Notifications
The Notifications feature is a function for sending notifications of various conditions as they occur to designated recipients, for example, adding or updating a record. Archer administrators can customize notifications using blueprints by defining the appearance and page properties that then can be used by multiple notifications.
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Notification triggers
Specified users receive notifications when a defined trigger occurs in an application or questionnaire. A trigger is any change detected in Archer that initiates the publishing of a notification. A trigger can be any of the following:
- Saving a record
- Periodic reports
- Workflow stage changes
- Daily record search based on filter criteria
When a specified trigger occurs, notifications are queued after a save or based on a specific schedule.
Global notification setttings
Global Notification Settings are general properties that define default values for all notifications, as well as read-receipt functionality. The Read Receipt properties enable administrators to activate the read-receipt functionality. A designated email account tracks the receipt of notifications triggered by a notification blueprint.
Recipients can receive notifications using any email-based device. Archer users can select the notifications that they want to receive from the User Preferences menu.
Notifications terminology
Term |
Definition |
---|---|
Layout |
The format of the content in the body of a notification. Content can be structured or free form. |
Notification |
The notice that specified recipients receive based on a set of pre-defined conditions. |
Notification Blueprint |
The specification of properties and settings for the notifications. The notification blueprint defines what information is sent, when it is sent, who should receive it, and how the information is displayed. |
Notification Publishing |
The act of creating and sending notifications. Publishing includes a delivery method, subscription behaviors, and recipients. |
Recipient |
An Archer user or other user who receives notifications. Depending on the notification blueprint, recipients can be 1 or a combination of the following:
Note: If a user is specified multiple times (for example, individually, and as part of a group or role), that user receives only 1 notification each time the notification is triggered. |
Record |
A set of data or fields that is entered to populate Archer elements. |
Template |
A preset format of a notification type made up of the name, letterhead and body layout in the notification blueprint. |
Trigger |
Any change detected in Archer that initiates the publishing of a notification. When a specified trigger occurs, notifications are queued and processed. |
Recipient rules
Recipients can be users, groups, or manually entered email addresses. Recipients who are non- Archer users receive all content regardless of permissions.
If a user account is Locked, that account does not receive any notifications to which it was subscribed.
Type |
Description |
---|---|
Users |
A specific Archer user receives the notification. The primary email address for the user listed in the user account is used to send the notification. If the user is subscribed to a notification and selects a different address in the Manage Your Email Subscription page from the Preferences menu, the specified email address is used. |
Groups |
A specific group receives the notification. Each user in the group is treated individually at the time the notification is sent. The user email address follows the same rules defined for the Users type. |
Fields |
The fields that contain email addresses at the time of publication receive the notification. The following types of fields can contain email addresses:
User/Group Lists are not record-based. All other field types are record-based Text fields. Values Lists do not use record permissions. |
Static |
The email address that is entered manually in the notification blueprint. |
Subscription rules
Notification subscriptions enable recipients to receive notifications after the adding or updating of records in specified applications or questionnaires. The following table describes the available subscription types.
Subscriber Type |
Description |
---|---|
None |
Users are not subscribed by default. Users can subscribe and cancel at any time. |
New Users |
New users receive notifications by default, but they can cancel the subscription at any time. |
All Users |
New and existing users receive notifications by default, but they can cancel the subscription at any time. |
Required |
New and existing users receive notifications by default, but they cannot cancel the subscription. |
Administrators specify the default settings for notifications in the notification blueprints. Archer users can subscribe or unsubscribe to notifications from the User Preferences menu > Manage Your Email Subscriptions.
All selected recipients automatically receive notifications.