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  1. RFMS Help Desk
  2. RFMS Core
  3. System Wide
  4. Email, Notes, and Notifications

Notifications

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Sabrina Sentell
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Overview

Utilities>Setup>Notifications

This feature gives users the ability to set up different types of notifications related to Order Entry, Schedule Pro, and BidPro.  The Notification can be sent by email, text, pop-up message, or Interoffice Mail in RFMS. It can notify a user or customer about various things such as dates approaching, line status changing, orders being created, and much more. 

 

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An option to use a RFMS Twilio controlled account with a pool of numbers is now available.  This will help with tracing replies back to the correct original text message.  In order to use this feature, the switch "Use RFMS Online Services" will need to be turned on with an access code.

 

Configurations

General

User Email Configurations, Text Messaging Configuration, and “No-Reply” Email Configuration must all be set up.

To get the access code to turn on email notifications and texting, 2 hours of training must be completed.

SMS Texting Configurations

Texting configurations will be completed by the RFMS Technical staff after purchase.

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Click on this button after the set up is complete.  This will allow the user to check and make sure that the SMS Text Messaging is set up correctly.

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Responses and Replies cannot be received unless the RFMS Web Service is running.  

“No-Reply” Email Configuration

  1. Go to Utilities>System Options>” No-Reply” Email Configuration.
  1. Complete all the needed information including checking the Enable No Reply Email for Notification checkbox.

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Setup

Utilities>Setup>Notifications

From the Browse Notification Set Up Records screen, a notification can be added, edited, or deleted. 

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Click the Add New Notification button on the toolbar.

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To complete the addition of a new notification, work through the Notification Wizard.

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Note.png  The exact same notification via the same method (email) can not be sent to 2 different people. 

Edit Notification

Click the Edit Notification button on the toolbar.

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From the Change Record screen, the following fields can be edited

  • Subject/Title
  • Message
  • Internal Details
  • Inactive

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Because each part of a notification is determined by the selection made before, it is necessary to delete a notification rather than edit any of the other properties

Delete Notification

This button allows the user to delete the highlighted notification.  A warning message will appear to verify if the notification should be deleted.

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Show Inactive

The Show Inactive box in the upper right corner of the toolbar should be checked if the user desires to see both Active and Inactive notifications on the browse screen.

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Texting for Orders, Schedule Pro Jobs, and BidPro Estimates  

Highlight the order, Schedule Pro job, or BidPro Estimate and click Select Communication Action n11_-_Copy.pngbutton .  The Select Communication Action screen will appear.  Click the Text Message button.

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Next, fill in all appropriate information and click Continue.

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A message will appear once the text is successfully sent.

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Communication Center

Communications Sent 

Click the Mail Menu Option.  A new tab called Communications Sent has been added.  This screen shows the communications sent and if replies have been sent. Only communications from Notifications are included here. 

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The Mark Completed button removes the highlighted record from the Outstanding screen on the  Communications Sent tab.

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If a user is set as CMM & Communication Center Administrative Rights on the User Setup screen(Utilities>System Options>Users), then the user will be able to see notifications sent by himself and other users in the system.

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There is a Communicaiton Center when using the text message option for an Order, Schedule Pro Job, or BidPro Estimate.

Texting

Opt-Out

Text messages will have the message "Reply STOP to Unsubscribe.  Using STOP as the reply should cause the mobile number to no longer receive texts from that Twilio number.  If the receiver types START, this should remove the mobile number from the block list so that they can receive texts again.

Examples

Below are listed a couple of ways that the Notification feature can be used.  Remember this is not the only way, but just a list to show a starting point.

1.  Send a Text Message to let a customer know that their job is Scheduled to Start in a certain amount of days. A reply can be added so they can respond if this is still a good date and time.

Setup would be

  • Schedule Pro Job
  • Filter Schedule Pro Job Records
  • Filter by Store and/or Customer Type
  • Scheduled Job Start Date
  • Number of Days before a job is to start (enter negative number)
  • External
  • Text Message
  • Pick one of the contact ways
  • Set up Reply if needed
  • Fill in Message

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2.  A Pop-Up message can be set to appear every time a new order, quote, or estimate is entered for a certain customer giving some background information or special information.

Set up would be

  • Customer
  • One Specific Customer
  • Select Customer by using F8
  • This notification is not set for a specific field so select No
  • Select New Order, New Quote, and New BidPro Estimates
  • Internal
  • Pop Up Message
  • Enter information for message

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Notification Tips and Best Practices  

  • Start with internal notifications while familiarizing your company with the Notifications feature.
  • It is better to set notifications on less but more relevant information, so customers and employees do not get “notification fatigue.”
  • When possible, use filters to narrow the target audience.
  • When setting up a notification which may result in multiple texts to the same recipient, it is best to not set this up with a reply as it will be difficult for the recipient to specify which text the reply answers.
  • Under some selections, the ability to filter by certain fields in that area has been created. These filters are
    • Customer>Filter Customer Records>Filter by Store and/or Filter By Customer Type
    • Schedule Pro Job>Filter Schedule Pro Job Records>Filter By Store and/or Filter by Customer Type
    • Order>Filter Order Records>Filter By Store and/or Filter By Customer Type
    • Order Line>Filter Order Line Records>Filter By Store, Filter By Customer Type, and/or Filter By Product Code
  • Claims and Overages are considered Orders, so if users need notifications sent for either of these, then set up an order notification.
  • External vs. Internal Notifications
    • External Notifications are sent to Customers, Builders, Suppliers, etc. They can be sent emails and text messages.
    • Internal Notifications are sent to Salespeople, Employees, Installers, etc. These can be emailed, Interoffice Mail, Text Messages, and Pop Up Messages.  Internal text messaging will not allow replies.
  • The ability to send when certain line statuses have been EDITED is available. Remember, this is only when the status has been changed to the status selected in the notification.
  • When being notified about a date such as Measure Date, Delivery Date, Job Cost/Book Date, or Job Start/End Dates, the system is set up on a timer. The user is allowed to select how many days before or how many days after the notification is to be sent.   Remember this includes ALL days including weekends and holidays.
  • If a customer is marked inactive, a notification will not be sent for Renewal Date, but will still be able to get notifications for new or editing of orders, quotes, and estimates.
  • When exporting a quote or estimate, a notification will be received for a New Order Added, if the Edit After Export checkbox is checked. The Edit After Export box must be checked to received and Edited Order Notification if appending or editing from Quotes or BidPro.
  • If a customer replies with an invalid reply (for example: if C or R is the reply needed and they put yes), it will be like there was no reply.
  • Automated notifications are limited to 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. This time is based on the user’s computer clock. Notifications will not be sent until the program is opened on that day, so if no one uses the software until 8:00 am then the first notifications won't be sent until that time. 
  • Using the mail button to send a text will send the text immediately.
  • When a notification is added, it will only send from that date/time forward. It will not send for any past dates; however, if the date is set for that day it will go back to anything done on that day.
  • When using the Reply feature, an uppercase letter can be used once for any current notifications. For example, if A is used in a notification about new orders, then A cannot be used in the next notifications created.
  • If both fields of the reply are not filled in, then the error message stated that a duplicate letter has been used will appear.
  • The Start and End Time will be sent along with the Start and End Date for Schedule Pro Notifications if the Time Slot field contains information.

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