New Feature: Message Personalization

A new feature was developed to allow administrators to send alerts with personalized messages tailored for each recipient of the alert. The personalized messages can be customized across multiple channels including Email, SMS, Voice, and others.

Variable Sources

Administrators will be able to pull variables from multiple data sources:

• The alert context itself (Sender Name, Sender email, location, facility name, etc.)
• Contact information (recipient name, location, etc.)
• Uploaded CSV files (for processing with custom recipient data)
• Survey responses (to incorporate sender-provided information)

User Interface Improvements

 The Send Alert interface was updated with the following enhancements:

• A display listing all available variables the admin can use
• Instructions explaining how to properly format and insert variables
• A preview function allowing administrators to see how the alert will appear to a specific contact before sending
• Warning messages that appear when invalid variables are detected in any message field

Allow substitution of Alert variables

Administrators can use variables to create dynamic message content. The available variables come from an alert request

1. The following variables can be used from the Alert
   1. Alert Type 
      • Default
   2. Location - Lat/Lng
      • Requires the Location Alert Form field
   3. Facilities
      • Facility Name
      • No Facilities
   4. Message Priority
      • Emergency
      • Non Emergency
      • Not Specified
   5. Sender Account Name
   6. Sender Display Name
   7. Sender Email
   8. Incident Events
      • Requires Incident Events V2 to be enabled
      • Available fields
        • Incident Event Name
        • Incident Event Category
        • Incident Event Type
        • Incident Event Classification
2. All channels support Alert variables
3. Composing an alert with Alert variables
   1. Click “Use Message Personalization” on the Send Alert form’s Message card

• Click “View Available Templates” to see a list of possible variables

• Begin typing text in the Subject field. To see a list of possible variables, type two opening brackets “{{“. A list of variables will be displayed. Select an option. The variable will be automatically added to the Subject line.

• A sample value can be displayed by clicking on the eye symbol on the right side of the Subject text box, and then selecting “Use Sample Value”. All variables will have a sample value.

• Add message variables to the Message Body by typing two open brackets “{{“ and select message variables.

• Click Preview. The message variables will be validated, and an error message will be returned if anything is invalid. The variables will be replaced in the alert at send time. 

Allow Substitution of Contact Variables

Administrators can use variables to create dynamic message content. The available variables come from Alert Contacts

• The following variables can be used from Contacts
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email
  • Cell Phone
  • Home Phone
  • Business Phone
  • Pager Phone
  • User Type
• Email and Text are the channel types that support the use of contact variables. All other channels result in an error that must be resolved to send the alert.
• Public content links cannot be added when contact variables are used.
• Click “Use Message Personalization” on the Send Alert form’s Message card:

• Click “View Available Templates” to see a list of possible variables

• Start typing text in the Subject field. Enter two opening brackets “{{“. A list of variables will be displayed. Select an option. The variable will be automatically added to the Subject line.

• A sample value can be displayed by clicking on the eye symbol on the right side of the Subject text box, and then selecting “Use Sample Value”. All variables will have a sample value.

• Text can be added to the Message Body by typing two open brackets “{{“ and select message variables.

• Click Preview. The message variables will be validated, and an error message will be returned if anything is invalid. The variables will be replaced in the alert at send time. 

Allow Substitution of Variables from a CSV File

Administrators can use variables to create dynamic message content. The available variables are dynamically created using the CSV file column header names.

• All variables can be used from the CSV file. Examples include:
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email
  • Cell Phone
  • Home Phone
  • Business Phone
  • Pager Phone
  • UserID - will be matched with an existing user in the system. If one is not found, the row will be removed from the alert and marked as an error.
  • ExternalId - will be matched with an existing user in the system. If one is not found, the row will be removed from the alert and marked as an error.
• First, Last Name are required
• At least one contact method is required: Cell Phone, Home Phone, Business Phone, or Email. 
• Additional columns can be added that can also be used as variables in an alert.
• CSV Ad-Hoc contact lists have these restrictions:
  • Max rows: 2,000 
  • Max Column Count: 30
  • Max Column name length: 50 characters
  • Max Column value length: 200 characters
  • Only $ and _ are allowed in a column name. All other characters will be removed.
• Only Email and Text channel selections are allowed. All other selections will result in an error message.

Composing an alert

• Admin needs “Ad Hoc Permission”

• Add CSV file to the alert

• Click “Use Message Personalization” on the Send Alert form’s Message card

• Click “View Available Templates” to see a list of possible variables

• Start typing text in the Subject field. Enter two opening brackets “{{“. A list of variables will be displayed. Select an option. The variable will be automatically added to the Subject line.

• A sample value can be displayed by clicking on the eye symbol on the right side of the Subject text box, and then selecting “Use Sample Value”. All variables will have a sample value.

• Text can be added to the Message Body by typing two open brackets “{{“ and select message variables.

• Click Preview. The message variables will be validated, and an error message will be returned if anything is invalid. The variables will be replaced in the alert at send time. 

Allow Substitution of Variables from a Custom Form (Sender Assessment)

Administrators can use variables to create dynamic message content. The available variables can come from an Assessment

• Any field can be used from an Assessment
• All channel types are allowed with Assessment variables

Composing an alert

• Create a sender Survey
• Add the ‘Assessment’ field to an alert template
• Fill out the Assessment

• Click “Use Message Personalization” on the Send Alert form’s Message card

 

• Click “View Available Templates” to see a list of possible variables

• Start typing text in the Subject field. Enter two opening brackets “{{“. A list of variables will be displayed. Select an option. The variable will be automatically added to the Subject line.

• A sample value can be displayed by clicking on the eye symbol on the right side of the Subject text box, and then selecting “Use Sample Value”. All variables will have a sample value.

• Text can be added to the Message Body by typing two open brackets “{{“ and select message variables.

• Click Preview. The message variables will be validated, and an error message will be returned if anything is invalid. The variables will be replaced in the alert at send time.