KxStudent > SMS Functionality
- Gary Morgan
Content outline
This document outlines functionality of the SMS messaging service available to those with the Student Application. It offers a basic guide for users to be able to actively use this functionality.
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is more commonly known as “text messaging” or “texting”). SMS text messaging is the most widely used data application on the planet, with an estimated 2.4 billion active users sending and receiving text messages.
SMS text messaging works with all languages supported by Unicode, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Kinetic Solutions have initially introduced SMS functionality in to the Student Module, providing the functionality to;
- Send SMS messages to either 1 or many students
- Log SMS messages as correspondence in the same way as Emails are
- Write SMS templates
- Send Messages via Student Search (Mass Mailing) and via Student Record (Send Mailing/Send New Mailing)
- Provide security so that only certain users/user groups can send SMS messages as per email settings.
Enabling SMS functionality
SMS functionality can be enabled within your Student Module via a request through your project manager or account manager. Once this functionality is enabled you will have the ability to send individual and mass SMS messages, with the ability to set up multiple templates, or to free type messages.
When SMS functionality is enabled a mobile telephone symbol will be displayed along the bottom menu bar.
Getting Started
SMS can only be sent if a mobile number is entered and the SMS is enabled on the student contact details screen.
You can check whether the Student has a preffered number for SMS and whether the functionality is enabled via the students contact details screen.
If SMS is not enabled or to include a mobile number, select the required address and select the ‘Edit selected contact details’.
Ensure a mobile number is included, select ‘use as preffered SMS number’, this will produce a message on the student contact screen acknowledging this number as the preffered choice for SMS.
You must ensure that the ‘enable SMS’ check box is ticked to allow SMS to be sent to the student.
Configuration of templates
Enter the configuration module and select Student Accommodation, under ‘email templates’ select SMS templates
Select ‘add’, complete the description and select ‘save’.
The ‘edit SMS Template’ button will become visible, select this.
Enter required details; the use of merge tags is available for content. To use merge tags, right click to reveal the available menu. The merge tags are the same as the email templates, with the number on the end being the maximum number of characters to be sent.
On completion of the content, select ‘save’ followed by ‘close’
The template is now available for use.
This template can now be found on the ‘send message-output selection’ screen, in addition to the manual input option.
Sending SMS to an individual Student
Select required student, click on ‘send mailing’ icon
A ‘send message-selected students’ menu box will appear, proceed to ‘next’
A ‘send message-message selection’ box will appear, select ‘SMS only’, select next to continue
A ‘send message-output selection box will appear, there are several options available on this screen.
- Request a response-this functionality allows you to request a response from the recipient and allows a response cut-off date to be set.
- SMS messages-allows you to manually free type a message, or to select from a template
On selecting your SMS type, or free typing, the required test will appear on this screen. The number of characters and the number of messages to be used is amended to reflect the content. If you are happy with the content, at this point proceed by clicking ‘next’
The ‘send message output summary’ displays the summary of what is to be sent and allows the user to complete this process through clicking ‘finish’.
Sent Messages
SMS messages are held within the correspondence section of the Student and are identified via a text description and phone logo.
The status of the message can be checked through selecting the required correspondance and selecting the ‘Check SMS Message Status’
On successful sending of the message a green tick will appear and the ‘check SMS status’ button will be removed from the screen. Details of what has been sent will appear in the bottom section of the screen, when each individual piece of correspondence has been selected.
Where else can individual messages be sent from?
SMS messages can be sent from the main Correspondence folder. On selecting correspondence the ‘send mail icon will be visible, select this and continue as previously demonstrated.
SMS messages can be sent from the academic year. Select the current year and then select the correspondence folder. On selecting correspondence the ‘send mail icon will be visible, select this and continue as previously demonstrated.
Sending mass messages
Mass SMS can be sent via the student searches. Select required search and criteria.
Run search in order to return student data, then select the ‘message’ button.
If you wish to select individual students from the displayed list, tick the individual check boxes.
If no check boxes are selected, you will be asked to confirm whether you wish to send messages to all selected students
On selection of ‘yes’, all students will be selected, the continue to follow the previous outlined procedure. On selection of ‘no’ the individually highlighted student will be identified to send an SMS too, continue through the previously outlined procedure.
