Using Email/SMS/Letter Templates

In Arbor there are two types of communication templates:

• Preset templates - These templates are used by the system when sending out pre-set messages, such as following up with students who are absent. They cannot be used when sending a mail merge communication.
• Templates your school have set up - These templates can be set up by you. Once you set up templates, you'll be able to click the Load Template button when creating a mail merge communication to load in one of the templates you've created.

Editing a preset template

You can tweak the preset templates used for features that send out messages like Attendance Follow-Up, Guardian Welcome to Arbor, Behaviour Incident Workflows and Sending exam timetables. Go to School > Communication > Templates and select the template you would like to edit.

You can edit the template text and merge fields, or revert the template to the default.

Creating a new template

With this feature, you can create Custom Templates for Emails, SMS and Letters.

To create a new template go to School > Communication > Templates and select whether you want to create an Email, SMS or Letter template.

Click +Add, and choose whether to set up a new template, or to base your template off a Custom Report from the Custom Report Writer.

You will then be directed to the main Email, SMS or Letter template page. Add a Template name. Create the template you wish to use and save the template.

Use the template when setting up communication in the communication module.

Custom Report Writer Templates

You can link Communication templates to Custom Report data. Create a report in the Custom Report Writer, then go to School > Communications > Templates to create an Email, SMS or letter template using data from the report as merge field. Perfect for following up with parents about low attendance marks!

For more details on how to set up templates from custom report writer, click here.

Top Tip: If you want others to use your email/letter/SMS templates created from custom reports, you'll need to share your report with anyone who needs access to the template.