Salesforce - Auto Emails
- Carrie Felton
UCL Programs can manage their class-related processes and related tasks directly in Salesforce. By keeping certain data up to date, students can receive automated emails populated with customized class information.
Email Controls
Automated emails will be sent automatically according to the schedule determined in the initial implementation. This schedule differs between departments and the type of class in question.
Student Email Sent
This field indicates whether students have received the reminder for their class. By default, the field is unchecked.
When the first automatic email goes out, whether manually triggered or on the applicable schedule, the box will be checked automatically. Scheduled follow-up emails will still be sent as expected. However, the manual send button will only be visible when the box is unchecked. Similarly, the first email in the series will only be sent if the box is unchecked.
If you want to send a manual email in addition to the scheduled emails, ensure the box is unchecked as appropriate.
Manual send scenarios
Assume the email is scheduled to go out 7, 3, and 1 days before the class runs. Three emails are scheduled to go out to students.
If you want to trigger a manual send on day 10, the Student Email Sent field will be unchecked to start. You click the button, the email is sent, and the box is checked.
- If you leave the box checked, the 7-day email will be skipped by the 3 and 1 day emails will still send. 3 emails sent in total, 1 manual and 2 scheduled.
- If you uncheck the box, all three scheduled emails will go out in addition to the manual email, 4 emails total.
If you want to trigger a manual send on day 5, the Student Email Sent field will be checked from the 7 day email. You need to uncheck the box, save, then click the button. The email will send and the box will be checked.
- Since this manual send is in the middle of the series, the 3 and 1 day emails will still send whether the box is checked or not. 4 emails sent in total, 1 scheduled, 1 manual, 2 more scheduled.
Run Status
The Run Status allows staff to skip scheduled emails for a class entirely, regardless of the days or scheduled automation.
The Run Status has three options:
Run
Limbo
Cancel
All Course Offerings will default to Run. The assumption is that if it gets to Salesforce without being cancelled in PeopleSoft, the intention is the run the class. When the status is Run, the email will be sent according to the standard schedule.
If a class is cancelled in PeopleSoft at least 2 days before the email is scheduled to be sent, the email will not send. If the class is cancelled in PeopleSoft after that point, the Cancel Run Status will stop the email from going out. A Cancelled class will not allow for manual send to go out either.
Limbo is an in-between option. The automated email will not be sent, but you can override the warning and send a manual email on your schedule. Limbo is often used when a class may cancel due to low enrollment or other concerns, or if the handling for a particular class is out of the normal process.
Marking the Run Status of a class to Cancel does not cancel the class in PeopleSoft. All standard cancellation procedures should be observed as usual. This option prevents an unneeded email from being sent while the cancellation is processing through all of our systems.
Do Not Send Class Emails
This field is on the Course Connection (representing the student enrollment). Similar to the Run Status, this checkbox gives you the option to prevent a single student from receiving the emails when any of the automated emails are sent. This skip will include any manually triggered emails using the button.
A Course Connection is a specific combination of a Student and Course Offering on a specific registration date. Checking this box will not impact any other students in the same class or any other classes the student is enrolled in.
Checking the Do Not Send Class Emails checkbox does not drop a student in PeopleSoft. All standard drop procedures should be observed as usual. This option prevents an unneeded email from being sent while the drop is processing through all of our systems.
Standard Automated Email
Without any staff interaction in Salesforce, the data from PeopleSoft will ensure a basic email goes out according to the set schedule.
The standard email will include:
Name of the class
Hosting department
Instructor, if indicated in PeopleSoft
Class dates, times, and locations
If the class is in the 540 or Sandy locations, appropriate parking and building details will be included.
The department website and a link to the UCL drop policies page will also be included.
Customizable Content
These are fields available for program staff to track their processes for classes as they occur. Certain fields control different aspects of the automated emails once they are enabled. Depending on the specific class department, these fields may alter the standard email content outlined above.
All information must be added to the relevant course offering before the email is scheduled to send to be included.
Info for Students
Info for Students is a rich text field that allows for class-specific customization. Specific instructions or details about the class and structures can be added based on the department's needs.
Examples of content for this field include
Holidays or other non-class dates in a series
Special location or parking reminders
Reminders of what students should bring to participate and make the most of the class, such as laptop, shoes, water, ID, etc.
Prework expected
Links or special formatted notes
All automated emails include this field unless specifically excluded in a unique template (e.g. Osher welcome email).
PeopleSoft Facility
PeopleSoft facilities are automatically included in Salesforce, associated with the relevant meeting patterns. In addition to the standard on-campus facility details, certain functionality is supported for other types of facilities and classes.
Online (CANVAS, Online, etc.)
If a class is held online or has an online component, there are several options available for customization.
If the class has a Zoom component, there are fields to support the Zoom link, the Zoom Meeting ID, and a custom passcode. These fields will only be included in the email if they are populated.
If the class has a Canvas component, the Class Resource Link can include the Canvas link and it will be included in the email. For a link containing “Instructure”, certain details about what Canvas is and how to access it will also be included in the email for student reference.
In addition to these built-in options, staff are always welcome to include additional unstructured information or multiple other links in the Info for Students field.
Off Campus (SLC UTAH, TBD, etc.)
To accommodate off-campus class locations not recognized in PeopleSoft, there is an additional Facility field under “Additional Information” in Salesforce.
This field is blank by default. However, staff can add the off-campus facility details to Salesforce and associate that facility with the relevant Course Offering. When the email goes out to the student, the facility name and address are automatically populated in the email.
Waivers
Some classes require waivers to be sent. If the Waiver Required checkbox is checked, a standard paragraph will be included in the email indicating this requirement and provided context about how the waiver should be received and signed.
Waivers are controlled on the Course level, with the assumption that all classes within a Course are expected the behave the same way. If there is an exception and a single Course Offering does not require a Waiver when the parent Course does, the Waiver Exempt checkbox can be used to skip the Waiver for a particular class.
Example
Green highlights indicate the “standard” items. These details will be included based solely on the data from PeopleSoft, without any staff involvement.
Yellow highlights indicate the customizable details that staff can add.
