Using Wizards

Advanced Messaging gives you in depth access to recipients stored in your MIS, thereby allowing you to really personalise groups that you need to contact.

To send a message using this feature, simply click  Advanced Messaging from the side menu on the left-hand side of the Homepage.

Table of Contents

Quick Messages

The Quick Message Tile allows you to send a message to the entire school, including options to reach targeted groups within, such as the parents, certain classes, or even individuals. For example, if your school has a snow closure you can simply click the Whole School Alert Wizard to send a message out to the whole school in seconds.

Whole School Alert

This wizard is a popular one as it allows you to send a message to all parental contacts at the school in just a few clicks. View the step-by-step guide below for a detailed breakdown on how the Wizards can help to deliver messages to large groups quickly:

1) Click Whole School Alert, located in the Quick Message Tile:

 

Whole school alertClick image to expand.

 

  2) Toggle to select the desired recipients, then click Next Step.

Whole school alert
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3) Select the message type. You can select more than one option. If the message you are sending is urgent, you may wish to choose SMS to Mobile and Xpressions as the message type.

Send options
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 4) On the same page, you will be able to choose the message frequency from the Preference box, then click Next Step.


Message frequency
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5) Choose your message - you will have the option to pick from the templates, or write your own message.

a. You can choose from the existing message template.

b. Alternatively, you can click on Write a new message from the top of the list.

Write a new message
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If you choose to use this option, don't forget that you can add  Tokens from the menu on the right to personalise your message.

6) Click Next Step when you are ready to review and send your message.

 


Top Tip: Is your New message one you’ll need to use frequently? If so, you can toggle to Save Message to Library when drafting your message.


7) From the Sending Statistics page, you will be able to check the selected recipients, message type, and the message itself.

Sending Statistics page
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 a. From this final page, you can also click on Options to translate the message for any recipients that do not speak English as a first language.

b. The Options panel will also provide you with the opportunity to schedule this message to be sent at a later time.

c. You can switch to Advanced Messaging if you need to add any additional filters before sending your message. Don't worry, if you choose to do so, all of your existing selections will be saved so you won't have to start from scratch!

8) When you are ready, click Send.

  You can also watch this short clip below on how you can create a Whole School Alert.

 

The rest of the Wizards follow the same type of steps and you can find the quick steps for each below, along with video tutorials.

Email all Parents

1) Select the Wizard for Email all Parents.

2) You will be asked to select the recipients of the message – either All Primary Parents or All Parents. Simply toggle the desired recipients.

3) Click Next Step to select the message frequency via the Preference box.

4) On the contact method page, you will also be able to choose the message frequency from the Preference box:

Contact method



5) Choose your message - you will have the option to pick from the templates or write your own message.

a. If you choose from the existing templates, click Next Step to review the message and recipients, before sending the message.

b. If you select the option to write a New message, you will be taken to a text editor. Don’t forget that you can add Tokens from the menu on the right to personalise your message. Before you move on, make sure you give your new message an appropriate header. Click Next when you are ready to review and send your message.

6) Review your list of recipients, the message format/ message type that will be sent i.e. SMS, emails etc., and the message itself.

7) From this final page, you can also click on Options to translate the message for any recipients that do not speak English as a first language.

8) The Options panel will also provide you with the opportunity to schedule this message to be sent at a later time.

9) When you are ready, click Send.

Group/Individual message

1) Select the Wizard for Group or Individual message. These Wizards will only send messages to parents, students and Saved Groups. If you wish to send a message to another member of staff, you will need to do so via Advanced Messaging.

a. Group message: search for recipients by Class or Saved Groups. Multi-select is possible.

b. Individual message: search for recipients by Student Names. Multi-select is possible.

2) Once you have selected all intended contacts or groups, click Next Step. Then choose the message recipients from the following list: Primary Parents, All Parents, and Students - you can select both students and parents if you wish to do so. Then click Next Step.

3) Choose how the message type, e.g. Email, SMS to Mobile etc. From this page, you will also be able to select the message frequency, via the Preference dropdown.

4) From the next page, pick your message - you will have the option to pick from the templates, or write your own message.

a. If you choose from the existing templates, please click Next Step to review the message and recipients, before sending the message.

b. If you select the option to write a New Message, you will be taken to a text editor. Ensure you give the new message an appropriate header. Don't forget that you can add Tokens from the menu on the right to personalise your message.

5) Click Next Step when you are ready to review and send your message. If you need to translate the message, please click on Options from this page.

Please watch the short clip below on how you can create a Group Message.

 


Top Tip: If you've remembered that you need to add extra filters on the recipients that will receive this message, you can choose to click Switch to Advanced Messaging during Step 5. Don't worry - doing so will save and display all of your choices so far. Please click here to view the user guide on Advanced Messaging.

Absence Messages

Messenger updates from your MIS every hour to provide an up to date list of late or absent students. By using this Tile, you can keep on top of any unauthorised absences (as per your MIS data) and get in touch with parents as soon as possible.

Not only can parents reply with information regarding their child’s absence, but in the event of truancy, parents will be alerted as quickly as possible.

You can also request an update of attendance information manually before contacting parents regarding absence or lateness. Watch the below clip on how you can do this from your side menu:

[add clip showing this once the job is fixed]

There are three different Wizards depending on what you need to contact parents regarding.

Unauth Absence/Late Today

1) This Wizard will provide you a list of students marked as late or absent in your MIS today. To begin, click on the Wizard, and select the Absent Codes you wish to deal with. Then click Next from the bottom right corner of your screen.

2) From the next page, confirm the Year Groups you would like to view the absences for. By default, all Years will be ticked. To untick any Year Groups, toggle the switch. When have completed this step, click

3) If there are no absent or late students, you will see a red banner to indicate this.

4) If there are students who are late or absent today, you will see a list of their names displayed. By default, all students will be selected. Deselect any that you don’t wish to contact, then click Next Step.

5) From the next page, select who you wish to contact then click Next Step.

6) You can then choose the message type you wish to correspond with parents via. You can pick more than one type of message.

7) From the next page, pick your message - you will have the option to pick from the templates, or write your own message.

a. If you choose from the existing templates, please click Next Step to review the message and recipients, before sending the message.

b. If you select the option to write a New Message, you will be taken to a text editor to type your message - don't forget that you can add Tokens from the menu on the right, to personalise your message. Remember to give your new message an appropriate header.

8) Click Next Step when you are ready to review and send your message. If you need to translate the message, please click on Options from this page.

Unauth Absence/Late Session

1) Very similar to the previous Wizard, this will allow you to monitor absences or lateness for either the AM or PM session today.

2) To begin, choose this Wizard and Select the Session you wish to monitor: AM or Then select the required Absent Codes.

3) If there are no absent or late students, you will see a red banner to indicate this.

4) If there are absent or late students for the session you have selected, please follow steps 4-8 from the above guide: Unauth Absence/Late Today.

Search Absences/Lates

1) The final Absence Wizard allows you to define a date range to view student absences or lateness. Click on this Wizard and first select Absence Type. You can select more than one type of absence, then click Next Step.

2) From the next page, complete the Metrics to determine the list of students that are returned:

a. Percentage (searches within percentage of absences/lateness), or Occurrences (searches for number of absences/lateness). Thresholds allow you to select upper and lower limits and will only return students with absences/lateness between entered values.

b. Alternatively, click Return All Absences to choose all absences/lateness and ignore the You will still need to choose Percentage or Occurences.

3) Select your date range.

4) Toggle to select or de-select the required Year Groups.

5) You will then be able to select or de-select any students as needed. The student list you are seeing on this page has been determined as a result of the previous filters you have selected during this Wizard. Click Next Step when you are ready.

6) Select the recipients you wish to contact. You will also be able to send a message to students, where contact information is available for them. Click Next Step.

7) You will have the option to send parents an SMS notification alongside the email if you wish to do so. 

8) Choose the message frequency option of: For each student parent combination.

9) From the next page, you can choose a template to send to the list of recipients. If you wish to send any attachments to the email, simply toggle this option. Please note, all recipients will receive the same email and attachments.

10) After selecting your message template, click Next Step to review and confirm the message. As per all the Wizards, you will be able to see the Options located at the bottom of the review page. Click Options to translate the message for any parents who don’t speak English as a first language. If you wish to schedule this message to be sent at a later time you can also do this from the Options

11) When you are ready, just click Send.