Letter Templates : Variance Reports

This article will explain how Variance Reports function in Vantaca, and provide an example of what we see them commonly used for.

Most items in the Settings > Letter Templates page use merge tags and formatting to generate pre-configured PDF files through Vantaca Action Items. Variance Reports do the same thing, but those letters are generated as .Doc files that you can then adjust using your standard Word Processing software. 

This Variance Report Section is used specifically for templates that you will need to edit or add custom info to before mailing out to your owners. Templates uploaded to the Variance Report section will not send to the print queue, but rather generate as a downloadable Word document for you to edit before printing. 

In the example below, you will see that the first two attachments show as .pdf files, and the Variance Report  (titled "Payment Plan Agreement") pulls as a .docx file. When opened, it will download into Word so that you can begin to make your edits.

The image below shows the Variance Report Template (left), next to the version that would be generated through an action item (right).

As you can see, you still have the functionality of Vantaca Merge Tags, with the added capability to add information manually for items that normally be achievable through using tags. For this example, Payment Plan Terms may differ on a case-by-case basis. 

That's great, but how do these Word Docs get back into Vantaca?

After you have edited your letter and are ready to print, you have a few options. 

It is entirely possible to just Print the item directly from your Word Processor and throw it in an envelope. However, the finished product will NOT be found in your Vantaca documentation. 

In order to maintain excellent record-keeping and have your finished Variance Report in Vantaca, follow these steps. 

1. Export the document to PDF
   1. Follow the steps for your Word Processor program to save the document as a PDF. If you are using a Microsoft product, you can follow the steps outlined here. Save or convert to PDF or XPS in Office Desktop apps
2. Attach the PDF filed to the Action item. 
   1. This can be done while stepping the action item, or when adding a new Note to the item. For more information on adding Notes to Action Items, read  How do I add a note to an action item?