Dear Alex,
We are kind of part way through trying to automate a system so I would we=
lcome any comments too....
We used to store our data/document orders in a Word table and use a tradi=
tional mail merge. So
1) type data into table
2) merge data to a template [to fit the Artemail, requirements] and then
3) produce a catolog of articles which could then be
4) copied and pasted into the body of an email and then sent.
I found that requests are most often rejected where your item exceeds a c=
ertain number of lines and in this case it's best just to include the fir=
st named author, truncate the title e.t.a. It works most of the time with=
out having to do this.
To help automate the process further we now have all the data stored in a=
n Access database {this could also possibly help with logging of requests=
/orders against the B/L invoices)...As the database contains most of the =
information we require we can then extract the data we want merge it with=
Word into the required template..and copy and paste in block from there =
to a new email...
I'm not familar with a PERL script... but what I would like to do is take=
the data straight from our central database and into Outlook Express wit=
h limited effort....I think to do this would probably involve generating =
a Macro or possibly use the Modules in Access to merge the data to the Wo=
rd template and then perhaps a Visual Basic script (of which I have no kn=
owledge) in order to copy and paste the data into a new email...I'm not s=
ure exactly where the limits on automation are and programming takes over=
.. but am wondering whether a knowledge of Visual Basic or a kind of Deve=
lopers course would be helpful for us...?
The advantages of using a central database such as Access for us is that =
the degree of typing can be reduced as we can use lookup fields or defaul=
t values or otherwise simply copy and paste data from an external source =
without too much reformatting....
I suppose it depends where most of your requests come from?...are they al=
ready
obtainable in electronic format somewhere else?..how similar are the requ=
ests?
whether you are likely to need to order the same document again? is there=
a need to match invoices with what has been ordered? how documents are c=
hased and logged when they arrive?..how many orders are placed an average=
?...
There may of course be other options depending on your needs for example =
possibly, British Library's Inside Web document ordering system...I too w=
ill be interested to hear what other people do and wonder if there is a m=
uch easier way! as well as comparative usage of British Library's Inside =
Web..
best wishes
David
David Fordyce
Library/Research Officer
Centre for Information on Beverage Alcohol
London
W1M 9DA
(020) 7323 2718
[log in to unmask]
Hi There
>
> I have just been watching one of our Library Assistants laboriously
> typing out and formatting ART mail requests for British Library stuff.
>
> After a quick chat, she commented that the format of the messages has t=
o
> be perfect or the whole lot comes back.
>
> Has anyone got or looked at writing a Perl ( or other ) script to
> automate this process, or even a mail form that they would be willing t=
o
> share ?
>
> I know that many libraries use the BL / ART mail system. If the process
> could be electronically automated a little, I think that we may be able
> to reduce the workload on our library Assistants.
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Alex Collins. Rivermead Library IT Support Technician.
> Rivermead Library. Tel:01245 493131 X3722 Fax: X3145
> [log in to unmask] http://libweb.apu.ac.uk
> This message has been ROT-13 Encrypted twice for Extra Security !
>
>
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