Applicable Product:

• PeopleFluent Learning

Applicable Release:

• V22
• V23

Summary:

Administrators can configure the LMS to send email notifications to users when certain events occur, using predefined templates. Email templates specify the message recipients and the message content, which can include parameters that insert user or enrollment-specific information. For example, on successful enrollment in a course, an email can be sent to the participant and to their manager, which can be personalized with their names and the course title.

 

System Templates and User Templates

The LMS comes with a number of System Default email templates relating to specific events. You can also
create your own User Templates for events that do not have a predefined System Template.

Some events that can trigger emails have no System Default templates. To enable the LMS to send emails for these events, you can create appropriate email templates for them and then select them in the corresponding System Configuration settings or Enrollment Policy details.

 

Email Recipients

You can configure email templates to have multiple recipients. The following types of recipient can be used in combination:

• Users with specific system roles
• A specific LMS user
• External email addresses

Languages

If your organization has a multi-language LMS implementation, you can configure email templates to be sent to LMS users in their preferred language, as long as it is one of the languages activated for the LMS. After saving a new email template in the default language, you can add other language versions of the email template. The LMS can then check the recipient user's Language setting in their user profile and send the corresponding language version of the email, if one has been created.

Predefined Messages

When you create a new email template you can select one of the predefined messages and edit it to suite your needs. All of the System Default messages are available to copy into a new message and edit in this way.

Message Parameters

You can add dynamic content to email messages (including the subject) using parameters. This enables you to create a single email for a particular event—a course session, for example—and substitute information corresponding to that event in place of the parameter. Parameters are enclosed in curly braces: {parameter_name}. Examples include: {course_title}, {session_start_date} and {venue}.

Message Format

You can compose email template messages in plain text or HTML. You can also convert—in bulk—all email templates between text and HTML Mime types, using the Translate Email to HTML feature.

Email Attachments

You can attach files from the repository to emails, along with a facility map and training center map, if they have been uploaded to the facility or training center for the course or session corresponding to the event that triggers the email.

Permissions

You can set the permissions per email template to specify which users and organizations can use or edit the template.

Usage

When you open a template in the editor you can see which of the following LMS features use it:

• Enrollment Policy References
• System References
• Certification References
• Organization Level Welcome and New Password References
• Learning Program/Module References

You cannot delete an email template if it is being referenced by any of the features listed above.

 

Search for Email Templates

All available email templates are listed in the Templates tab in the Email Template Editor. They are grouped into two folders: System Default and User Templates, which you can expand and collapse individually. If your organization has a large number of email templates, administrators can search for templates relating to particular events by filtering a single list of templates in the main page of the Email Template Editor.

You can search for email templates using the following criteria:

• Name
• Subject
• User Targeting Template

When you specify a User Targeting Template the list to email templates is filtered to include only those
templates whose permissions specify a user targeting template to control which users have read-only or
unrestricted access to it.

To search for email templates

• Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Email Template Editor. The Email Template Editor opens in
  a new window.
• Click the Search icon on the toolbar. The Template Search page opens, listing all of the email templates in alphabetical order (by Name).
• Enter the filter criteria and click Filter. The list of templates is filtered according to your filter criteria.
• If required, click the Name and Subject column headings to sort the list. Click again to toggle between ascending and descending order.
• Click the name of an email template to open it in the editor.

 

Create an Email Template

Administrators can create a new blank email template as an alternative to copying and editing an existing
template. When you create a new email template it is added to the User Templates folder. To enable the
template to be selected by other administrators to use, you must give them read-only access permission. To enable other administrators to edit the template, you must give them unrestricted access permission.

To create an email template

1. Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Email Template Editor. The Email Template Editor opens in
   a new window.
2. Click the Create Template icon on the toolbar. The Email Template Properties page opens for the new template.
3. Enter a name for the template. This is required field.
4. To select the LMS user account that sends emails using this template, in the Sender section click the
   browse icon. The User Selector opens. Replies to the email are sent to the sender. If you leave this field blank, the default sender is the System Administrator user.
5. In the Recipients section, select which users (by system role) will receive emails using this
   template. Click the browse icon to select a single specific user to include as a recipient. You can also
   enter one or more external email addresses.
6. To base your email on a predefined message, select a predefined message from the drop-down list in the Message section. The message appears in the message editor, where you can edit it as required.
7. Enter the email subject. This is a required field.
8. Enter the email message in the editor. You can format the text using the options on the editor's toolbar. To edit the text in HTML, click the Source Code icon.
9. To insert parameters in the email text, select them from the Parameters drop-down list and click
   Append to Message.
10. To attach a file from the repository, click the Assign attachment link in the Attachments section. The
    Repository Manager opens in a new window, where you can select the file to attach. To attach the file, select its check box and click Select. The Repository Manager closes and the file is listed in the
    Attachments box in the Email Template Editor.
    You must also select the Attach Learner's Prework and Standard References check box for the file to
    be sent with the email.
11. Attach the facility and training center maps, if required.
12. Select a logical domain for the email template, if required. The logical domain determines some of the default settings to use when explicit values have not been specified. For example, the Default System Approver is defined per logical domain, and can be selected as a recipient for emails.
13. Click Save. After saving the template you can configure the access permissions for other administrators, and add languages.

Email Parameters

Administrators can add dynamic content to email messages (including the subject) using parameters enclosed in curly braces: {parameter_name}. To insert a parameter into an email message, you select it from the Parameters drop-down list and click Append to Message. To insert a parameter into the subject of an email, you have to insert it in the message first, and then cut and paste it into the Subject field.

There are over 160 parameters you can use to include information about user accounts and enrollments.

Example: the Default Enrollment Confirmation Email

This is the System Default email template that can be automatically sent to participants who have successfully been enrolled in a course.

The {default_system_approver} parameter inserts the name of the Default System Approver specified for the Logical Domain. (The Logical Domain specifies users and settings to use whenever an explicit parameter has not been provided.) Using {default_system_approver} ensures that a learning systems administrator user is included in the email.

 

Copy an Email Template

Administrators can copy an existing template to create a version that inherits its properties (except
permissions), which you can then edit while retaining the original. You should always copy a Default System template if you want to change it because whenever the LMS is upgraded to a new version the System Default templates are reset, so any changes made to them are lost. When you copy a template the new copy is saved as a User Template.

To copy an email template

1. Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Email Template Editor. The Email Template Editor opens in
   a new window.
2. Select the email template you want to copy from one of the folders in the Templates tab, or search for it using the template search.
3. Click Create a copy to duplicate the template currently open in the editor.
4. Edit the copy as required.
5. Click Save to save it as a new User Template.

 

Edit an Email Template

Administrators can edit an existing template to change its recipients, message content, and permissions, and to add or remove language versions.

To edit an Email Template

1. Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Email Template Editor. The Email Template Editor opens in
   a new window.
2. Select the email template from one of the folders in the Templates tab, or search for a template to edit.
3. If required, click Create a copy to duplicate the template you want to change.
4. If required, click Add new language at the top of the page to add a new language version of the email template.
5. Edit the template properties as required and click Save to save it as a new User Template.

 

Add a Language to an Email Template

If your organization has a multi-language LMS implementation, administrators can configure email templates to be sent to LMS users in their preferred language, as long as it is one of the languages activated for the LMS. A user's preferred language is specified in the Language property in their profile.

You can only add a new language to a saved template. If you are creating a new template, you must save it before the option to add a new language is shown.

To add a language to an email template

1. Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Email Template Editor. The Email Template Editor opens in
   a new window.
2. Select the email template you want to add a language to from one of the folders in the Templates tab, or search for the template.
3. Click Add new language at the top of the page. The page updates to show only the Message section.
4. Select the new language from the Language drop-down list.
5. Enter the email subject in the new language.
6. Enter the email message in the new language, including parameters as required.
7. Click Save. The new language version of the email template is shown at the top of the page and is
   selectable for editing.
8. To enable emails to be sent in the recipients' language, click the (Default) language link at the top of the page and select the Send Message in "To" recipient's language check box.
9. Click Save.

 

Reset the Default Email Template Language

Administrators can change the default language for email templates.

To reset the default language for email templates

1. Go to Manage Center > Communicate > Reset System Default Email Template Language. The
   Reset System Default Email Template Language page opens.
2. Select the new default language from the drop-down list.
3. Click Submit.

 

Permissions

Access to objects in the LMS is controlled by permissions, which you configure in the standard
Permission Selector.

You can provide users with read-only or unrestricted access to many of the objects configured in the LMS, such as course catalogs, individual sessions, training centers and email templates, to name only a few. Read-only access allows user to view the object while unrestricted access allows users to view and modify it.

Selecting Users

There are several ways to select the users you want to configure access for:

• User targeting templates
  Selecting one or more specific users
  Selection criteria based on user group, organization or role
  Selection criteria based on organization attributes (for Auto-enroll and Job Profile Auto-assign
  permissions only)