underlying letter template.

When you are happy with the letter content and ready to send it, click Finalise. This will give you the option of either emailing, printing or emailing and printing the letter. At this point, the letter will also be saved to the relevant Timeline in much the same way that Vebra/Encore Live would store the letter on the Letters tab.

If you click View, this will open the .pdf copy of the letter, as it was sent, which is useful if you want to print off another copy or view the letter content. 

A useful feature in Alto is that you can also click Edit from the letter entry on the Timeline. This will open the letter editor, and the letter (with any changes originally made) will be loaded, so you can add any additional changes and send again, which would then create a new letter timeline entry. 
For more information on Adding page numbering to a letter template, click here
For more information on the Letter editor features, click here

• Related Help Centre articles that you may find useful.

  Sending a letter on behalf of another person

  Email and print a letter