How Do I ... Do a mail-shot to all cat owners on renal disease diet ?

The simple way is to use the Report Generator.

(Menu -> Reports -> Report Generator)

Manual Ref: http://localhost/premvet/manual/pv5/ch24.html

The 1st thing to do is check which analysis code you are using for the Diets - In this example I will use code 240, however the way I have codes setup code 240 contains all the diets not just those restricted to Renal Failure. List the codes you want to look for:

      Feline K/D
      Whiskas Low Protein
	  

in my case (adjust as you see fit).

• Select 'Create a New Report'

• Printout Selection - Include here the details you will want, in this case a mail-shot so I want Name and Address - but wait ... if you enter that now the printout will be too large for the screen and you will be unable to test it easily. So INITIALLY set the printout selection to:

  Client Name, Client Number and Animal Name

• Accept the defaults for Printout Format

• Accept the default of No for sort criteria

• Search Criteria - Include here what do you want to search for, in this case we want Feline and Clinical Records, you can add other options if you wish e.g. age as required.

• Search Details - Enter Feline as the species and press return for the clinical screen.

  I only want to include clients since 1st jan 2000 so enter 01.01.2000 date beside 'Start Date'.

  Analysis code - enter 240 as this is the code all my diets are under.

  Text - Enter $Low protein,$K/D

  (This is taken as if clinical text CONTAINS ($) 'low protein' OR (,) CONTAINS ($) the text 'k/d')

  Adjust as required for your search.

  Abort once found - answer Yes as you are not interested in the number carried out just if they are on Renal Diet or not.

• Misc. Settings - Make sure the Client/Animal based question is set to CLIENT as you only want to send ONE letter per client not animal.

• Give the report a name and accept the default for the filename.

• Run it over a range of client you KNOW meet the criteria - were they found? Run over a larger range - any oddities pop up. When you are happy that is is finding records change the Printout Criteria to include the Client Name and Address.

  Run the report - For the:

  'Report to Be' question select 'Disk',
  'File output' set to CSV
  'Delimiter' set to 'comma'
  'Filename' enter text/renal.csv
  

  Once the report has finished, you will find a CSV file in the text sub-directory called 'renal.csv' - use the option 'CSV' files in 'Text Utilities' to call up Microsoft Excel and run your mail shot.

  If you don't have the Windows link working (and why not!!!) you can use the 'Copy' option to copy it to a DOS floppy and carry it (heavens above) to your PC and use Word etc. - if you have no PC and want to use the Premvet Mailing option - then

  Run the report - For the:

  'Report to Be' question select 'BDS',
  'Filename' enter text/renal.dat
  

  The summary page will show you the reserved words, create a letter with one of the text editor as required, use the List -> Merge Printing option - remember to set the Data File Type to Report Generator.

That's it folks !!