Managing Email Notification Templates

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to edit an email notification template

Introduction to Email Notifications

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.

Cascade flow diagram of email notification Global Template to other entities.

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.

A sample registration notification email is displayed.

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

  1. Navigate to Learning Administration → System Administration → Manage Email → Email Notification Templates and search for a template.
  2. Choose the edit icon next to the template in the search results, and then configure the template in the Summary, Messages, and Attachments tabs.
  3. Select the Summary tab to change the name of the template and identify the Token Set ID.
  4. Select the Messages tab to configure the email notification body and subject.
  5. Select the Attachments tab to upload an attachment.

Summary, Messages, Attachments tabs are highlighted. These tabs are used to configure email notifications.

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.

Messages tab is opened and the body text of the email notification is highlighted.

Subject Fields

Depending on the email notification, recipients can include users, managers, instructors, contacts, administrators, or others. SAP SuccessFactors Learning obtains the email address based on which recipient is involved.

The subject field in an email notification template contains the subject line of the email notifications that are sent to each group. 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.

Messages tab is opened and the subject fields are highlighted.

Launch Editor Link

An alternative user-friendly tool to configure the Messages tab is the Email Notification Template editor. This editor can be accessed using the Launch Editor link.

To use this editor, it must be enabled in System Administration → Configuration → Global Application Settings → Use Editor Content When Sending Email Notifications.

Launch Editor button is highlighted in an email notification template editor.

The Email Notification Template Editor screen contains the following fields:

  1. Locale: Allows you to create localized versions of each template (one for each language/locale).
  2. Subject fields: Allows recipients to see the notification subject relevant to their role
  3. Body: Defines the messaging that is presented to the recipient. The Body consists of static text and tokens.
  4. Tokens: Used to dynamically add information to the message.
  5. Message Preview: Emails copy of message to the administrator to preview the message.
1-5 marked on the email notification template editor screen show the locations of the fields.

Customize an Email Notification

To customize a class registration email notification, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Learning Administration → Learning Activities → Classes.
  2. Search and access a class entity.
  3. Navigate to the Email Notifications tab.
  4. Locate the Edit the Registration Email Notification for the Class section.
  5. Create a backup copy of the original message body before making changes.
  6. Add tags <html><pre> at the beginning of the body text.
  7. Add tags </pre></html> at the end of the body text.
  8. Make the item title red and underlined by replacing the <&SCHD-DESC> token with <u><font color="red"><&SCHD-DESC></font></u>.
  9. Add <hr> before the token <&SEG-GRID>.
  10. Add </hr> after the token <&SEG-GRID>.
  11. Add static text For additional information, please contact: after the token <&SEG-FACILITY>.
  12. Add the following tokens on separate lines after the static text:
    Code Snippet
    1234
    <&SCHD-CONTACT>
<&SCHD-CONTACT-PHONE>
<&SCHD-CONTACT-EMAIL>
  13. Select Apply changes.
  14. Compare your code to the code below:
    Code Snippet
    1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829
    
<html>
<pre>
<LOOP>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText1"/><&ROLLUP_MESG>
</LOOP>
<LOOP>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText2" arg0="<&ROLLUP_STUD_ID>" arg1="<&ROLLUP_STUD_NAME>"/>
</LOOP>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText3"/>
<&SCHD-CPNT>
<u><font color="red"><&SCHD-DESC></font></u><&SCHD-SHORT-DESC>
<&SCHD-DESC-EDITABLE>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText4"/>
<hr>
<&SEG-GRID>
</hr>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText5"/>
<&SEG-FACILITY>
For additional information, please contact:
<&SCHD-CONTACT>
<&SCHD-CONTACT-PHONE>
<&SCHD-CONTACT-EMAIL>
<LOOP>
<label key="notification.Enrollment.MessageText6" arg0="<&APPROVAL_OR_DENIAL_REASON>"/>
</LOOP>
</pre>
</html>

Result: The registration email notification will be generated with the following characteristics:

  1. The class title is in red.
  2. There is a line before the class schedule details.
  3. The static text is displayed.
  4. The tokens display information specific to the class.

The four characteristics numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 are labeled on the custom email notification screen.

Header and Footer Configuration

If your company is defined by organizations, custom email headers and footers can be linked to each organizational entity. This means that when users from different entities receive email notifications, the header and footer will be specific to their organization.

Steps to Configure Header and Footers

  1. Navigate to System Administration → Configuration → System Configuration → LMS_ADMIN (property file): support.enableNotificationHeaderFooter=true to turn on custom header and footer notifications.
  2. Navigate to People → Organization and search for the organization.
  3. Select the Summary field.
  4. Add header and footer text in the Email notification Header and Footer fields.
  5. Select Apply changes.

Email notification Header and Email notification Footer fields are highlighted.

Vcalendar Attachments in Email Notifications Enablement

SAP SuccessFactors Learning supports Microsoft Outlook invitations for Class Event Creation, Updates, Cancellation and Deletion of Virtual Learning Service (VLS) events.

The Vcalendar attachments must first be enabled in the Global Application Settings and then configured on the email notification template level.

Steps to Enable Vcalendar Attachments

  1. Navigate to System Administration → Configuration → Global Application Settings → Mail Tab.
  2. Select the checkbox Enable Vcalendar attachments.
  3. Select the checkbox Enable Send Vcalendar attachments as a Calendar Invite.

Global Application Settings Mail Tab is displayed. Vcalendar settings are highlighted.

Steps to Configure the Vcalendar Attachments

  1. Navigate to System Administration → Manage Email → Email Notification Templates.
  2. Search for and open the email notification template in edit mode.
  3. Select the Messages tab.
  4. Scroll down to the VCAL area.
  5. Make any necessary changes.
  6. Select Apply changes.

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