Introduction

SMS Outbound Text Messaging functionality has been added to Regent Award Communication Setup. Customers are required to obtain a Twilio Account and work with Regent Cloud Operations to set up the Regent Award instance to support Text Messaging. Twilio subscriptions will be managed by schools and all messaging invoices will be sent directly from Twilio to the schools (see Twilio for additional information).

Regent Award Communications can be created and configured to be sent via text, email, or letter. Text messages will be generated in a similar manner to email or letter communication types. A communication filter may be shared across multiple communication types (e.g. Email, Text, or Letter) for bulk messaging. Single text messages can be sent from the Communications tab on the student record in Regent Award.

Students will be able to view Text Messages that have been sent in the Student Experience Portal if the Communications component in the portal is turned on, the Notifications tab is turned on, and one or more Communication Type of Text is configured to display in the portal.

Getting Started

Schools will need to:

Be on or upgrade to the Regent Award 5.5.0.0 Release or a subsequent Release
Obtain a Twilio Account and work with Regent Cloud Operations to set up the Regent Award instances.
Configure Text Communications under Communications Setup
Update configuration under the Portal Communication Component Settings
Update Enterprise Permission and Student Detail Tab Permission
Determine the Unsubscribe process
Update School's Student Batch Load (SBL) logic for Opt Out of Communication attributes in Demographic Node
Test Text Functionality in Regent Award using Twilio

Twilio

Customers are required to manage their own Twilio accounts. This includes a subscription for SMS Text Messaging.

By default Twilio unsubscribes the text recipient when a reply to the text is received with one of the following key words: STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, or QUIT. Only single-word responses are accepted. For example, if STOP NOW is sent, the text recipient will not be unsubscribed. The following default response is received when the text recipient is unsubscribed, ''You have successfully been unsubscribed. You will not receive any more messages from this number. Reply START to resubscribe.'.

The text recipient will be resubscribed when a reply to the original text or new text to Twilio number is received with one of the following key words: START, YES, or UNSTOP. The following default response is received when the text recipient is resubscribed, ''You have successfully been re-subscribed to messages from this number. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg&Data Rates May Apply.'

Unsubscribe

Text recipients that unsubscribe with Twilio are not automatically opted out of Text Messaging on the Student Details tab in Regent Award.

See links below for additional Twilio information:

Pricing

SMS Pricing

SMS

Tracking

Opt Out Information

Test Credentials

Test Credentials.

Communications Setup

A new Text communication can be configured by clicking on the 'Add Communication' button at the top of Communication Setup, completing the required communication fields, and selecting, 'Communication Recipient' of Text (SMS). See Configure a Communication for additional information.

The body of a Text communication must be configured as a template and can use dynamic fields (e.g. student's name), similar to Email and Letter communications (see Configure a Communication for additional information). Text communications are limited to a maximum of 1600 characters. If a text message exceeds 160 characters, the message will be split into multiple texts. Regent recommends schools create Text communication templates that are 160 characters or less.

Portal Communication Component Settings

Schools have the option to display the Communications Component in the Student Experience Portal. The 'Display Communications Component' must be enabled in order to display any Communication Type. All Communication Types with the 'Display Generated Communication in Portal' set will display on the Notifications tab in the Communications Component of Student Experience if the 'Enable Notifications' is enabled.

If the Instructional Message is enabled, the Instructional Message Header and the Instructional Message Text will display at the top of the Communication Component in the Student Experience Portal. Schools are encouraged to update the Instructional Message in the Communications Component on the Student Experience Portal with the appropriate key word(s) and mobile number to text in order to unsubscribe or resubscribe (see Twilo section and Student Details Tab section for additional opt out, unsubscribe and resubscribe information).

Enterprise Permission

To view Emails, Text, and Letter notifications, Regent Award users must have the 'View Student Communications Tab' and the 'View Notifications' permissions enabled for the Enterprise and/or the Institution, Campus, or Site for the role in which the user is assigned. To Generate (and Send) notifications, Regent Award users must have 'Generate Notifications' enabled for the role in which the user is assigned.

Student Details Tab Permission

To manually update Opt Out of Emails, Text, or Letter notifications, Regent Award users must have the 'Edit Opt Out of Communications' enabled for the role in which the user is assigned.

Student Details Tab

If the Email, Text, or Letter Communication Type is set under the Opt Out of Communications section on the Student Details tab, communications are not generated for the specific Communication Type(s). All Communication Types are opted in by default. The Opt Out of Communications can be set by clicking the Edit button, selecting the checkbox next to the desired Communication Type, and clicking Save.

SBL Attributes

Schools can provide Opt Out information via the Student Batch Load (SBL). If one of the following attributes is sent in the Demographic Node of the SBL, the Opt Out of Communications is updated in Regent Award. Schools that prefer Email, Text, or Letter communications to be set to Opt Out by default are responsible to update the SBL to send the applicable attribute(s) and value for all students.

optOutOfEmailCommunications
optOutOfTextCommunications
optOutOfLetterCommunications

See Attributes Document (SBL Data Dictionary), Student Batch Load (SBL) - Schema and Student Batch Load (SBL) - Schema for additional information.

Unsubscribe

Text recipients that unsubscribe with Twilio are not automatically opted out of Text Messaging on the Student Details tab in Regent Award. If a text recipient unsubscribes and the Opt Out of Communications is not set for Text, the communication will be generated but will not be sent. Recipients will still be able to see the text communication in the Communications Component of the Student Experience Portal if the communication is configured to 'Display Generated Communications in Portal'.

Schools are responsible for managing text recipients that have opted out of Text Messaging via Twilio and updating the Opt Out of Communications for Text option in Regent Award either manually in the user interface or via the Student Batch Load (SBL) process.

See Twilio's Tracking information at Explore Twilio's Messaging Insights, SMS API, How to Export a CSV file with Message Resources Using Twilio Programmable SMS, and CSV File Reading and Writing and Twilio's Opt Out Information at Twilio support for opt-out keywords (SMS STOP filtering), Customizing Users’ Opt-in and Opt-out Experience with Advanced Opt-Out, Twilio support for opt-out keywords (SMS STOP filtering), and Keeping track of your users' status.

Student Communications Tab

Communication Types of Email, Text (SMS), and Letter options display on the Notifications tab in Regent Award. To select a new Text message to be sent, a Regent Award User with permissions will click on the Student's Communications Tab and select the Text message via the 'Notifications' dropdown and click 'Add'.

Text Messages are generated and sent in a similar manner to email or letter Communication Types. All generated and sent Notifications (email, text, and letters) display both on the Communications Activity Log and Activity Tab for the student. The Activity/Description appends the communication name from Communications Setup to the 'Communication' Process Type, allowing users to filter for the Activity/Description for a specific notification.

The Communication Details are available by clicking on the for the specific communication on the Notifications sub-tab or on the Activity Log tab. Only communication Types of Email and Text display the Status if the communication is Ready for Transmission or Transmitted. If there is an error in generating or transmitting an Email or Text communication, the Error Message is displayed. The 'To' field shows where the communication was sent. For example, if the Communication Type is Email, the email address with the same Type as the configured Email To Type (e.g. Home) in Communication Setup is listed in the 'To' field. If the Communication Type is Text (SMS), the most recent phone number with the Phone Type of Mobile is listed.

Once a communication has been generated, an individual communication is able to be sent manually via the Regent Award User Interface by clicking on the icon in the Communication Detail for the specific communication. Communications are sent in bulk via a Scheduled Process set up with Regent Cloud Operations. The following message is displayed after sending a communication manually:

Process Log

The Process Log lists all Email and Text communications that have been sent. Email and Text communications that have been generated but are not yet sent are not displayed. The Process Type displays in the grid with the communication name from Communications Setup plus the 'Communication' Process Type. This allows users to filter the Process Type column for a specific communication name.

Portal Communications Component

Communication Types of Text (SMS) that are configured to 'Display Generated Communication in Portal' show on the Notifications tab along with Communication Types of Email and Letter in the Communications Component of Student Experience, if 'Display Communications Component'' and 'Enable Notifications' are turned on under the Portal Communications tab.

See Communications Component for additional information.

Testing Text Notifications

Testing Credentials

Twilio provides you with a set of test credentials so you can exercise parts of the REST API without charging your account. You can find your credentials in the account settings of your Console.

See Twilio's Test Credential information at Test Credentials.

https://www.twilio.com/docs/iam/test-credentials

Use Case 1: Send Text Notification to Student (Opted In)

Pre-Conditions

School has obtained a Twilio Account and set it up for text messaging with Regent Cloud Operations
Text communication is configured under Communications Setup as required
Configuration updated under the Portal Communication Component Settings as required to support text messaging
Enterprise Permission and Student Detail Tab Permission updated for tester's role
Student record is created in Regent Award
Opt Out of Communications checkbox is not selected for 'Text' for student

Course of Events

Open existing student record in Regent Award
Navigate to the Student Details tab
Ensure the Opt Out of Communications checkbox is not selected for 'Text'
Expand the Contact Information section by clicking on it
Add or Edit an Existing Phone Number and ensure the Phone Type = Mobile Note: Be sure the phone number entered is not a student's phone number and be sure to use a mobile number that is able to receive text messages.
Click Save
Navigate to the Communications tab
Under the Notification dropdown, select the name of the text communication configured in Communication Setup
Click Add
Find the generated communication under the Activity Log and click on the to open the Communication Details
In the upper right corner click on the to send the communication

Post-Condition

Review the Activity Log to review the sent communication
Ensure the Status shows 'Transmitted'
Ensure no Error Message shows
Navigate to the Process Log and ensure the Process Type is displayed accurately and Status = Complete

Use Case 2: Send Text Notification to Student (Opted Out)

Pre-Conditions

School has obtained a Twilio Account and set it up for text messaging with Regent Cloud Operations
Text communication is configured under Communications Setup as required
Configuration updated under the Portal Communication Component Settings as required to support text messaging
Enterprise Permission and Student Detail Tab Permission updated for tester's role
Student record is created in Regent Award
Opt Out of Communications checkbox is selected for 'Text' for student

Course of Events

Open existing student record in Regent Award
Navigate to the Student Details tab
Ensure the Opt of Communications checkbox is selected for 'Text'
Expand the Contact Information section by clicking on it
Add or Edit an Existing Phone Number and ensure the Phone Type = Mobile Note: Be sure the phone number entered is not a student's phone number and be sure to use a mobile number that is able to receive text messages.
Click Save
Navigate to the Communications tab
Under the Notification dropdown, select the name of the text communication configured in Communication Setup
Click Add

Post-Condition

Ensure no communication was generated under the Activity Log