Staff Messenger

Tool Search: Staff Messenger

The Staff Messenger tool allows a district to send messages to its staff members. Phone messages can be delivered to staff if a district has purchased Campus Messenger with Voice. To receive email and/or phone messages, the recipients must have the corresponding Messenger Preference of General Notification and Priority Notification set on their Demographics tab to receive messages.

A Staff Member is defined as a person entered in Campus who has a District Employment record.
If your district uses the Campus Human Resources module, Staff Members are defined as a person entered in the HR module who has an active Work Assignment.

Screenshot of the Staff Messenger tool, located at Communication, Messenger. Staff Messenger Editor 

Field Descriptions

FieldDescription
User/Group

This dropdown list allows you to save message templates to your user account or a user group to which you belong.

Users need Tool Rights to User Group Formats under Staff Messenger to share and save templates to Groups.

TemplateThis dropdown list displays a list of available templates. To create a new template, select <new>from this list. Templates save to either the User (default), or User Group where they are accessible to other members in the group.
Minimize future message setup time by creating and saving templates.
Templates save:
  • Filter Criteria (Selections, Filters, Active Students)
  • Language Delivery Preferences
  • Message Type
  • Delivery Devices
  • Sender Display Name
  • Message Subject
  • Message Body
  • Attachments
  • Send Time
Filter Criteria
Message Type

This field determines the type of message that is sent. The following options are available:

  • General Notification (Default)
  • Priority Notification (Priority Notifications display in the Process Alerts with a red exclamation point.)
Deliver To: 

This selection determines which staff receive the message. Select the radio button for an Ad hoc filter or for All Staff of School.


In order to be included in the delivery of message sent when using the All Staff of School option, a staff person needs both a District Employment  record AND a District Assignment record.

Set Filter Operation

This field determines what the tool should do with the filters. The default value Union is used most often. Union indicates that all members of all selected filters are included. Intersection indicates that only the members who exist within each of the selected filters are included.

Delivery Devices
InboxThe Inbox option is automatically selected. This option places a note in the user's inbox that a new message is available. Infinite Campus strongly recommends leaving this option marked to ensure delivery to a staff account when no other delivery device is marked for messages.
EmailThe Email option sends an email to the email address on record (entered in Census > People > Demographics).
Voice

The Voice option calls the phone number on record (entered in Census > People > Demographics).

Text

The Text option sends a text message to a mobile device. Recipients who have indicated a desire to receive text messages must have the Text (SMS) checkbox marked in the Personal Contact Information editor of the Demographics tab to receive text messages.

Message Details
Reply ToEmail

This field displays the email address that is automatically included in the message body for message recipients to reference.

If the "Use Sender's Email from Census as Sender's Email Address" checkbox is...Then this field displays the email address entered in....
selected on the Email Settings tab

Census > People > Demographics > Email

NOT selected on the Email Settings tabSystem Administration > Messenger > Messenger Preferences > Email Settings > Default Sender Email Address
 

This field can be changed if the Allow Custom Sender's Email Address checkbox is marked on the  Email Settings  tab.

Existing templates may display a different address if the Allow Custom Sender's Email Address checkbox is marked and a user modified the Sender’s Email field.

Caller ID

This field displays the phone number that is automatically included in the message body for message recipients to reference.

If the "Use Sender's Work Phone from Census as Caller ID" checkbox is...Then this field displays the phone number entered in....
selected on the Voice Settings tabCensus > People > Demographics > Work Phone
NOT selected on the Voice Settings tabSystem Administration > Messenger > Messenger Preferences > CallerID Preferences


This field can only be changed if the Allow Custom Caller ID checkbox is marked on the Voice Settings tab.

Existing templates may display a different Caller ID if the Allow Custom Caller ID checkbox is marked and a user modified the Caller ID field.


Sender Display NameEntries to this field will display in the recipient's email inbox for easier sender identification.
Screenshot of the Sender Display Name.
Sender Display Name
This field is only available if the Allow Custom Sender Display Name checkbox is marked on the Email Settings tab AND Email is selected from the Delivery Devices options in the message template. 
Message SubjectThis field determines the text that displays in the Subject field of the email message.
Message Body

You can enter comments in the Message Body using the WYSIWYG editor.


Do NOT copy attribute fields from another Messenger tool in Campus. The attribute fields are not the same.

For more information about using the options available with the editor, see the WYSIWYG Editors article.

Message Body supports the use of Chinese characters for email messages only.

This option allows you to send a voice message. See the article Messenger with Voice - Setup and Details for more information about this feature.


You must click the Upload button after browsing for the attachment. When an attachment is properly uploaded, the Attach File message displays on the screen.


The ability to send voice messages is controlled by a preference set by the District Administrator.

Browse and upload an email attachment

This option allows you to add an attachment to the email. See the article the Digital Repository Preferences for information about supported file types and sizes.


You must click the Upload button after browsing for the attachment. When an attachment is properly uploaded, the Attach File message displays on the screen.


This option is controlled by an email preference set by the District Administrator and may not display in all districts.

Text Message

The text message to be sent to the mobile device.


The ability to send text messages is controlled by a preference set by the District Administrator.


There is a character limit of 400 characters for text messages.


Infinite Campus recommends not exceeding 140 characters as this may result in multiple messages being sent to recipients in random order. The maximum length of a text message is set to 400 characters. When a text message reaches this length, a warning message displays indicating such. The message cannot be saved until the character limit is met.


Existing text message templates still display in their entirety, but need to be modified to be within this limit before sending.

If users wish to stop receiving text messages, they can text STOP to the short code. This results in the user receiving no further text messages from Campus, even if the user has the Text option marked on their Contact Preferences. Users need to go through the opt in process again to start receiving texts at a later date.

Delivery Date:The day on which the message should be sent.
Send Inbox/Emails at:

The time inbox and/or email messages begin delivery.

 

The time saves with the templates. If messages should always go out immediately after Send is selected, this field should be left blank.

Dial Window

These fields create a dialing window during which a general voice message may be sent. The default values for these fields are set up on the Voice Settings tab System Administration > Messenger > Messenger Preferences > Voice Settings).


Dial Window times must be entered and saved with templates. If the start time entered on the message is earlier than the start time on the template (and the start time on the template is after the start time entered on the Voice Settings tab), Messenger uses the start time on the template and does not send the message until that time is reached.


If the end time on the Dial Window is earlier than the end time entered on the Voice Settings tab, calls do not stop. Instead, they continue until the end time on the Voice Settings is reached. In addition, if a voice message is still delivering when the District end time is reached, message delivery stops and is not completed.

Campus Fields and Sub-Reports for Staff Messenger

Campus Fields and Sub-Reports includes specific fields for use in the Message Body WYSIWYG. These fields are designed to pull the latest qualifying event, based on filter criteria. Other fields are available but they use ad hoc logic and may not return the most recent event data if there are multiple events in a year.

Any ad hoc fields that have been deactivated display in red. Use the Element Replacement tool to locate deactivated elements and replace them with the new field.

Campus Fields can also be added to Text Messages. Sub-Reports cannot be added to Text Messages.

Screenshot of the Campus Fields selections. Staff Messenger Campus Fields Selections 

Screenshot of the sub-reports selection. Staff Messenger Sub-Reports Selection
Sub-Report Options

The following table lists the sub-report options for each area.

AreaSub-Reports
Learner

Student Schedule

Active and Dropped Student Schedule

Learner Planning

Course Requests

Course Plan

Attendance

Period Mark Summary

Course Mark Summary

Whole/Half Day Summary

Exact Day Summary

Single Day Count Summary

Grading

Grade Detail

Term GPA Summary

Behavior

Discipline Summary

Behavior Summary

Student PortfolioCumulative GPA and Class Rank
Health

Immunization

Health Screening Concussion

Health Screening Dental

Health Screening Hearing

Health Screening Scoliosis

Health Screening Vision

Point of SalePOS Account Balance

When using sub-reports in letters, please note the following:

  • All behavior data is included when adding either of the sub-reports.
  • A field only displays if there is data for that field. If a field is chosen from the sub-report but there is no saved data for that student, information for that field does not display.
  • A sub-report option only displays if the district/school records that data.
Information in the letter sub-reports uses data stored in the AttendanceDayAggregation table. This means that attendance data for the current date is accurate as of the previous night's attendance calculation, or the last time the Attendance Aggregation Refresh was run. If needed, the Attendance Aggregation Refresh tool can be run to force an attendance recalculation to pull in the current day's data.

Create a New Template

Templates allow you to create messages that can be sent at a later date. Templates also allow you to create reusable messages that save time and standardize content. The following information is saved with the template: Filter criteria, Delivery Devices, Sender Display Name (if enabled), Message Subject, Message Body, wav file (if uploaded), email attachment (if enabled and uploaded) and Text Message Body (if enabled).

  1. Select the <New> option from the Template dropdown list.
  2. Select User (default) or a User Group that the template should be saved to from the User/User Group dropdown field. Templates saved under a User Group are available to other members in the group.
  3. Use the Field Descriptions to complete the Staff Messenger editor. 

    The Message Body uses a WYSIWYG editor.
    Do NOT copy attribute fields from another Messenger tool in Campus. The attribute fields are not the same.
    For more information about using the options available with the editor, see the WYSIWYG Editors article.

  4. Click the Save button at the top message editor.
  5. Enter a name for the template in the pop-up box. The template appears in the Template dropdown list.

Delete a Template

  1. Select the template you want to delete from the Template dropdown list.
  2. Click the Delete button. A confirmation message displays.
  3. Click the OK button. Campus removes the template and it does not display in the Template dropdown list.

Create Messages

  1. Select an existing Template from the Template dropdown list.
  2. Use the Field Descriptions to complete Message Builder editor. 

    The Message Body uses a WYSIWYG editor. For more information about using the options available with the editor, see the WYSIWYG Editors article.

  3. Browse and upload an email/voice attachment. (optional)

    You must click the Upload button after browsing for the attachment. When an attachment is properly uploaded, the Attach File message displays on the screen.

    Screenshot of the Upload attachment.

  4. Click the Test button to review the message and its recipients.

    Infinite Campus strongly recommends testing messages before delivering them. A message is sent in the exact manner it is delivered to recipients. The Test Message screen confirms that the test message was sent.

  5. Click the Preview/Send Message button. The Preview Message screen displays.
    Screenshot of the Preview Message screen.
  6. Click the Review Recipients button. The Review Recipients screen displays.

  7. Complete the following tasks on the Review Recipients screen. (Optional)

    TaskDescription
    To exclude recipients/phone numbersClear the checkbox next to a name or phone number.
    Preview the messageClick the page icon in the Preview column.
    To exit and return to the Message Preview screenClick the Save & Return button if changes have been made to the recipient list. Otherwise, if no changes have been made, click the Cancel button.
  8. Click the Send Message button on the PreviewMessage screen.  The Preview Message screen displays. This screen confirms that the message tasks has been completely set up for delivery at the times entered in the Send Emails At and/or Dial Window fields of the main Message Builder screen. This screen does not indicate that the message is currently being sent.
    Screenshot of the Preview Message screen after selecting Send Message.
  9. Click OK.