How to create and send a custom message from the platform
The mass messaging functionality enables all administrators the ability to send out communications and track responses. Administrators can create their own message, use an alert already existing in the platform, or save some pre-set messages for frequent or future use at the click of a button. There also a few helpful quick links from other functions in the platform to support administrators send messages expediently in a crisis or emergency situation. Through this tool, messages can be sent via email, SMS or mobile app notification.
The mass messaging function is an add-on subscription to the platform. Please speak with your account manager if you would like to know more.
This page will cover the following areas:
How to create and send a message
The steps to sending a message remain the same whether the tool is accessed from the map view or admin view.
Step 1: Select Recipients
- Click Create New and you will see the page to select recipients for the message. You can select recipients of the message by clicking Add. You can do this by:
- Individual users under the Add Users tab
- Multiple users under the Add User Groups tab
- Specific user roles under the Add Roles tab
- Multiple users based at a facility location under the Add Facilities tab
- To easily search for specific users or groups, user the Search bar to enter the details.
- Click Preview Recipients to review your selection to ensure you have selected all the recipients you need. You can select recipients across a number of tabs against the message you would like to send. Once selected, click Next.
Step 2: Compose the Message
- Select how the message is to be delivered through SMS, Email and/or Mobile App Notification. You can choose a combination of all, some or just one.
- Next enter the desired content for the message Title and Description. Please note there is character limit which is especially important to note for sending messages by SMS.
- If you do not require tracking responses to the message, you can now click Next to move onto the next step to send the message.
- If you would like to add responses to the message to enable recipients the ability to respond, click Add Response and response field will now show. Enter the custom content you would like recipients to select, for example "I received this message."
- To add more response options, click the Add Response button each time you would like to add a new option.
- If sending the message by app notification, you will notice next to the response options the tick-box to "include share location from the app". This is an optional field, and if selected, when the recipient responds to that option the app will also do a check in at the same time. This will help to identify their location if further assistance is required.
- You will need to select a Reminder Response Time from the drop-down options provided. By selecting None, the message will only be sent once. Selecting a reminder option will trigger the message to be sent again if a response has not been selected. Up to three reminders will be sent if a recipient has not responded.
- Click Next to move on to the final step.
Step 3: Review and Send Message
- Click the drop-down links provided, for example Message Content, to review the message settings you have selected to confirm all is as expected. If a change is required, click Back to navigate to the relevant step to amend what has been selected.
- Once ready, click Send
- The compose wizard will close and a green pop-up will appear to confirm all is successfully working to send.
Example of Message Sent By Email:
- Click to view Response Options:
- Once a response is selected:
Example of Message Sent By SMS:
- View the SMS and tap the link to view response options and select one
Example of Message Sent by App Notification:
- Tap the notification and it will open in the app and display the options to respond
Track Responses
- You can access the message summary from the log by clicking View, to see the responses to the message and further details.
- The message summary will update in real time as responses start to come in.
- Clicking on one of the response options will filter the list of recipients who selected that option.
- Clicking on one of the response buckets, for example Failed Delivery, will also filter the list of recipients who did not successfully receive the message. This will help to identify those who have not been informed yet, as it may be a result of phone number formats etc.
- Click the export button to download the message summary data in a report.
- There is an option to resend the message to all recipients again if required.