Teachers: Create user Groups for messages

This article covers how teachers can create and manage recipient groups in Messages XR Enterprise Teacher Communications, including using list, file, or advanced search to add members and how to delete groups.

💡Quick answers

What type of groups can teachers create? Teachers can only create Private groups, which are available only for messages sent by the teacher who created them.
Creating a new group for a team or club you communicate with regularly? Navigate to Messages > Groups, click Create Group, enter a group name, and add members using the List, File, or Advanced option.
What is the difference between adding members via List vs. Advanced? The List option creates a fixed group; the Advanced option creates a dynamic group that updates automatically as matching accounts are added or removed.
How do I delete a group I no longer need? Check the box next to the group, click Delete, and confirm in the popup window.
Are class rosters automatically available as groups? Class rosters appear as predefined options in the recipient selection area and do not need to be manually created as groups.

💡 Quick answers

What are groups used for? Groups provide a pre-selected set of recipients for faster messaging. Common uses include team communications for coaches, club newsletters, and messages to parents of a specific class.
What type of group can teachers create? Teachers can only create private groups. Private groups are available only for messages sent by the staff member who created them.
How are members added to a group? Members can be added from a list, by file upload, or through an advanced search using filter criteria.
How is a group deleted? Check the box next to the group, select Delete, and confirm in the popup window.

Add a new group

Navigate to Messages > Groups to manage user groups.

alt Groups navigation"

Step 1: Click Create Group.
Create Group button

Step 2: Enter the Group name and select a school from the dropdown if prompted.

Step 3: Navigate to the Group members area and add members using one of the following methods: List, File, or Advanced.

List option

Select members from a list or lists within the folders that populate below. View selected members of this new fixed list in the right-side panel.

⚠️ Important Note

Using the List option creates a fixed list. To create a list that updates automatically and dynamically with newly-added accounts, use the Advanced tab.

File option

Upload a file of users to add to the group.

Select the Member type radio button.
Upload the file into the dotted box.

📎 File upload specifications

Accepted file types: .csv, .txt, .tsv
Max file size: 4 MB
Upload: Drag the file into the upload area, or click Browse to select a file.
Format: The file should contain one ID per line. Example:
```
1258754
6873548
5487345
5648973
9873324
1567898
9876324
```

Advanced option

Search for specific users using filter criteria. This option creates a dynamic group that automatically includes any new accounts meeting the criteria at the time of sending.

Use the School and Accounts dropdowns to limit the scope of the search. For example, selecting School 1 and the Student role means the filters below will return only students from School 1. Accounts from other schools will not be included.
Find accounts that:
- Select Match all to include only users meeting every criterion.
- Select Match any to include users meeting at least one.
- Click Add to add more filters.

Use the Field, Operation, and Value columns to add additional filter criteria. Select an operation from the following:

Operator	What it does	Example
=	Exact match	Grade Level = 02 returns grade 2 only
!=	Exclusion; returns everyone except those with the given value	Grade Level != 12 returns all non-grade-12 students
in	Matches any of several comma-separated values	Grade Level in 06,07,08 returns grades 6, 7, and 8
not in	Excludes several comma-separated values at once	Grade Level not in 06,07,08 returns everyone outside grades 6, 7, and 8
<	Less than; for numeric or date fields, matches values lower or earlier than the given value	Birthdate < 2018-01-01 returns students born before January 1, 2018
>	Greater than; for numeric or date fields, matches values higher or later than the given value	Grade Level > 05 returns all students above grade 5
exists	Checks whether the field has any value	Bus ID exists = True returns accounts with a bus route; False returns accounts without one

Select Search to review matching users in the right side panel before saving.
Click Create to finish.

Delete a group

Step 1: Check the box next to the group to delete.

Step 2: Select Delete in the window that opens up.