Alert templates help you save time by letting you preset common alert details. By pre-selecting recipients, message content, and more, you won't need to re-enter that information every time you send an alert. This article will walk you through creating an alert template.
Important Note:
This example is based on creating a template for the Send Alert form. There can be many customizations that may look different in your system.
Instructions
Navigate to Alerting/Poll Templates:
Click the Add Template button (plus sign icon):
Enter the Template name and Folder you want to use for the alert template:
Note:
Use “/” for nested folders. For example, “Level 1/Level 2.”
Click the Alert option for the Form Type:
Toggle the Modify Template Form switch to on to add or remove fields for the form (optional):
Adjust Build Template fields, as needed:
Template: The template being used
Priority: Priority of the alert
Sender: Who sends the alert
Recipients: Groups or individual users who will receive the alert
Recipients: Map Selection: The area the alert will be sent out to
Subject: Subject of the alert
Message: The body message of the alert
Delivery Method: The method the alert will be sent out using
Social Media: Send alerts to social media channels
Hide Attachments: Ability to hide attachments
Expiration: When the alert will expire
If your organization has Access Control enabled, create or change access to the template, if desired:
Skip the Alert/Poll Templates section (the selection option isn't available during template creation):
Select the Priority level:
Emergency: Choose this option to automatically select all default delivery methods and add all voice options
Non-emergency: This is the default priority; selecting this will select any default delivery methods (text, email, mobile app)
Note:
For more information about priority levels, see the Alert Priority article.
Review and update the Alert Sender Information as needed:
Brand: The selected brand
Use Default Brand: Uses the default brand as the alert sender when checked; uncheck to choose a different brand from the Brand dropdown, if applicable.
Sender Display Name: Name that displays as the sender of the alert
Reply-To Email Address: Email that will get any replies to the alert
Caller ID (Read Only): Default reverse callback number (this field cannot be updated)
Select Recipients:
Note:
If an Admin is restricted to specific groups, and a group they do not have access to is selected in the template, they will be unable to send alerts using that template.
Internal Directory: Select internal users or groups
Public Directory: Select public users or groups
Map Selections: Select an area on the map
Fill out the Message fields:
Subject: Add a subject for the message
Message Body: Add the primary content for the message
Use New Message Editor: Switch the Message Body’s text and paragraph toolbar to its newer, more streamlined interface
Add link to message: Create a publicly accessible web link to the alert message; this makes the contents visible to the public and available through your organization's RSS feed
Note:
You can use the Message Body field’s text and paragraph formatting tools to edit the look of your message, if desired.
Select the desired Delivery Methods (click the collapsed “Email, Mobile App, Text Message” accordion to expand the section and show all options):
Mobile App: The CivicReady Mobile app (internal users)
myAlerts App: The MyAlerts app (public users)
Email: Send to an email address
Text Message: Send using a text/SMS message
Primary Mobile Phone: Send texts to primary mobile numbers
Secondary Mobile Phone: Send texts to secondary mobile numbers
Voice: Send using a voice call
Cell Phone: Send voice calls to cell phone numbers
Business Phone: Send voice calls to business phone numbers
Home Phone: Send voice calls to home phone numbers
Emergency Telephone Notification: Data imports from white and yellow page phone numbers
Note:
Emergency Telephone Notification can only be used for true emergencies as it is not "subscribed" users. To send alerts to this channel, you need to select the area on the map.
Configure the Message Customization fields, as needed:
Notes:
The options displayed in this section will depend on your organization’s settings and your selected delivery methods.
You may need to click a collapsed Delivery Method (Text Message, Voice, or Social Media) accordion to view all customization options.
Learn how to add a social media account.
Set an Expiration timeframe for alerts that use the template:
Note:
Alerts sent using the template will be considered active until the end of the defined expiration period.
Review the template Name and Type for accuracy, then click the Save button:
