Messaging between the Trainer and Student Portals
As from version 17.3.0.0 of the Trainer Portal - A trainer has expanded options for messaging students and other trainers. The trainer has the ability to send a message to a student via the Student Portal. This can take the form of a direct message to an individual student or a whole of class message. The trainer may also message other trainers using the trainer portal.
- Direct messaging
- Class message
- Entering a new message
- Viewing and/or replying to received messages
- Preventing replies
- Sending as SMS
- Message notifications
- VETtrak Trainer Portal preferences
Direct messaging
To send a direct message to a student or trainer:
From the Dashboard: Select the New Message button in the NEW MESSAGES panel.
From the New Direct Message modal: Use the search box to locate either a trainer indicated by the hat icon, or a student indicated by the person icon. The search looks for first/last/code of a user. Click on the desired user and proceed to fill in your subject and message before sending.
From the VIEW STUDENT page: using the header search area and choose the SEND DIRECT MESSAGE menu from the menu under the student's name.
From the "VIEW CLASS" page: Under the "STUDENTS" list, select "Send direct message". This will allow you to select a subset of the class to send the same message to.
The Trainer will be able to select individual students to send a message to from the specific class by clicking on their names and filling in the rest of the form as normal.
Class message
To send a class message. Choose SEND CLASS MESSAGE from the VIEW CLASS page top menu.
Entering a new message
On the modal NEW DIRECT MESSAGE, enter a subject and content then hit the Send message button.
Viewing and or replying to received messages
On the dashboard: click on the message to bring up the VIEW MESSAGE modal. The trainer may reply to the message thread by clicking on the Reply to thread button at the top right of the message.
Replying to the message modal entry box:
From the notifications menu: Click on the notifications badge and choose View all direct messages
The VIEW DIRECT MESSAGES page:
Preventing replies
When sending a class message the trainer may wish to prevent replies to prevent an influx of direct messages. To do this uncheck the allow replies checkbox.
Sending as SMS
The trainer has the option of also sending the message as an sms to the recipient(s) this can be done by ticking the Also send as SMS checkbox in the bottom right. Once checked this will calculate the cost of credits and display this to the trainer below.
If the Trainer is sending a class message and wants to send an sms to the class too the cost will be calculated as before for each student with a mobile. If the trainer hovers over students with mobile a tool tip will appear showing the students that have a phone number.
Message notifications
The trainer by default may receive notifications of new direct messages, in the notifications menu. The receipt of messages and emails can be altered by the trainer using the Notifications settings link in the notification pop up menu.
VETtrak Trainer Portal preferences
In the VETtrak global preferences modal, under the Trainer Portal, a new Messages tab has been added to globally control viewing or sending messages from the Trainer Portal. A similar tab has been provided for the Student Portal and would need complementary settings in each for one portal to message the other. eg: Trainer Portal setting Can send messages would require Student Portal Can view messages to be in sync.
