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Print Templates 101: Using Templates

Using Templates

Once you have your Print Template created you need to...

  • Assign it to users
  • Set-up your Printers

You may also wish to...

  • Set-up Templates for use with Autonotices
  • Set-up Templates for use in Express Lane
  • Establish Print Template Family Settings

Weather your are using Default Templates or Customized Templates, you'll need to assign them to those folks who'll be using them. Below you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to assign templates in Millennium and Sierra.

Assigning Templates in Millennium

When assigning templates in Millennium you'll need to meet with each user, have them login to the system, and then assign the templates to them.

1)  Have the staff member who will be using the template (default or customized) log-in to Millennium.

2)  Import the templates they need to use. If more than one template will be needed for a job (e.g. both email and print formats for circulation notices) you will want to require the system to Prompt for Template so that the person using them can choose the correct template for the job.

 

If needed, make sure you  Assign a Printer for print jobs.


There are special settings you can activate when Printing Circulation Notices using print templates. 

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Assigning Templates in Sierra

1) Log-in to the Sierra Admin menu.

   

2) Click on Authorizations and Authentication.

    

3) Search for the user whom you wish to assign the templates to.

    

4) Click on the EDIT button.

    

5) Click on the Settings menu.

    

6) Open the PRINT TEMPLATES Menu by clicking on the arrow.

     

7) Choose the template you wish to assign from the Output Type list.

      

8) Check the box for Use Print Templates, select the template types you wish to assign from under the Preferred Templates list, and choose whether the system should default to a particular template or prompt the user to choose the one they wish to use.

    

9) Before exiting be sure to Save your changes.

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Print templates must be printed to a local printer. They cannot be printed to a system printer (i.e., printed directly from the Millennium server to the printer). Basically, if you can print to the printer in a third-party software application such as Word, it's considered a local printer.

 

Support for printers and access to their capabilities is based on the workstation operating system's support for the particular printer(s) available to your workstation. Therefore, for each printer you want to access from your Millennium machine, you must install the printer driver specific to the printer's manufacturer.

 

The printer used for print templates must be capable of graphical printing. The template is sent to the printer as an image, not text, so the printer has to be able to understand an image.

 

In the example found below you'll see screen shots from Sierra. The steps involved in assigning a local printer in Millennium are exactly the same.

 

1) Start by logging into Sierra.  From under the File menu choose Select Printer.

 

 

2) Then select the type of printer (Standard, Receipt, Label, etc.) , and  dialog box will appear to Select Standard Printer. Select the Local Printer within the list.

 

3) Then choose from the Name drop down list the appropriate printer.  Remember that the other tabs may need to be addressed such as Page Setup, Appearance, and Format depending on the type of printer job.  Select OK to finish selecting the printer.

 

 

Testing

Sometimes testing templates can send a lot of jobs to the printer.  Instead of printing, you can export the form in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format.   Remember that a PDF viewer and a PDF print driver (converter)  must be installed on the workstation.  After choosing to export the form, the system prompts you to Select file to print report. Specify the directory and filename on the Sierra workstation to which the form is to be written.

 

For example:

 

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Using templates for Circulation Notices is quite easy. Make sure you first assign the necessary templates to your Circulation staff.

In the example found below you'll see screen shots from Millennium. The steps are exactly the same in Sierra.

 

1) Open the Notices module, and click on New.

 

2) Select your Notice Type from the drop down menu, and designate your other settings.


 

3) Click on Select Template and chose the template you with to use.

 

 

 

4) Click on Prepare (or Save, if you wish to save the job for future use) and select the printer type you wish to use for this job.

 

5) Send your notices.

   ***NOTE: Templates can also be used with Autonotices (Manual #107521).***

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Using Print Templates in Express Lane

You can use print templates to create customized date due and Ecommerce slips for Express Lane.  To learn more, consult manual #108200, or check-out the CSDirect  Print Templates Wiki (Log-in Required).

Print Template Family Settings

Template families are groups of templates which very slightly, but all serves the same purpose. For example, a family of courtesy notices may include

  • Notices which vary in branch information and logo
  • Notices with the same content, but written in different languages
  • Templates for email delivery and print delivery

You can create and modify template families using the Preferred Templates setting. To learn more, take a look at manual page #107931.