Alma Letters Central Repository

Owned by Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 17, 2024 by Christina Hennessey
3 min read

View Central Repository on Github

View XSLT Letters Description Spreadsheet (link no longer available)

View our FAQ page for Common Questions you may have about editing letters

 

XSL Letter Editing Quick Guide

From the Functional Call on Letters

 How does the editing process work for letters? How do you get a copy of a specific letter to see how it looks? 

Customizing Text Elements / Label
Administration > General Configuration > Configuration Menu > General Configuration > Letter Emails
Actions → Edit on the letter that you want to change
Open Footer..xsl
You can customize the email addresses (or URL) to which the Contact Us and My Accountlinks are directed by modifying the parameter values of the email_my_account and email_contact_us parameter keys in the General Customer Parameters mapping table (Administration > General Configuration > Configuration Menu > Other Settings).

Customizing Look & Feel of Letters
Administration > General Configuration > Configuration Menu > General Configuration > Customize Letters
Note that other XSL template are calleds (e.g. Sender/Receiver and MailReason) that can be used to drill down to the specific point of customization
Note @@variable@@ which indicates that data is pulled from the text elements & labels area

To get a copy of a specific letter to see how it looks:
Two options:
Easy – do an activity in Alma that causes the email to be sent to your email address


Not as easy:
Navigate to Administration > General Configuration > Configuration Menu > General Configuration > XML To Letter Admin
Select a letter administrator from the dropdown and then select the letter for which you want to receive the XML
Do an activity in Alma that would generate the letter (Example: Cancel a RS request)
You can also utilize the XML of letters found on the Developers Network

Note from task force: This list is not complete, you will have to generate many of the letters on your own. To learn how to test the xml output of a specific letter, use this page. 


Save the XML, navigate to Administration > General Configuration > Configuration Menu > General Configuration > Notification Template and upload the XML that was sent, choose whether to receive in email or view in browser

 

 

 

Document status

DRAFT

Area covered

XSLT/Notification Letters

Lead Author

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Co-authors

Christian Ward

Tyler Rogers

@Steven Espinoza (Unlicensed)

@Micah Jeffries (Unlicensed)

@Sarina Sinick (Unlicensed)

 

Background

Problem: there is no centralized repository for all CSUs to learn how to edit the XSL in their letters

Policy Statement

This statement applies to all notification letters sent to patrons that are listed in the general configuration area in Alma. 

Best practice recommendations

While we understand that everyone has differing ideas of what their letters should look like, we recommend that everyone use this repository for help in editing their letters as it will provide a more cohesive look and feel for all CSU Libraries. This will make it easier for the group to troubleshoot any potential issues and provide resources for those who are not comfortable editing the letters on their own. 

 

  • XSLT Customizations

    We are currently working on an XSL customizations spreadsheet that describes each letter and includes links to what each letter looks like.

 

Procedures in Alma

https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/Alma_Online_Help_%28English%29/Administration/050Configuring_General_Alma_Functions/070Configuring_Alma_Letters

Action log

 

Section

Point Person

Expected Completion Date

Last action taken

Next action required

Section

Point Person

Expected Completion Date

Last action taken

Next action required

Articulate the need for the policy (background)

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Oct 14, 2016 

10/10/16 We discussed the need for a central repository that people from all the CSUs can use to help with editing their letters.

 

Natasha will draft the need for this policy the week of 10/09/16

 

Create a Policy Statement

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Nov 11, 2016 

10/10/16 The decision was made to have Natasha draft the policy statement

Policy statement draft must be added to Confluence by Nov 11.

Identify and create best practice recommendations

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Dec 9, 2016
 

11/01/16 Natasha drafted the Best Practice policy recommendations and added them to the repository page

N/A

Where applicable, identify and write up procedures in Alma

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Dec 9, 2016
 

N/A

N/A

Update Goals

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Jan 20, 2017 

N/A

N/A

Finish all repository drafts

@Natasha Allen (Unlicensed)

Apr 28, 2017 

1/13/17 Finished earlier drafts in January

04/28/17 Continue working on the rest and be finished by April.

 

Tasks to be completed

Description of each letter and when it would be sent
Example XML of each letter sent to patrons

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