Association Override Letter Templates

Objective: This article provides instructions and best practices regarding association overrides.

When to Use Association Override Letter Templates

Before we discuss how to create Association Override Templates, we should discuss when to use them. These overrides should always be exceptions, and should never be the rule. Creating 100 Association Overrides to a certain letter, for instance, means that if the verbiage of that letter needs to change (due to a law change or amendments to the governing documents), then you have to update 100 different letters!

Instead, you can easily customize letters using Merge Tags to pull in Association- or Homeowner-Specific information whenever possible. In addition to the standard, system-defined Merge Tags, found here: Merge Tags, all of the data found in both the Association > Additional Info and Homeowner > Additional Info pages can all be used as tags as well.
Click here for more about Association Additional Info | Homeowner Additional Info

Using Merge tags effectively allows you to have a single letter template that will pull all the information you need. This creates an easier workflow, lower maintenance, and a consistent experience for Homeowners and Staff alike. 

How to Create an Association Override in Word

Still not able to be as custom as you need? No problem! Maybe your association wants an Association-specific letterhead or image. In that case, Association Override Letter Templates are a perfect solution. You can upload these templates using the Word Template Manager.

Begin by opening the Association-specific document in Microsoft Word. Open the Vantaca Template Manager, and from the Manage Template tab, choose the Letter Type and Letter that you are overriding for the association.

Note: You must have a Default letter uploaded before uploading an Association-specific letter. 

Once you have selected your letter, under Association, you will see the word Default.

Warning: *Clicking upload now will override your default letter for all Associations. The original default letter cannot be recovered if you do so. If this happens, and you do not have a copy of the original letter saved outside of Vantaca, you must submit a ticket to have us revert your letter. *

Click the dropdown menu to choose the correct Association. 

Click Upload. You will receive an Upload Successful Message when the action is complete.

How to Create an Override on Settings > Letter Templates

Select the +Add Override button to open the Letter Templates form.

1. Select a Template Name, Association, and Print Method.
2. Select a File to be uploaded for the override with Select Files...
3. Click Override to complete.
   1. This will override any existing Letter Templates. If you have already added an Override, you'll receive a confirmation message verifying that the existing Override will be overwritten.

How to use Association Override Letter Templates

Using Association Override letters in Vantaca is no different from using regular letters. When setting up your Action Type in Settings > Action Types/Steps, you'll need to select a Letter on the step that will send the letter. The system looks for the name of the letter template, which is still the same for your Override. Therefore, no special setup is required with the Action Type. Once you upload the Association Override, you are finished.

In the example shown here, the Action Step is set to send a Courtesy Notice. Now, whenever an Action Item is stepped to this step, it will send the Courtesy Notice letter template. If, for example, the Presidential Valley Association has an override, then this step will still pull the letter named Courtesy Notice, just the Override version. For any OTHER Association, without an override, it will pull the Default Template. 

Note: Any time that a new letter template is uploaded, it is recommended to perform a test in order to check formatting.