Send an Automated message with Messages XR Enterprise

Some examples of messages you might want to automatically notify families about are:

• attendance / student absences
• library fees and due dates
• low lunch balances

This article will show you how it works!

Automated messages overview

Navigate to the Messages > Automated messages tab to view and access your automated messages. 

Here you will see two separate sections of messages:

• Automated messages: This area displays all currently configured automated messages. Each message uses default, pre-configured content when triggered by an automation.
• Custom message content: Here you can craft tailored messages that replace the default content triggered in the Automated Messages section above.
  • This gives schools greater flexibility to personalize communication and better align messages with their unique voice and needs.
  • If a custom message is created for a specific message type (e.g. Daily Attendance Message), it will automatically override the default version used by the corresponding automated message.

Create automated messages

The top section is where you will create and manage automated messages. Let's learn how to create a new automated message.

Step 1: Add a new automated message

The first step is to add messages that will be automated, assigning each automated message a specific Type (e.g. attendance history, reminder, etc). 

• Select the Add button to set a new automated message.
  
• The Add/edit message window will open up. 
  

Step 2: Give a Name and choose your Automated message Type

• Name: Give your message a name. 
• Type: Select the type of message from the dropdown. 

Message types

There are several pre-configured automated messages that may appear in the Type dropdown for use within your district or school.

• Attendance: Messages in this section pertain to tracking and communicating student attendance. 
  • Daily Attendance Message: Tracks specific attendance codes and missed events.
  • Attendance History: Summarizes a student's attendance history for a term.
  • Since Date Attendance Threshold: Monitors attendance since a specific date.
  • X Days Attendance Threshold: Tracks attendance over a set number of days.
  • Consecutive Days Attendance Threshold: Monitors specific attendance codes and days.
• Cafeteria Balance
  • Lunch Balance
• Other possible automated messages:
  • Library Balance Message: Lists borrowed items and any balance due.

Step 3: Select one or more Data sources

This dropdown lists all available Data sources that can be included in your automated message configuration. These sources are based on files submitted to the data team in advance, which are then made available here. To include a data source, simply check the box next to one or more options.

Step 4: Choose your recipients' delivery methods

You may wish to send to different delivery methods, depending on whether your recipients are Parents or Students. Here you can select the delivery methods for each. 

Step 5: Click Show advanced for advanced options

When configuring your automated messages, choose from some advanced options. Click the Show advanced checkbox to expand out these settings.

• Delivery time: Check this box to send the message out as soon as an import is completed.
• Phone options: Select this to deliver to all recipient phone numbers.
• Compact messages: Checking this box will shorten an automated voice message by removing header/footer prompts. 
• Responsible parties: Check the box next to a user or users who can be notified with regard to this automated message by a recipient.

Step 6: Save your automated message

Click Save to apply your configurations. Your new automated message will now display in the top Automated messages section. 

• Your message will not be scheduled to go out until you click the Schedule column after saving your message. Learn more below in the section, Modify the schedule. 
  

You can now learn to Manage your automated messages that have already been created! 

Manage your automated messages 

Once you have created new messages, you will be able to manage tasks inside of your Automated messages area. 

Some of the tasks you might need to manage are found in these areas:

• View Automated attendance messages reports: Click the link in the top right labeled "Automated attendance messages reports" to view reports on each of your Automated messages including such details as delivery details and number of messages going out per day. 
• Reopen Message Name column: Click an automated message to reopen the configurations that you set in the above steps.
• View Type column: View the Type of message to help you be familiar with the type and way it will be sent.
• Applied: Change which schools within your district will be receiving this automated message
• Modify Schedule: Click to Create will help you set a schedule for the import tasks to be run. 
• Quick action icons
  • View a running log 
  • Leave notes for other users on your team
  • Manually force an attendance call to go out
  • Test out your automated message

Apply your automated message to more schools

Navigate to the Applied column and click to apply a previously created Automated message to be sent out to more schools than what you may have previously decided upon. 

Modify the schedule 

Quick action icons

Locate these icons in each automated message row. 

• Log icon: Here you can view a running log, even setting a Date range, to view any data on when this automated message was sent out. You can Generate a Report here to show failed imports and/or running or queued imports for this message. The Log icon can show you whether or not a test message is successful. 
• Notes icon: Leave timestamped notes in this area for other users who might also be utilizing this automated message.
• Run icon: Click this icon to manually force an attendance call to go out. 
• Test icon: Click this icon to test out your automated message. No actual calls will be made, but a log will be generated displaying what would have gone out if the message was going out live.

Test or preview your automated message

Option #1: Run a test

Once you Save your message, you can run a test to view the configured info using the thumbs up icon in the Quick action icons set. 

• Click  thumb icon.
• Select the organizations in the left panel that you'd like to run a test for.
  
• Click the Test button in the bottom right corner to send a test.
• In the Quick action icons, select the Log icon to view notes on the send of your test message. 

Option #2: Preview the message configurations in Custom message content area

Here is another route you might wish to try to Preview your message:

1. Identify the Message Type (e.g. Daily Attendance, Library Balance).
2. Search in Custom Messages by keyword using the Message Type to find related message templates.
3. If matching message is found, click to open and find the Preview button in the bottom left corner of the open message. 
4. Clicking Preview opens up a window to show you how the message will appear to your recipients. 

Delete an automated message

Due to the complexity of these imports, adjustments and removals of automated messages should be made through Finalsite Support. 

Create custom message content

Now we will learn how to write Custom message content in the Automated messages section of your Messages XR Enterprise platform. 

The Custom message content area allows you to: 

• Craft tailored messages that replace the default content in the Automated Messages section.
• Personalize communication to better reflect your school’s unique voice and needs.
• Gain flexibility and control over automated messaging content.
• Ensure your messaging is aligned with your tone, audience, and communication goals.

Step 1: Add new custom message content

• Click the Add button under Custom message content.

Step 2: Configure the settings in your new custom message content

Configuring your settings adds more content to your screen! 

• School: Select a School or leave as District to send this new custom message content out from the district as a whole. 
• Message type: Decide which Message type under which this new custom content will be categorized.  
• Recipient role: In the Recipient role dropdown, select one of your roles to be the recipient. 
• Language: Select other languages you would like to send this message in. Once you change to a new language, you can:
  • View/edit the new language in the Text and SMS areas.
  • Record the Audio for your message or select Default Audio. Skip slightly below to Audio Options to learn more. 
• Text: Type, paste, or edit the text in this section using the formatting toolbar. 
• Text (SMS): Type, paste or edit the text into this field.
  • The Text (SMS) character limit is 300 characters.
• Audio: Select one option to configure the audio section of your custom automated message. 
  • Call Finalsite: Call the number listed in your platform in the Audio section. Enter the number displayed in the Audio section onto your telephone keypad. Record your message, pressing # pound sign to finish recording and press the number 1 to save the message. The maximum time allowed is 150 seconds. 
  • Upload Audio File: Click Choose File to upload your pre-recorded WAV or AIFF file into the Audio section.
  • Use Default Audio: Use the default provided Finalsite audio. 
• Footer Audio: Decide how you will include audio for the footer options at the end of the message. 
  • Call Finalsite: Call the number listed in your platform in the Audio section. Enter the number displayed in the Audio section onto your telephone keypad. Record your message, pressing # pound sign to finish recording and press the number 1 to save the message. The maximum time allowed is 150 seconds. 
  • Upload Audio File: Click Choose File to upload your pre-recorded WAV or AIFF file into the Audio section.
  • Use Default Audio: Use the default provided Finalsite audio. 

Step 3: Preview your message and Save

1. Identify the Message Type (e.g. Daily Attendance, Library Balance, etc.).
2. Search in Custom Messages by keyword using the Message Type to find related message templates.
3. If matching message is found, click to open and find the Preview button in the bottom left corner of the open message. 
4. Clicking Preview opens up a window to show you how the message will appear to your recipients. 
5. Click Save to save your new Custom message content. 

Manage your Custom message content 

Once a Custom message is created and saved, it appears in the Automated messages section and automatically overrides existing messages of the same type.

To learn how to manage your Custom message content, return to the section, "Manage your automated messages."