In SAP SuccessFactors Learning, email notifications are generated to inform recipients about an action that they need to take, or about an event that occurred. All email notifications will use the associated standard global template whenever an email is triggered.
Formatting and content for email notification templates are implemented in a hierarchical fashion. At the top of the hierarchy is the global template. If the global template cascades down to a lower level, then changes to the global template impact the lower-level email notifications.
If a notification template is customized, all future email notifications relevant to that template will reflect the changes. The administrator has the option to preview and save the edited template. If necessary, the View Default button can be used to revert to the original system-provided template.
If changes need to be made to an email notification that has been inherited by another entity, the changes can be made in the inheriting entity without affecting the global template on which the email notification was based. For example, once a class is scheduled, it will inherit the email notification from the item entity on which the class was based. Changes can be made to the inherited email notification in the class entity without affecting the item's global template.
Each email notification is based on a template that includes placeholder values, known as tokens, which are filled in at the time the email is generated. The figure, Email Configuration Template, illustrates a sample registration notification email. Information specific to the class, such as the class name, time, and date, populate based on the tokens used.
Email Template Configuration
Administrators with the appropriate permissions can modify the content of email notification templates as well as search for and open an email notification template. Use the entity tabs to navigate and customize the email notification template.
Steps to Access and Edit a Global Template
- Navigate to Learning Administration→System Administration→Manage Email→Email Notification Templates and search for a template.
- Choose the edit icon next to the template in the search results, and then configure the template in the Summary, Messages, and Attachments tabs.
- Select the Summary tab to change the name of the template and identify the Token Set ID.
- Select the Messages tab to configure the email notification body and subject.
- Select the Attachments tab to upload an attachment.
Summary Tab
In the Summary tab the Token Set ID is defined. A token set ID is a unique identifier that represents a set of access tokens that can be used in a specific email notification. Tokens are used in messaging to dynamically add information to an email notification. In other words, tokens retrieve database fields that are relevant to the event or action that triggered the email notification.
Messages Tab
The Messages tab is used to customize the appearance of the notification and define the information that will be presented to the end user. Messages are typically created with a subject and body.
Body
The body field in an email notification template contains the content that defines the message displayed to the user. Messages can be customized using one or more of these elements:
- HTML tags: HTML tags are used to format the message. Different tags serve different purposes and help to define the visual and functional elements of a message. HTML tags enhance your messaging, allowing you to move beyond generic plain text. With the ability to incorporate background colors, horizontal lines, bold text, italics, and underlined text, your messaging can become more visually appealing to users.
To allow for HTML customization and for the text to preserve spaces and line breaks, the starting tags <html><pre> and the end tags </pre></html> must be added to the body text. The body text will reside between these starting and end tags.
- Static text: Static text is displayed whenever the email notification is generated. When working with an existing template, static text should be entered carefully to avoid "breaking" any existing tags. It is always safe to enter static text at the top of the message body or the bottom. This is not recommended for customers who have multiple language packs installed.
- Tokens: Tokens insert dynamic data each time the email notification is generated. Examples include the date of a class and the name of the instructor. Select the Tokens link to view the available tokens. It is not possible to create new tokens or use tokens from another token set.
- Label keys: Label keys are used to internationalize email notification text for each locale that your organization has installed. If your organization is using only the standard English locale, using labels in email notification templates is optional, but highly recommended to change the value of the label globally.
To edit or view the labels that are currently used within an email notification template, select the Edit Labels button. You can also edit labels by navigating to References→Manage Labels→Labels.
- Loop tags: Loop tags summarize the list of recipients who received this email notification. The <LOOP> tag delivers one wrapped-up email, instead of a copy of all individual emails. Only the manager, instructor, or contact sees the full list of recipients. For example, a manager has four subordinates registered in a class. Each registered user receives a registration email notification. The manager receives one registration email notification with the four users listed in the body of the message.
Note
If the administrator enrolled the users directly from the class entity, the managers, instructors, and contact would receive one confirmation message for each of the users enrolled. - Direct links: Direct links are a way for administrators to provide users a shortcut to a specific place in the user interface. When a user selects the direct link from an email, they will be taken directly to the target page in the user Interface.
An administrator with appropriate privileges can generate a direct link by navigating to System Administration→System Management Tools→Generate Direct Link.
Subject Fields
The subject field in an email notification template contains the subject line of the email notifications that are sent to each recipient type. Recipients can include users, managers, instructors, contacts, administrators, or others. Tokens may also be added to the subject of an email notification. For example, adding the <&SCHD-DESC> token adds the item title to the email notification subject.
