using the communications portal to blast out text and email communications to our group identifiers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Creating Email Address and/or Mobile Number Fields
• Updating Email and Mobile Address Fields for Communication Portal Connection
• Staff Permission for Using the Communications Portal
• Communicating with Your Group Identifiers Using the Communications Portal

Creating Email Address and/or Mobile Number Fields

If you want to be able to use the Communications Portal to email or text your Group identifiers, you will first need to create email address and mobile number fields for your Identifier profiles.  Here’s how:

1. On the left, in your Mission Control, select Groups.
   
   
2. Find the section called Manage Groups and use the drop-down to choose the group you’d like to work on.
   
   
3. On the top-right, use the More menu to click Manage Profile Layouts and Fields.
    
4. On the next page, use the More drop-down menu and select Create a New Field.
   
   
5. From here you’ll need to create an E-mail and/or Mobile Number field.
   

Updating Email and Mobile Address Fields for Communication Portal Connection

If you already have email and mobile address fields and want to be able to use the Communications Portal to email or text your Group identifiers, you'll need to update any relevant fields in your Group profiles by following these steps: 

1. On the left, in your Mission Control, select Groups.
   
   

2. Find the section called Manage Groups and use the drop-down to choose the Group you’d like to work on.
   
   

3. On the top-right, use the More menu to click Manage Profile Layouts and Fields.
   
   
4. On the next page, open the panel where your email address or text field lives and click on the field name (a hyperlink) to edit the field.
   
   
5. Find the Field Type section and change this from "No" to "Yes".
   
   
6. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the window and click Update to save your changes.

Staff Permission for Using the Communications Portal

To enable the ability for your team to communicate with Group Identifiers through your Communications Portal, add a new permission to the relevant staff role. 

1. On the left, click Reporters, Staff, & Sites.
   
   
2. On the right, click Manage staff roles.
   
   
3. Find the staff role you would like to update and click Edit.
   
   
4. When the window opens, find the section called Communications and make sure this permission is selected:
   
5. Click Update to save your changes.
   

Communicating with Your Group Identifiers Using the Communications Portal

Follow these steps to send e-mail and text messages to your reporters, staff members, and Group Identifiers:

1. On the left, click Communications Portal.
   
   
2. Select to whom your message should be sent:
   
   
   Group Identifiers
   

   Options for Selecting Group Identifiers	Definition of Option
   All Identifiers in this Group	Message all identifiers that are enrolled (both Active and Archived).
   All Active Identifiers in this Group	Message all enrolled identifiers marked as Active.
   All Archived Identifiers in this Group	Message all enrolled identifiers marked as Archived.
   Identifiers by Field	Message identifiers based on a given field.
   Identifiers by Reporter Assignment	Message identifiers by selecting assigned reporters.
   Identifiers by Name	Message selected identifiers by name.

    
   Staff
   

   Options for Selecting Staff	Definition of Option
   Staff by Site	Message all staff assigned to a given site.
   Staff by Permission	Message all staff with a specific permission.
   Staff by Name	Message staff by name.

   
   
   
3. In the new Message Type section, select the E-mail or Text button.
   
   

4. When sending e-mails, you may attach up to four files.  These files are not saved anywhere in your Impact Suite.
   
   

5. To send your message, click Send Now.