CONTROLLED CORRESPONDENCE
3. Prepare the Response (Office Assigned)
a. When each office is established within the DTS and individuals within that office are assigned user permissions, some users will be designated to receive emails when assignments become active for that office. Any individual assigned to that office with permission to access the database containing the active assignment will be able to view the assigned routing from their DTS inbox. Individual users may also be assigned personal tasks that will not appear in other users’ inboxes. Please contact your DTS administrator to discuss any changes required to your office setup preferences or user permissions.
b. The steps below are written as if one user is completing all actions. Local office procedures will dictate individual roles and responsibilities within your office for preparing a response to controlled correspondence. Completing the steps below may require inserting additional routings and require more than one user to access the record within the DTS.
STEP 1. Access the BLM Data Tracking System at: https://dts.fws.gov/. The screen below appears.
STEP 2. Click Continue. The screen below appears.
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STEP 3. Enter your email address (User Name) and password, and then click O.K. If you have more than one user account, the screen below will appear.
STEP 4. Select your appropriate user account and then click Continue. The Control Center will open and your DTS inbox will appear on the right (see below).
STEP 5. Click on the appropriate record on the left side of your inbox. The main information screen for that record and the tree view will appear (see below).
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STEP 6. If the record is locked, an email link to the individual who has locked the record will display at the top of the tree view. Click on the email link to ask the individual to unlock the record. If the record is unlocked, you may lock the record before you begin by clicking the Lock Record box on the main information screen (just above the Routing tab).
STEP 7. Familiarize yourself with the correspondence and review your office assignment.
The Addressee area identifies who sent the incoming letter. Click on an entry under addressee on the tree to open the addressee screen and view the individual’s contact information.
The Comments area shows any comments that have been attached to the general record and who attached them. Click on the individual’s name to read their comment.
The Routing area shows the sequence of routing, and the current status of the record. Be sure to read any comments that have been added to your office’s routing before beginning your task.
The Attachments area shows the documents that are attached to the record.
These documents will also appear on the routing screen to the left when the surname tab is selected. Select the incoming letter and review any comments or requests contained within the letter.
STEP 8. Contact the WO-600CC Correspondence Management Analyst who assigned the routing if you have questions on the assignment or if you believe the assignment should be tasked to another office. Otherwise, follow local procedures to assign an appropriate individual to prepare a draft response.
The steps below apply to a draft response prepared for signature by an individual in the Washington Office or at the Department level. If the response will be prepared for local signature, follow local procedures for
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preparing a response. Note: Even when preparing letters for local signature, surnames are sometimes required from the Washington Office. Be sure to include all required surnames in your process.
STEP 9. Refer to H-1541-1, 1.C, Formatting Letters, to review expectations for letter content and formatting. If you have questions on style and usage while developing your draft, refer to the BLM Style Guide located on the Correspondence intranet page.
STEP 10. To prepare a draft response, navigate to the Template section of the Correspondence intranet page:
http://web.blm.gov/wo600/correspondence/cortemplates.php.
STEP 11. If this is your first use of a macro-enabled template from this site, perform the one-time setup instructions.
STEP 12. Select Download WO Letter Template. Upon selecting the document, you will be prompted to Open or Save it. Save the document to your selected drive as a Word Macro-Enabled Document (.docm).
STEP 13. When the document opens, the Recipient Information form appears (see below).
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a subject code, select the Subject Code Help button near the bottom of the form.)
STEP 15. Select the Typist Line button to display the Typist Line form (below), and enter the appropriate information into each of the blanks.
STEP 16. Click the Submit button on the Typist Line form, and then click the Submit button on the Recipient Information form. The information you entered will automatically generate a draft letter formatted to conform to the BLM Correspondence and Document Management Handbook (H-1541-1).
STEP 17. Replace the introductory, body, and closing paragraphs with appropriate text.
Save the file as “BLMXXXXXX_Name_Response.pdf,” with
“BLMXXXXXX” indicating the BLM document control number assigned to the record and “Name” indicating the last name of the first addressee (the number and name should mirror the number and name already assigned to the file name of the incoming letter).
STEP 18. Restrict editing to tracked changes. Within Word 2010, select the Review tab and then select the Restrict Editing button. In Item 2 – Editing restrictions, select Allow only this type of editing in the Document and select tracked changes from the drop-down menu. Under item 3 – Start enforcement, click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection. The menu will provide you with the option to password protect the document or allow only authenticated users. In most circumstances, do not check either of these options and simply click O.K.
This will not prevent others from accepting or rejecting changes, but it will require a deliberate step to stop enforcement prior to accepting or rejecting
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changes and will also ensure reviewers automatically use the tracked changes option.
STEP 19. Gather or prepare other materials that need to accompany the response through the surnaming process such as enclosures, background information, briefing papers, or notes to reviewers. Begin each file name with
“BLMXXXXXX_Name_...,” with “BLMXXXXXX” indicating the BLM document control number assigned to the record and “Name” indicating the last name of the first addressee (the number and name should mirror the number and name already assigned to the file name of the incoming letter and draft response). Replace the ellipses (…) with a phrase indicative of the document, such as “encl2,” “brief,” “background,” etc.
STEP 20. Upload the response and other attachments into the DTS.
For each document you upload, click the Attachments button located over the tree view for the appropriate record or click on the Attachments heading in the tree. The attachments screen below will appear.
STEP 21. The Author field will default to your name.
STEP 22. Select the most accurate document description from the Document
Description drop-down menu (e.g., Draft Response for Surname, Briefing Paper, Enclosure, Note to Reviewers, etc.).
STEP 23. Input keywords that will help search for this document.
STEP 24. Click the Browse button and locate the file.
STEP 25. Click the Save button on the bottom of the screen.
STEP 26. Local policy will dictate the individuals that are required to review a document prior to leaving a state, center, or program office. If additional office surnames beyond those included in the original routing are required, insert the additional routings at this time. If no additional routings are required, go to step 37.
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tree below where you want to add the new routing.
STEP 28. Click on the Insert tab in the routing screen.
STEP 29. Select Electronic or Hard copy in the Routing Type field. Electronic should be your first selection, unless the individual/office is not accessible via the DTS.
STEP 30. Type the first few letters-numbers of the office code and click the ellipsis button to select an office. Note: You cannot add an office that is not in the office list. To add an office to the list, contact your DTS administrator (select Help/Contacts from the menu for contact information).
STEP 31. Use the calendar to select a due date for the individual routing, not the overall record.
STEP 32. DO NOT enter a date into the Assigned Date field. This date will be assigned automatically when the previous routing is complete.
STEP 33. DO NOT enter a date into the Task Completed Date field when a routing is first assigned.
STEP 34. Select the appropriate task for this routing from the Task drop-down menu.
STEP 35. Check the Send Email box. This will notify offices when the routing is assigned. The DTS will automatically enter your name in the Assigned By field.
STEP 36. Click the Save button on the right side of the routing screen.
STEP 37. When you finish working with the record, uncheck the lock record box on the main information screen (see below).
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STEP 38. If others within your office need to work with the document, ensure they are aware the record is ready for their action.
STEP 39. If you are the last (or only) individual to complete the actions for your office, select the active routing from the tree view (see below).
STEP 40. When the routing screen appears (see below), select today’s date from the calendar to the right of the Task Completed Date field.
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STEP 41. Click the Save button on the right side of the routing screen.
STEP 42. Verify from the tree view that the routing is active for the next office on the routing tree (see below).
STEP 43. If the desired routing was not automatically assigned, select the desired routing from the tree view.
STEP 44. When the routing screen appears (see below), select today’s date from the calendar to the right of the Task Assigned Date field.
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STEP 45. Click the Save button on the right side of the routing screen.
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4. Edit Attachments (All)
STEP 1. To open a particular document, click the file name under Attachments or the word Attachments on the routing tree. The Attachments Screen with
Documents Attached will display below the main information screen (see below).
STEP 2. Click the Attachments button in the View column to download the file.
STEP 3. Save the document to a secure location outside of the DTS. Verify the file name begins with the document control and the file is restricted to tracked changes.
STEP 4. Edit the document as necessary and save the document to your secure location outside of DTS with its original file name.
STEP 5. When you are ready to upload your edited document, click the Attachments button located over the tree view or click the word Attachments in the tree. The attachments screen with documents attached will appear to the left of the tree, below the main information screen (see below).
STEP 6. Click the View Versions button in the Detail column.
STEP 7. Click the Upload Version tab .
STEP 8. The Author field will default to your name.
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STEP 9. Select the appropriate Document Description from the drop-down menu.
Choose the document description originally associated with the file if the original description is accurate.
STEP 10. Input keywords that will help search for this document.
STEP 11. Click the Browse button and locate the file you want to attach. Note: It should have the same file name as the original document and reside in the secure location you chose outside of the DTS before you began making changes.
STEP 12. Click the Save button on the bottom of the screen.
STEP 13. Click the Go Back button to return to the attachment screen.
Note: To view all uploaded versions of a document, click the View Versions button to the right of the file name.
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a. Route Documents Through Email to Offices/Individuals Without DTS
STEP 1. Click the Attachments button located over the tree view or click the word Attachments in the tree. The attachments screen with documents attached will appear to the left of the tree, below the main information screen (see below).
STEP 2. Click on the External Routing button to the right of the document.
STEP 3. The external routing screen will appear (see below).
STEP 4. Select the task from the drop-down menu and enter the text to be sent with your email.
STEP 5. Click on the white envelope and you will see the screen below.
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STEP 6. Select the names of the individuals who will receive the external routing and add them to the Selected column. Individual email addresses may also be inserted by changing the Input Type field with the drop-down menu.
STEP 7. Click the Save button and close the screen.
STEP 8. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the external routing screen.
STEP 9. The tree view will refresh and display the external routing.
b. Route a Document in Hardcopy to Offices/Individuals Without DTS or Route a Hardcopy for Signature.
STEP 1. Open the record and select the office (from the tree view) that will receive the routing in hardcopy. (See the screen below.) Note: If the task is 11- Simultaneous Surname, it may be necessary to prepare multiple sets of the documents routed for review.
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STEP 2. The screen below will appear.
STEP 3. Select Hardcopy in the Routing Type field, and select a Task Due Date and Task for this routing.
STEP 4. Click the Save button to the right of the routing screen.
STEP 5. From the routing tree, click on the word Attachments, select individual attachments beneath the word Attachments, or click the Attachments button at the top of the tree.
STEP 6. Print all necessary attachments and assemble them in a folder. Local policy may dictate a particular color or style for the folder depending on the recipient. In general, the right side of the folder will contain the latest version of the letter to be signed or surnamed, followed by any enclosures.
The left side will contain reference material, beginning with the Note to Reviewers, the incoming letter with enclosures, and any briefing papers or background material necessary for surnaming or signature.
STEP 7. Prepare a control slip for the front of the folder. Click the Control Slip button located on the top menu bar of the tree view
STEP 8. Type control slip comments, if desired, and then click the Generate Control Slip button at the bottom of the control slip screen.
STEP 9. Click the View Control Slip button to open the generated .pdf control slip.
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STEP 10. If a control slip already exists and you wish to create a new one, click on the New Control Slip button and follow steps 8 and 9 above.
STEP 11. Print the control slip and place it on the cover of the folder you created in step 6. Highlight the office with the active routing and highlight your contact information and your intent to pick up the folder when the task is complete.
STEP 12. Hand-carry the folder to the appropriate office. Do not leave controlled correspondence in an unattended inbox.
STEP 13. Monitor the status of the folder and update the DTS as necessary.
STEP 14. When the folder is returned, you are responsible for entering any edits or comments into the DTS, along with the name of the individual making the edits or comments. It may be appropriate to scan hand-written notes and upload to the record as a .pdf or it may be sufficient to make the edits within the document (in tracked changes) and include the reviewer’s name with the version history.
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