Maintain Voter Communication Types

Communication Type

The 2-character Communication Type code. The code can be letters, numbers, or a combination of both. Do not create codes in the reserved-for-system ranges: codes beginning with R, 2, 3, or 5.

Reason Description

A brief description of the type of communication, up to 45 characters long. This description will be displayed with the Communication Type code in voter records and elsewhere in Voter Focus. Keep in mind that if you change a Reason Description, it will be reflected in voter records; the old description is not preserved.

Reserved for System Use

The Communication Type cannot be deleted. Modifications to reserved Communication Types is limited. The code for reserved Communication Types begin with R, 2, 3, or 5.

Voter Response (updates Last Activity Date)

When this check box is selected, it means the Communication Type is considered a voter response. When communication of this type is received and recorded, the Last Activity Date in voter records is automatically updated. Communication Type codes with this option enabled are available for selection on the Voter Response and the Correspondence from Voter dialogs.

Image Expected for This Communication

Select this option if your office wants to scan the communications assigned to this Communication Type and save the images with the communication record.

Indexing Type

Indexing of scanned images is processed differently depending on what the image is:

1—A voter registration application.

2—An image that you want to add to an existing communication record. For example, this could be used for Final Notices signed and returned by voters. The notice is processed first, creating a communication record, and then the image of the returned notice is scanned and indexed to this communication record.

3—An image for which you want to create a new communication record. The new communication record is created during indexing to hold the image details.

Signature Location

The X and Y values denote the vertical (X) and horizontal (Y) coordinates of the upper-left corner of the signature box on the communication (or, if the communication has no box for signatures, an imaginary rectangle enclosing the signature). Location coordinates are measured in pixels—a common unit of measurement for graphics displayed on a computer screen.

Using the X and Y coordinates as a starting point, Voter Focus captures the signature as a separate image—called a signature clip. Coordinates for locations other than the upper-left corner don't need to be defined because all signature clips are a standard size.

When you create a new Communication Type, the default location for signature clips is 0,0—which is the upper left corner of the communication itself. You can adjust this for individual images when you index them to the voter's record, but at some point, you will probably want to adjust the default to a location more likely to capture the signature without a manual adjustment during indexing.

The easiest way to determine the specific adjustments to the default location is to wait until this Communication Type is in use and an image has been scanned in. Then copy any override values from the Voter Communications Maintenance dialog:

1. In a voter's record, on the Comms tab, double-click a communication of this type to open the Voter Communication dialog.
2. Make a note of the coordinates in the Pos Override field, and transfer the position-one values to the Signature Location field on the Communication Types Maintenance dialog in System Maintenance. For example, if the values in Pos Override are:

P1=975,825

P2=1866,936

the values you would enter in Signature Location would be:

X: 975

Y: 825

The P1 value— 975,825—describes the location of the upper-left corner of the signature box: 975 pixels to the right and 825 pixels down. The P2 value (the lower-right corner) is not needed here because the size of the signature box is predefined.

Scanning Options

The following four options appear when the option Image Expected for This Communication is selected.

Size in Inches

Enter the expected size of the communication. For example, if the communication is a standard letter size, such as 8-1/2 x 11 inches, you would enter the value:

• Width—8.5
• Height—11

Contrast

This option controls the intensity between the darkest and lightest areas of the scanned image. If the communication is black text on white paper, you probably don't need to adjust the contrast. But if it is black text on tinted paper or a color print, the scanned image might be difficult to read. If so, you can adjust the contrast, typically by increasing the value. You can increase the value up to 1000 or reduce it down to -1000. Leave this field blank to accept the default contrast.

Brightness

This option governs the luminance of the white areas of the scanned image, which affects readability. You can increase the value up to 1000 or reduce it to -1000. Leave this field blank to accept the default brightness.

Display Image Viewer

Select this option to have the Image Viewer (a secondary dialog containing the full image of the communication and the signature clip from the image) accessible from the Voter Communication dialog. In the Image Viewer, you can adjust the location of the signature clip, if needed after the image is indexed.

FVRS Contact Type

For certain Communication Type codes, the State requires that FVRS be notified when a communication occurs. VR Systems has set up these Communication Type codes in your Voter Focus database so that a notice will automatically go to FVRS when such a communication occurs.

The two Report Comms fields below the FVRS Contact Type field indicate when a communication coming into (Report Comms In to FVRS) or going out of (Report Comms Out to FVRS) the county office will be reported to FVRS.