The procedure to define a communication SMS template is as follows:
- Navigate to Quick Menu > Communication Engine > Configuration > Communication Definitions. The Communication Definitions window is displayed.
- Expand a module and linked entity from the alphabetical list and select an associated communication definition, or type its name into the Search Communications field. By default the list is filtered to show Current communication definitions. An alternative filter can be applied using the Filter by drop-down field: Expired, Future or All combinations
1.
- Click on Templates. The Templates tab is activated and all existing templates are displayed in the Templates summary table.
- Click on New Template. All fields are activated ready for data entry.
- Using the Communication Method drop-down field, select the specific parameter value of SMS.
- Using the Language drop-down field, select the appropriate parameter value for the intended recipients in the distribution list (e.g. English, Polish, Gujarati, etc.).
- Using the Communication Need drop down field, select an appropriate format for the intended recipients in the distribution list (e.g. Large Font, etc.) 2.
- Choose an Effective from date for this communication template i.e. the date on which it came into effect 3.
- Choose an Effective to date if the communication template is to be time bound; a blank field means the template will never expire.
- Using the Default Queue drop-down field, select an appropriate destination for the communication (e.g. an SMS server or gateway).
- Define the template characteristics - Default Template - by activating the tick box provided.
- Click on Save. The new template is displayed in the Templates summary table 4.
- Select the row matching the new template and click on Edit Template. A blank Template Editor window is displayed. Alternatively, click on Use Existing Template first to select and clone a standard template, to be used as a baseline for the new template
1.
- Enter the body text of the communication that will be the same for all recipients. The maximum number of permitted characters is a configuration setting prescribed by the user.
- Insert place holders - also referred to as merge tags - into the body text where personalised data is to appear (e.g. an address, a salutation, an event-specific data item, etc.). A list of possible tags relevant to the communication module are displayed in the left-hand pane. Expand the entity headings and select the correct tag or type the name into the Search Tags field to display all possible matches 5.
- Insert additional place holders into the body text where standard paragraph text is to appear. Expand the Standard Paragraph heading and double-click on the correct paragraph name from the statement bank 5.
- Click on Save and Close.
Tip
1 Use a standard template to store information that is common to the many different types of communication issued by a housing organisation e.g. an acknowledgement and introduction paragraph retrieved from a statement bank, a corporate header, recipient name and address, the current date and user signature, etc. As well as saving time and effort, standard templates ensure a consistency of style and can be reused on any number of occasions.
Note
1 The Search Communications field will match against any element of the communication description.
2 System validation checks ensure that only appropriate needs are selected for the communication method e.g. Braille and SMS are incompatible.
3 The Effective from date defaults to the current system date and cannot be left blank.
4 Multiple templates linked to the same communication definition can coexist for the same output - letter, email or SMS - in the instance where the communication need and language requirements differ.
5 A pseudo (friendly) name is shown in the list of available tags. Once selected, the physical database field name is shown in the body text.
See related topics...
To define a communication email template
To define a communication letter template
Communication template management overview
Communication merge tags library overview
To configure a communication SMS service
To create a new communication definition
To add a new paragraph to the statement bank
