Message Template Manager Wizard
The Message Template Manager wizard gives library administrators the freedom to create, modify, or remove standardized SMS notification messages called message templates. Message templates are organized by message type and library staff can recall and use them in the Send SMS Message Wizard or the Notify Users Wanting Text Messages Report.
These message templates can be used to manually send a message to a user (as long as the message does not include a message tag) or as part of the automated messaging process (see Send SMS Message Wizard). The message templates are shared by all libraries in the system.
A message template consists of the following elements.
Template Name
The name given to designate the unique message template. The name must be unique across all messages and message types.
Message Type
The category the message template falls under.
Message Text
The content of the SMS notification message. The length of a message is limited to 160 characters.
To create a message template
| 1 | Open the Utility module. |
| 2 | Select the Message Template Manager from the SMS Notifications group of wizards. |
| 3 | Select a message type from the Message type dropdown menu. This menu displays all existing message templates categorized by the selected message type. |
| 4 | Click the Create button. This will open the Message Template Manager window. |
| 5 | Fill in the Template Name and Message Text fields with your desired template name and content. |
The Characters Used, Characters Available, and Percentage Used elements will help you to keep your message text within the available character length.
Note: The Message type dropdown menu in the Message Template Manager window remembers the message type you selected in step 2. If you wish to change the message type after entering your message text, use the Message type dropdown menu in the Message Template Manager window to select a new message type.
| 6 | If desired, you can also insert tags into the template. To insert a message tag, use the gadget next to the Message Text field. |
The content of the tags will only be updated when the message gets sent in the Notify Users Wanting Text Messages report.
You can insert either the num_items (number of items) tag or the total_amt_owed (amount owed) tag. In the report, you can also include the library name as a tag and the library phone number.
Note: Templates with tags are not selectable in the Send SMS Message Wizard.
| 7 | Click the Save button to create your message template. |
| 8 | Click the Close button to exit the wizard. |
You can also modify an existing message template by selecting a message template, clicking the Modify button, and following steps 4 through 6 above.
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