Creating Mass Communications

Overview

This document will provide the necessary details on how to build and send out a Mass Communication.

As you complete actions when building a mass communication, we automatically save your progress.
In addition, when returning to a draft, we take you back to the step you stopped at.

Step #0: Getting There

Accessing this area requires the Admin > Mass Communications permission enabled

1. Access the Admin menu
2. Select the Mass actions tab
3. Click onSend message

Step #1: Selecting the Template

The very first step in building a Mass Communication, is deciding how you want to build your core message.

• We recommend using the Start with a template option, as it will allow you to build your communication on top of an existing custom template.

  Any change you make to an existing template while building your Mass Communication will not be saved for later use, you will need to modify the relevant template directly to make any lasting changes.
  For guidance, please refer to Managing Communication Templates

• Selecting the Blank template option will require you to build an entirely new communication from scratch. For guidance, please refer to Managing Communication Templates

Step #2: Giving it a Name

Next, name your mass communication. It is an internal name, and only used within the Mass Communications area to help distinguish each one as your list grows.

We recommend using a descriptive name, so that other users (or you from the future) can easily identify what each communication was about.

Step #3: Importing Accounts through the CSV

A key part of building your Mass Communication will be about defining the accounts that will receive it. 

1. Follow the instructions in Building the CSV for Mass Communications
2. Back on your Mass Communication draft, click the Upload new file button
3. Upload the CSV you just created

   When uploading the CSV, pay attention to any errors that may occur. They will be called out above for your review.

4. Once a CSV has been successfully uploaded, the number of accounts who will be sent a message is displayed.
   

   This does not necessarily equate to the actual number of messages that will be sent out.

A couple of other key items to keep in mind

1. At any point before sending the communication, you can choose to re-upload the CSV using the Upload new file button
2. The entire CSV must return no error in order to be valid
3. gaiia does not validate the validity of the provided Email adresses, or phone numbers, as part of this process.
4. The same CSV file can be re-used for subsequent Mass Communications.

Step #4: Customizing the Message

• Using the template editor provided, the message can be updated for each message type and language. The message does not need to be updated if it is not relevant to your use case.

  Any change you make to an existing template while building your Mass Communication will not be saved for later use, you will need to modify the relevant template directly to make any lasting changes.
  For guidance, please refer to Managing Communication Templates

• As when building a system template or custom message, the same merge tags are available for use. Read Merge Tags for more details.
• When using an existing template to help build your communication, the initial values will be driven by it. This includes the message types, languages and actual bodies/subjects.

  Should you wish to not send out a particular type or support a particular language, simply use the Send message toggle to determine this. Keep in mind, this can work in reverse as well.

• Should a blank template or existing template be chosen that does not have a particular message type or language built or enabled yet, the toggle can be used to enable it anyway, to make it so it is sent out when committing to the Mass Communication.

  Please keep in mind that you will need to create or update them to ensure accounts do not receive an incorrect or empty communication.

At least one message type and language needs to be enabled to send out a mass communication.

Each message type, and each language, is toggled individually. This means an Email sent out for English could be enabled but the French Email could be disabled and not sent out.

Step #5: Reviewing and Sending

The last step! The only action left is to re-review everything that was entered correctly before sending it off.

Remember to use the drop-downs within the Message details area to toggle between the different message types (Email & SMS), and languages as well (if applicable).

Based on your selections, the message types will also be shown in the General information area, so that what is being sent out is clearly understood.

If you are satisfied, click the Send message to send off the communication. When you do, you will be returned to the main list to review and track the progress of it.

Now that you are done sending your Mass Communication, you should take a look at Managing Mass Communications: Reviewing a Mass Communication After it Has Been Sent