Circulation > Checkout Wizard > Configuring Checkout Receipt Email Template Files

Configuring Checkout Receipt Email Template Files

Delivered with SirsiDynix Symphony are two files that together create the template SirsiDynix Symphony uses to send checkout receipts via email. This topic contains information on how to customize these template files for use by your library.

Your library system must have an email subsystem, such as blat or sendmail, set up on the SirsiDynix Symphony server to use this functionality. If you have a subsystem configured for emailing notice reports, SirsiDynix Symphony will use this subsystem for emailing checkout receipts. For more information on setting up an email subsystem, contact SirsiDynix Customer Support.

The two default template files, default.body and default.item, are delivered with SirsiDynix Symphony in the Unicorn/Templates/EmailCheckoutReceipt/Default directory. Along with the Default directory, SirsiDynix Symphony delivers an additional directory for each delivered language. SirsiDynix Symphony will use the template files in the directory appropriate to the specified language in the patron's Demographics details.

Also included in this directory are two additional files: default.body.deliv and default.item.deliv. These files are delivered with SirsiDynix Symphony and should not be modified.

The template files are only delivered in the Unicorn/Templates/EmailCheckoutReceipt/Default directory. If you want to set up a default checkout receipt template for any delivered languages, you need to copy the template files in the Default directory to the directory for the delivered language and modify them according to your library's needs.

Both email template files are HTML-based. You can add to or edit the templates as you would any HTML file.

The .body file

The .body file contains the template for email checkout receipts. The email message SirsiDynix Symphony sends to patrons is based on the setup of the .body file.

Several of the first lines of the .body file contain comments on how to use the file. These lines do not show in the emails sent to patrons. The second line of the .body file, however, contains the return address for the checkout email. The default address is noreply@sirsidynix.com.

Using tags

The following tags are included in the default.body file to deliver the appropriate information to your patrons. The SirsiDynix Symphony server fills these placeholders with the appropriate values. You can place these tags wherever you want.

Tag	Description
<NAME>	The name of the user.
<USERID>	The user ID of the user.
<ITEMS>	The information for the checked out items. Important: The <ITEMS> tag is responsible for supplying the checkout receipt with the list of checkouts; in order for checked out items to display in checkout receipts, the <ITEMS> tag must be in the template.

Using labels

The .body file can also use SirsiDynix Symphony labels to populate tags. The following labels are used in the delivered default.body file, but you can change which labels the file uses; alternatively, you can remove these labels and replace them with plain text, if desired.

Tag	Description
$<charge_receipt_subject>	The subject line of the email.
$<charge_receipt_header>	The header of the email.
$<receipt_field_title:c>	The heading of the title column.
$<receipt_field_author:c>	The heading of the author column.
$<receipt_field_call_number:c>	The heading of the call number column.
$<receipt_field_item_id:c>	The heading of the item ID column.
$<receipt_field_date_charged:c>	The heading of the date charged column.
$<receipt_field_date_due:c>	The heading of the date due column.
$<charge_receipt_footer>	The footer of the email.

You can also use other labels from the labels file on the SirsiDynix Symphony server to customize the .body file.

Be sure to save your changes once you are finished editing the file; any changes will be reflected immediately in subsequent email checkout receipts.

The .item file

The .item file contains the template for each row in the list of checked out items; the list this file creates displays where the <ITEMS> tag in the default.body file is located.

The following tags are delivered in the default.item file; the SirsiDynix Symphony server fills these placeholders with the appropriate values.

Tag	Description
<TITLE>	The title of the checked out item.
<AUTHOR>	The author of the checked out item.
<CALLNUM>	The call number of the checked out item.
<ITEMID>	The item ID of the checked out item.
<CHECKOUTDATE>	The date the checked out item was charged.
<DUEDATE>	The date the checked out item is due back to the library.

Using checkout receipt templates

In the Checkout Wizard Properties, type the name associated with the email template files you want to use for checkout receipt templates in the Template field. For example, if the template files are named main.body and main.item, type main in this field.

If SirsiDynix Symphony attempts to send a checkout receipt and this field is empty, SirsiDynix Symphony will use the default template files in the Unicorn/Templates/EmailCheckoutReceipt/Default directory.

If SirsiDynix Symphony cannot find the template files with the specified name, it will check the language directory appropriate to the patron's language for the default template files. If there are no template files in the appropriate language directory, SirsiDynix Symphony will check the Unicorn/Templates/EmailCheckoutReceipt/Default directory for files with the name specified in the Template field; if it cannot find the files, it will use the default template files delivered with SirsiDynix Symphony.