2h - Message Express templates
Message Express templates
Message Express allows you to set up a number of items so that you won’t have to worry about them every time you write and send a message. The following is a list of items that can be set with a Message category.
- The phone number that will appear on the recipient's display when they receive an automated voice message (read by a synthetic voice).
- The name that will appear on the recipient's display when a voice message is received.
- The sender's email address (yours) linked to the message that the recipient will receive in their email inbox.
- The subject line that appears in the summary of the email the recipient receives.
- The personalized signature that will appear in every email sent.
- An image or logo such as a municipality's or its coat of arms that you wish to include in the email version of the message.
- A hyperlink to a web page or document that can be viewed or downloaded by those receiving the email message.
- The date and time your message was sent.
To open the Message Express templates, simply click the Templates link, as shown below.
Although you will only type one communication at a time with Message Express, the template interface allows you to specify the form it will take either in its email, SMS or voice phone version as seen above. To do so, simply go to the appropriate template version using the drop-down located in the upper right corner.
In short, there are three templates to prepare for each Message category as Message Express provides three means of communication. Each template includes specific characteristics.
The Automated Vocal template
Enter the information that the recipient will see displayed on their phone when they receive your messages; to do this, select the voice template from the drop-down list in the upper right corner.
The SMS template
In a text message, it is best to keep the message very short, precise and concise. One possible approach is to send a text message that announces that you have sent a message and that more details are available in the email version.
The Email template
Above, the SUBJECT value is inserted into the subject field, so that the subject of your message will appear in the recipients' mailbox summary. The MESSAGE and SUBJECT values are simply the text you enter. To review how to write a message, click here.
Options available (see images below):
a. There is another way to add a value (subject/message) or a special value (date/time).
b. The value is placed where the cursor is in the main field where text can be entered.
c. The check icon indicates that changes to the template have been saved.
Of course, with the Email template, text formatting plays a significant role. You can add a signature, for example, or use bold or italics, align the text and even give it some colour.
Also, as we will see, you can send images and hyperlinks in a message.
Adding images and links in the Email template
- The Insert Image button is used to add images in an email template.
- Note that the image must come from the web, to avoid sending an infected file by email that may contain a virus. This also reduces the amount of data to be sent.
Important: For this operation to work, you must isolate the online image in a new browser tab. To do this, right-click on the image and select "Show image in a new tab".
Here is an example of such a file:
http://weknowyourdreams.com/images/tree/tree-09.jpg
Once the image is open in a new tab, simply copy and paste the URL of the new tab into the Source input field. You can adjust the dimensions of the image if necessary.
3. It is also possible to include a hyperlink in the template of an email by using the Insert link button below. This way, you avoid distributing viruses through files of various formats. We also recommend using hyperlinks to web pages where content can be downloaded, if necessary.
Automated backup in Message Express templates
1. The changes you make in the templates are saved automatically. During the saving process, a clock icon appears in the upper left corner.
2. In the email template, you can enter the sender’s email address and a general subject (which will be present in every mailing).
3. As text can be entered and formatted in the template, a signature can be designed so you won't have to prepare it at each mailing. It will accompany the content of the values entered in the same place.
4. The special values DATE and TIME can also be added to the templates. The contents of these values will indicate exactly when you pressed the Send Message button.
