How do I configure the email and texts sent to students?
- Gina Dykeman
The emails and texts sent to students are configured in different places in SARS. This can become overwhelming, but, hopefully, this list of the “places” and what determines which place is used will be helpful.
The URLs for eSARS and Qualtrics survey, discussed below, are long. It is recommended, especially for texts, to create/use a bitly URL as an alias.
Confirmation Emails and Text
Booked by student using eSARS, the online portal
Booked by a SARS user using SARS Anywhere
Zoom appointments, no matter how they’re booked
Canceled by SARS user using SARS Anywhere
Moved by SARS user using SARS Anywhere
Reminder Emails and Texts
Booked appointments
Appointment confirmations are probably the most confusing because the type of appointment – face-to-face versus Zoom – AND the method the appointment is booked – by the student in eSARS or by a SARS users in SARS Anywhere – determines which application is used to send the confirmation email.
Methods used to book appointment
SARS Anywhere:
Appointments can be booked, cancelled, or moved by a SARS user.
Your location decides which, if any, of these actions will send an email and/or text to a student and the contents of each.
It is configured in SARS Admin and done by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
eSARS:
Appointments can be booked or cancelled by a student. Booked appointments can be sent a confirmation email. Since the student is the person cancelling the appointment, a cancellation confirmation.
Your location decides the contents of the confirmation email.
It is configured in eSARS_Config and can be done by your location’s SARS admin or by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
Types of appointments
Face-to-face or Zoom appointments can be booked in SARS Anywhere. Your location decides which appointment types can be booked in eSARS.
Face-to-face:
Booked in eSARS: The booked appointment confirmation email – text is not an option – is configured in eSARS_Config by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team or your location’s SARS admin.
Booked in SARS Anywhere: The booked appointment confirmation email and/or text is configured in SARS Admin by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team
Contents of confirmation email
Typically, the face-to-face appointment confirmation includes:
Appointment Date,
Appointment Time,
Name of the person meeting with the student, and
Location (either the building and office number of the person meeting with the student or the building and room number where the student should check in)
Additionally, it can include any pre-appointment tasks the student needs to complete, such as links to DegreeWorks, Qualtrics, etc.
Your location determines the contents of the confirmation email.
Zoom:
No matter how a Zoom appointment is booked – by a student in eSARS or by a SARS user in SARS Anywhere – the booked appointment confirmation is configured in the SARS-Zoom interface by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
Contents of confirmation email
Typically, the Zoom appointment confirmation begins with PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THIS EMAIL! IT CONTAINS THE ZOOM LINK followed by:
Appointment Date,
Appointment Time, and
Name of the person meeting with the student
Link to the Zoom meeting which includes the password
Additionally, it can include any pre-appointment tasks the student needs to complete, such as links to DegreeWorks, Qualtrics, etc.
Your location decides the contents of the confirmation email.
Canceled appointment
Appointments can be canceled with by the student in eSARS or by a SARS user in SARS Anywhere. The former does not receive a cancellation confirmation. The latter email and/or text is configured in SARS Admin by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
Contents of cancellation email and/or text
Typically, the cancellation email and/or text includes:
Appointment Date,
Appointment Time,
Link to your location’s eSARS online portal so the student can reschedule
NOTE: The eSARS URLs are long. It is recommended, especially for texts, to create/use a bitly URL as an alias.
Your location determines the contents of the confirmation email.
Moved (rescheduled) Appointment
Appointments can be “moved” only by a SARS user in SARS Anywhere. Here are a couple of instances when this might happen:
This might happen if the person meeting with the student will not be available
UA ceases operations for a weather-related or other emergency event
The email and/or text is configured in SARS Admin by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
Contents of moved email and/or text
Typically, the moved email and/or text includes:
New Appointment Date,
New Appointment Time,
Link to your location’s eSARS online portal so the student can reschedule
NOTE: The eSARS URLs are long. It is recommended, especially for texts, to create/use a bitly URL as an alias.
Your location determines the contents of the confirmation email.
Appointment reminders
SARS Messages has options for sending emails and/or texts for:
Appointment Reminders which can be linked to Schedule Codes
Appointment Missed which is sent when the student’s attendance is “Marked No” in SARS Anywhere
Appointment Follow up which is sent when the student’s attendance is “Marked Yes” in SARS Anywhere
Your location determines the contents of the these emails and texts. They can be configured by your location’s SARS admin or by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team.
Appointment reminders
Typically, the reminder appointment email and/or text includes:
Appointment Date,
Appointment Time,
Name of the person meeting with the student, and
Location (either the building and office number of the person meeting with the student or the building and room number where the student should check in)
Additionally, it can include any pre-appointment tasks the student needs to complete, such as links to DegreeWorks, Qualtrics, etc.
Missed Appointment
Typically, the missed appointment email and/or text includes:
Appointment Date,
Appointment Time,
Link to your location’s eSARS online portal so the student can reschedule
Appointment follow up
Typically, the follow up appointment email and/or text includes:
Link to a Qualtrics or other survey