Email Export
This facility allows you to create formatted emails
and upload them to the email software. Once the
email(s)
are uploaded, they are mailed to their respective recipients.
In one step, the emails will be formatted, created
and exported into text files on the PC. Then these
same text files will be uploaded into the windows email
software, essentially mailing them.
The source of data for these emails resides in tables.
Tables contain the data that is interrogated and arranged
into email format. The tables can be internal MS-Access
tables or they can be "Attached" to the database. This
provides for the use of other DBMS formatted databases
with Email-Access. All major DBMS formats are supported.
ODBC may be employed to further open the connectivity
options.
Tables/Queries to Supply Data to Auto Email Export
Email Users
Email Users are defined as the destination party of
emails that are exported and uploaded. It could be
the name of a specific Email User, a Conference Board
or Bulletin Board. Conference Boards can also have
Topics. These Topics are a way of sub-grouping all
of the letters in a particular Conference Board. This
is the way to address the emails generated by the system.
You can configure the system to automatically append
Carbon Copies and/or Blind Copies for any Email User
by using the Email Users List accessed through System
Maintenance. This form allows you to add specific Email
Users that are intended recipients of email data generated.
Along with the UserName and Topic, you can specify
one or more CC and BC parties, separating them with
a comma and a space (J.McCloskey, John.Doe, Mary.Lamb).
When emails are being prepared, the system automatically
attempts to lookup the UserName or UserID specified
as the first field of email data. If it is found, any
additional address information will be utilized. If
the Email User is not found, then no additional information
is used.
Email Source Data
On the Manual Export form, there are two fields that
are used to specify the source of data used to generate
emails from,
Table/Query - contains the list of tables and user
defined queries contained in the database for you
to select from.
Data SQL - allows you to specify a custom SQL statement
rather than using a table or predefined
query. You MUST use a SELECT SQL statement for this
field, no update queries are permitted
such as DELETE or UPDATE.
Source Data Fields
When using the Export Type of One to One, the first
few fields referenced in the source of data used to
create emails are special. They can be used to link
the email data to an Email User to retrieve additional
address information such as Carbon Copies and/or Blind
Copies).
The first field name must be UserName or UserID. This
field can contain either the UserID or the UserName
as defined in the Email Users List. The system will
automatically attempt to lookup the Email User in the
Email User List (accessed through System Maintenance)
for any additional address information related to that
specific Email recipient (User). If the Email User
is not found, no additional address information will
be utilized other than the Topic as described below.
The second field name of Topic may optionally be used
to specify a specific Topic for Conference Boards.
If a UserName, referencing a Conference Board, is specified
more than once in the Email User List, you must specify
a Topic to separate the two. This UserName and Topic
combination can be referenced in the Email User List
and the email data to export to retrieve additional
address information. As above, if the Conference Board
and Topic combination is not found in the Email User
List, no additional information will be used.
Data Columns
The field names resulting from the execution of
the Table/Query or Data SQL will be used as column
headings (if specified) for the detail lines generated
by the email system. Each column of detail data is
evaluated to determine the width of each column. The
field name of each column is considered when determining
the width. Try to use short and abbreviated field names
in your queries. You can change the field name generated
by a query by placing a unique field name followed
by a colon in front of the field expression in the
Access query design window. For example, lets say you
have a field named "CustomerName" and you wanted to
abbreviate it to shorten the column width. You would
then insert the shortened field name in front of the
existing field name, "CustName: CustomerName" (not
including the double quotes).
Manual Export Form
This form is the primary window used to supply configuration
information and generate emails to be exported and
optionally uploaded. When this information is saved,
it is given a name supplied by the user and becomes
an Export Batch. Each Export Batch defined on the Manual
Export form consists of a named, predefined setup including:
Export Type - Always One to One (UserName supplied
in email source data)
A table, query or SQL used as the source of data for
the email(s)
A Subject line explaining the purpose of the email(s)
Optional Opening and/or Closing that would appear in
each email generated
Additional Configuration information (refer to Appendix
A for details)
This information is located in the Manual Export form
displayed when you select Add or Edit from the Export
Batch List form or Manual Export from the Email Export
Menu.
Menu Options
Multi-Batch
Displays a list of the pre-configured Export Multi-Batches
available in the system. Multi-Batches are used to
provide the for the automated execution of multiple
Export Batches. With the press of a button, you can
export and upload email data from different applications
with no user intervention. You can Add new Multi-Batches,
Delete or Edit existing Multi-Batches, or execute a
Multi-Batch from this list.
Export Batch
A list of the pre-configured Export Batches available
in the system is displayed. Export Batches are used
to provide the for the automated execution of a single
email configuration (Batch). Here is where you specify
the data to be used for emails to be generated. With
the press of a button, you can export and upload email
data as specified in the saved Batch with no user intervention.
You can Add new Batches, Delete or Edit existing Batches,
or execute a Batch from this list.
Manual Export
Displays the Email Manual Export window. This is where
you will define the specific details required by the
system to automatically create, export and upload emails
from the system for a specified set of data. This information
including the configuration settings, once saved, represent
an Export Batch.An Export Batch can export and upload
one or more emails as defined by the number of users
referenced with the data defined to the Batch.
Upload Emails
Allows you to manually upload text, email formatted
files on your PC into the email server software. When
this occurs successfully, the emails are then "mailed"
to their respective recipients. You can specify the
Upload Type:
One File - A specific file can be uploaded, containing
one email.
Directory of Files - Specify a path (including
wildcards) of files to be uploaded. One or more
files will be automatically
uploaded and mailed.
Table of Files - Uses a table to supply the file
names to use for uploading. The first field of the
table must contain the
entire file name to be uploaded. If no path is supplied,
only a file name, the
system will automatically prefix the file name with
the Default Directory specified in the default
system configuration.
Auto Delete After Upload - You may also specify to
have the uploaded file deleted. After successful completion
of the uploading process, the file will be deleted.
This prevents that same file from being uploaded again.
This is also a positive indication that the PC file
was successfully uploaded. If an error occurs with
the upload, the file is NOT deleted.
View Last Export
Displays a form containing the last email imported
into the system. The email is as it was when it was
imported as a text file. The Import and Export process
both use the same table for handling emails. If the
last operation performed in the system was an import,
you will see that email and not the last exported.
View Transaction Log
Displays the table containing the Email Transaction
Log. Email-Access keeps an ongoing log of all system
activity. The system automatically scrolls you to the
last record added to the table (the last transaction
to occur).
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