Activating Notifications

By default, all notifications are inactive.

The Default From Address is required for all instances and all configurations. You configure the mail server and Default From Address for each instance in the Archer Control Panel. See "Configuring an Instance for Notifications" in the Archer Control Panel Help.

After configuring notifications in the Archer Control Panel, you must also configure the application in the instance and the Notifications feature of Archer.

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Enable notifications for an application

You can enable or disable notifications for an application. When notifications are enabled, end users are allowed to receive notifications when content in the application is published or updated.

You can also create a notification. When you create a notification blueprint for an application, end users can subscribe to that blueprint and receive email alerts when records in the application are added or updated.

  1. From the menu, click Admin menu > Application Builder > Applications.
  2. Select an application.
  3. In the Properties tab, in the Options section, select Enable Notifications.
  4. Click Save to save your changes.

Configure the default notification settings

These values are used for all notifications and can be overridden for a specific notification blueprint.

  1. From the menu, click Admin menu > Notifications > Global Notification Settings.
  2. Expand the Default Notifications Settings section.
  3. From the Letterhead list, select the default letterhead that you want to use.
  4. From the Body Layout list, select the layout you want, and then click OK.
  5. In From Address, enter a default email address.
  6. In From Alias, enter a default email alias.
  7. From the Attachment Type list, select the default attachment type.

  8. Click Save or Save and Close.

    • To apply the changes and continue working, click Save.
    • To save and exit, click Save and Close.

Define read receipt rules

Read-receipt functionality enables you to track the receipt of notifications. When return-receipt functionality is activated, enter the return email address for read-receipts that are requested from users when they open a notification email. These rules also include settings for the mail server and user name and password for the return email account.

Important: You must set up an email account on your mail server that receives read receipts from users who have indicated receipt of notification emails. The mail server on which you create this account most likely is the same mail server that your organization is using for alert notifications. After the application pulls read-receipt information from the email account that you define, all emails are deleted from that account to prevent the account from exceeding its storage limit.

Read receipt rules

The following table describes the read receipt rule properties.

Property

Description

Status

Indicates whether the read-receipt functionality is active or inactive. The Active status enables you to configure any notification blueprint to request read-receipts when notifications are sent to the recipients.

Email Address

Specifies the email address that receives the return receipts.

Do not use your own email address as the account to receive the return receipt. All notifications are deleted from the specified email account after the application or questionnaire retrieves read-receipt information to prevent the account from exceeding its storage limit. Use a dedicated email address to receive the read receipts.

Server Name

Specifies the server name or IP address of the mail server on which the return-receipt email account is created.

The Server Name is the same server name or IP address that was used when configuring the Notifications for the instance.

Protocol

Specifies the method that is used to retrieve notifications from the email server.

Port

Specifies the number associated with the communication endpoint for the selected protocol.

User Name

Specifies the name of the user who has access to the return-receipt email account.

Password

Specifies the password that is required to log on to the return-receipt email account.

Test Connection

Verifies that the credentials and connection information entered are correct.

If an error occurs, correct the error and click Test again. Continue this process until you receive a confirmation message indicating success.

Change the status of the read receipt rules

  1. From the menu, click Admin menu > Notifications > Global Notification Settings.
  2. In the Read Receipt Properties section, in the Status field, select the applicable status: Active or Inactive.

  3. Click Save or Save and Close.

    • To apply the changes and continue working, click Save.
    • To save and exit, click Save and Close.

Define the read receipt rules

  1. From the menu, click Admin menu > Notifications > Global Notification Settings.
  2. Expand the Read Receipt Properties section.
  3. In the Email Address field, enter the email address that receives the messages.
  4. In the User Name field, enter the user name that has access to the return-receipt email account.
  5. In the Password field, enter the password that is required to log on to the return-receipt email account.
  6. Click Test Connection to verify that the credentials and connection information you have entered are correct.

    Note: If the test reports an error, correct the error and click Test again. Continue this process until you receive a confirmation message indicating success.

  7. Click Save or Save and Close.

    • To apply the changes and continue working, click Save.
    • To save and exit, click Save and Close.

Update the read receipt rules

  1. From the menu, click Admin menu > Notifications > Global Notification Settings.
  2. Expand the Read Receipt Properties section.
  3. In the Email Address field, enter the email address that will receive the messages.
  4. In the Server Name field, enter the server name or IP address of the mail server on which you created the return-receipt email account.
  5. In the Port field, enter the appropriate port for the selected protocol.
  6. In the Protocol field, select the protocol used to retrieve emails from your email server.
  7. In the User Name field, enter the user name that has access to the return-receipt email account.
  8. In the Password field, enter the password that is required to log on to the return-receipt email account.
  9. Click Test Connection to verify that the credentials and connection information you have entered are correct.

    Note: If the test reports an error, correct the error and click Test again. Continue this process until you receive a confirmation message indicating success.

  10. Click Save or Save and Close.

    • To apply the changes and continue working, click Save.
    • To save and exit, click Save and Close.