Overview
The Communication Event menu in Paradigm is intended to send bulk communications to students or selected recipients with information regarding their study at your business or institution. The body of your email template can be personalised using some of the merge fields that we made available, and emails can contain attachments to provide more detailed, personalised, and dynamic data to be included in the report/letter attachment. This knowledge article will guide you on how to send bulk communications to a bulk list of students/recipients with or without attachments.
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| title | Communication Event: Initial Setup and Configuration |
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Communication Event Module Initial Setup and ConfigurationThe communication event module uses the email delivery provider SendGrid to deliver emails on behalf of the users. To avoid being classified as SPAM, it is important that our SendGrid email server IP address (168.245.65.115) is white-listed to ensure that Paradigm is able to send emails on behalf of your existing company email server. It may also be necessary to configure a DKIM or SPF DNS record to ensure that Paradigm is permitted to send emails on behalf of a provider email domain. After your IT person/department has white-listed our IP address, you can try sending bulk communications by referring to the workflows below – if there are any further issues, raise a ticket to our Support Team. For more details, please contact the Silverband Support Team. |
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| title | Communication Email Details: Adding a New Communication Sender [From: dropdown list] |
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Adding a New Communication Sender [From: dropdown list] Image AddedRefer to this How-To Guide: Adding a New Communication Sender (From:) in the Communication Eventfor the workflow. |
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| title | Communication Event: Email Templates |
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Email TemplatesThe letter templates are designed to be a cover letter (in email format) for attaching invoices, CANs, enrolment letters, etc to be emailed to the students and stored as proof of communication. Copies of both the letter and attachments are then saved to the student's record within the communication event section. These can then be interrogated for delivery, bouncing, and opening. The letter can be formatted within the provider section for ease of use and minimal updating when used. Contained within each email sent with the communication module is a one-pixel tracker. This is one 1x1 pixel that is hidden within the body of the email that allows the email client to track the email. It can determine if the email has bounced, been delivered, has been opened and read and if any attachments have been clicked into. This can be particularly useful when students are questioning if an important email/communication was sent to them and if they received it. Below is a list of required fields to build a bulk student report for Communication events. This report can be built in the report builder and saved for future use. The fields below are required for such a report (i.e. Bulk student report) but additional ones can be added. Refer to this knowledge article on how to Search, Add and Edit Content (e.g. Email Templates). |
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| title | Table 1: Email Template Form Fields |
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Field Name | Brief overview |
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From: Communication Request Sender | It will be sent from the email address that is recorded against the users user's profile. Provider record is linked with the student’s course enrolment. Make sure you load the student’s course enrolment first, then you will see the Provider option in the drop-down. | If you want a Provider Name/Home Institution (that is not linked to a student's profile or course enrolment) or to add a specific sender/department in your business or institution to be in one of the options under the From field, you have to add a role to that Provider record as a “Communication Sender“, see Adding a New Communication Sender (From:) in the Communication Event for more details. | To: Communication Request Recipient | Who the email is going to | Communication name / Email Subject | The subject name / line of the email | Communication Date | Date sent. This date is recorded within the communication event as the sent date. | Communication Type | For Communication Events this is normally set to Email | Communication Status | This will tell you the status of the communication event: Bounced - Receiving Server could not or would not accept the message. Cancelled - Communication Event Cancelled Closed - Email Opened - Recipient has opened the Message Entered - Failure Sending - In-Progress - Pending - Referred - Resolved - Sent - Unknown Party -
| Course Enrolment | The Course of Study the student is enrolled in | Communication Template Message | This option will allow the user to select from pre-written email templates. These can be added to or updated once loaded into the HTML writer. | Communication Description / Email Body | This is where the template will be displayed once loaded. Alternatively this is where the user can write the body of the email to be sent. |
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| title | Table 2: Merge Fields in Communication |
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Table 2: Merge Fields in CommunicationMerge Fields Within Communication Templates | Brief Overview |
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{email_first_name} | Student / Receiver's first name | {email_last_name} | Student / Receiver's last name | {student_number} | Student’s number issued by provider | {email_subject} | The communication event/email subject | {email_from} | This is the email address of the sender | {email_from_first_name} | This is the first name of sender (blank if the sender is a provider) | {email_from_last_name} | This is the last name of sender (blank if the sender is a provider) | {url_read_tracker} | This is a 1 pixel image that, when added to an email, will upon opening of the email by the receiver will mark the email as open within the system |
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Workflow
Follow the instructions below in order from
to , and choose between [if with an attachment] or [if without] depending on your communication event.| Expand |
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| title | STEP 1. Create the Bulk List of Students as Recipients to the Communication Event |
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Create the Bulk List of Students as Recipients of the Communication Event
1. There are a lot of ways to create the bulk list of students that you want to be the recipients of the communication event, you have the option to choose either of the options in creating your bulk list below: () Student Search screen (Student > Search)You can search for students via this screen by Home Institution, Status, etc. which can further be filtered out. Refer to the instructions on this workflow How to Add Students to a Bulk List via Student Search () Search Course screen (Student > Search Course)You can search for students via this screen by Course Name, Enrolment Status, Institution, Funding Type, Start and End Date, Contact Mode and Hours, Order By, and Agent. Refer to the instructions on this workflow How to ADD a List of Students to a Bulk List. () Upload Bulk List screen (Student > Upload Bulk List)Upload a list from a CSV Source File. You can use this option if you have an existing (valid with all the required fields matching to Paradigm) CSV file with a list of students that you want to send the communication event to. Refer to the instructions on this workflow Student > Upload Bulk List. () Report Builder screen (Report > Report Builder)If you want to build a list of students to send your communication event using your existing saved report or generate a new report with your own criteria/conditions, then this is the best way for you to create the bulk list. Refer to the instructions on this workflow Report Builder > Bulk Student Select. 2. After creating your bulk list, proceed to Save a New Communication Event to Selected Recipientsinstructions below to save a new communication for the currently loaded (bulk list) students. |
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| title | STEP 2. Save a New Communication Event to Selected Recipients |
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Save a New Communication Event to Selected Recipients
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BE ADVISED: Bulk actions are much harder to undo, please ensure only the required students are added to the bulk list. |
After creating the bulk list of students to whichever method you choose from the options above ( ), you are now ready to save a new communication event to your selected recipients.NOTE: You should have a bulk list ready [following from the instructions above] before you can proceed to following the instructions below. In the sample screenshot below, the Search Course screen is being used to generate the students' bulk list – this should be the initial screen prior to sending bulk communications.You can also remove student(s) at this stage (by clicking the REMOVE button on the right – against the student record to be removed) whom you don’t want to include in the bulk communications.  Image Added1. After you have finalised your list, choose Student > Communication menus on the side or click the (hat)🎓icon on the top left-hand corner then select the Communication(✉) menu. Go to the COMMUNICATION DETAILS section to setup/edit/update your email details. | Tip |
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Refer to the tables above under the Key Terms and Concepts for a description of the required fields below and the available merge fields you can utilise for your email body. |
( ) Enter the Email/Communication Subject accordingly.( ) Enter the Entry Date.( ) Set the Communication Status to Sent.( ) Select the communication template that you want to use.( ) Edit your message body as necessary / as required.( ) After filling out the required fields and the email body, make sure that the Communication Status field is set to Sent, and click the SAVE NEW COMMUNICATIONS FOR LOADED STUDENTS button. Image Added2. After saving your communication/email body from the bulk list, proceed to Send Bulk Communications WITH Attachments instructions below if you want your communication event to have attachments, else refer toSend Bulk Communications WITHOUT Attachments. |
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| title | OPTION 1: Send Bulk Communications WITH Attachments to the Bulk List of Students/Recipients |
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| title | 3. Send Bulk Communications WITH Attachments
NOTE: The instructions below assume that you have already followed the to |
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It is also assumed that the Reports/Attachments that you want to attach are already configured prior to following the steps below. Contact your Paradigm Administrator to check your reports/attachments setup and configuration, or contact our Support Team for more details. |
1.After clicking the SAVE NEW COMMUNICATIONS FOR LOADED STUDENTS button, it will display all the students under the COMMUNICATION EVENT BULK LIST section with all details that you’ve filled out from . Leave this screen for now. Image Added2. Choose Reports > Letters menus on the side. Find the letter/report that you want to attach and click the GET REPORT button. In the sample screenshot below, the COMMONWEALTH ASSISTANCE NOTICE report is selected.  Image Added3. Go to the letter/report parameters section, edit the necessary filters/fields, and click the CREATE REPORT FOR COMMUNICATION EVENTS button. NOTE: The system has set some default fields to be used as intended, e.g. Unit Enrolment Status, PDF as the default document type to be attached, etc. However, for some reports, you still have to set the fields correctly for them to run/be generated properly. An example would be for CANs, make sure that your Census Dates are set accordingly, see Edit Time Period Add a Census Date Workflow. If you are sending other attachments ensure that the dates required for that type of attachment are correct e.g. Final Grades, Invoices, etc.This will take some time to complete, while each report is generated individually. The progress bar provides an indication of the rate of progress.  Image Added4. After generating the report to each student/recipient, you have the option to open a sample file attachment against each student/recipient to check the content, e.g. for CAN notices – check for the correct period, and if attached for the correct person for a few of the records. 5. Select all the students on the list by clicking on the checkbox header section. Remove the student from the list by removing the checkmark on the checkbox against the student or by clicking on the REMOVE button. 6. Click the EMAIL SELECTED RECIPIENTS WITH ATTACHMENTS button. NOTE: Closing the browser or navigating away, while sending will cancel any remaining emails from being sent. The emails have now been sent. Check the statuses of the sent emails to check if any failed to send under the Status column. These will need to be either resent or posted. | Tip |
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To check the email statuses, you can either go to Student > Communication: COMMUNICATION EVENT SEARCH section or via System > Email Events. Refer to the workflow: How to Resend Bulk Communications |
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| title | OPTION 2: Send Bulk Communications WITHOUT Attachments to the Bulk List of Students/Recipients |
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Send Bulk Communications WITHOUT Attachments
1. After clicking the SAVE NEW COMMUNICATIONS FOR LOADED STUDENTS button, it will display all the students under the COMMUNICATION EVENT BULK LIST section with all details that you’ve filled out from .2.Select all the students on the list by clicking on the checkbox header section. Remove the student from the list by removing the checkmark on the checkbox against the student or by clicking on the REMOVE button. 3 Send Bulk Communications WITHOUT Attachments |
Video Tutorial
. Click the EMAIL SELECTED RECIPIENTS button. The emails have now been sent. Check the statuses of the sent emails to check if any failed to send under the Status column. These will need to be either resent or posted. | Tip |
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To check the email statuses, you can either go to Student > Communication: COMMUNICATION EVENT SEARCH section or via System > Email Events. Refer to the workflow: How to Resend Bulk Communications |
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Video Tutorial
The video tutorial below will guide you on how to send bulk communication emails with CANs attachments.
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| url | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IV-T111GuE |
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Related Pages
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Overview | Assumptions | Key Terms and Concepts | Implications | Workflow | Video | Related Pages | Further Reading
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Paradigm Knowledge Base Home
Merge Fields in Communication
Bulk List Generate (possible ways to generate list in bulk)
After generating: Ask: With or Without Attachments? If Without – proceed to 3, If With – proceed to2
2 With Attachment Workflow Continuation from Workflow 1
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