Creating Notification Templates

In order to configure automatic notifications, notification templates must be created first to define the content of each notification type. This includes the text that will appear within the notification subject line (topic) and the message text that will be attached to the notification.

A different notification template can be configured for each delivery method, thereby allowing the format of the message to be customised to suit the delivery method. The appropriate notification templates must be created before notifications can be created.

The message text can include merge fields which allow output of names, dates and other information from the database. The example below shows a notification template created for timesheet approval notifications. It uses the ToUserName and TSEndDate merge fields, which output the recipients user name and the timesheet week ending date respectively.

Notification templates are created and maintained via Maintenance area for Time and Attendance, located in Maintenance > Time & Attendance > Templates.

Notifications that are sent via email and SMS can be grouped and sent as a single email or SMS message at regular intervals to avoid timesheet approvers or other users being inundated with emails or SMS messages at any time of day. Notification templates for grouped email and SMS notifications must be configured separately under Portal > Portal Maintenance > Group Notifications.

To create a notification template, follow the procedure below.

1.	In Recruitment Manager > Maintenance > Time & Attendance, click Templates. The Template Maintenance screen opens.
2.	In the Left Hand Categories pane, select Timesheet. Nested folders display for Email / SMS / Notification.
3.	Click on the type of Notification Template required, for example select the 'Email' folder if you wish to create an Email Notification Template. In the Right Hand pane, a list of Templates for the selected type displays.
4.	Click Add Template. The Create Template screen displays for the selected type.
5.	In the Template Name field, type a descriptive name under which the notification template will be saved.
6.	If the template is for an Email or Notification, in the Subject field, type the text that will appear in the notification subject line.
7.	In Message field / section, enter in the message text that will appear in the notification subject line.
	Note that you can add merge fields into the text by clicking the merge tag button and selecting the relevant field in the Merge Tags list. From User First Name First name of user who sent or invoked the notification. If used for a scheduled notification (reminder/escalation), this field outputs the name Timesheet Notifications to indicate the notification was sent automatically by the system. From User Surname Surname of the user who sent or invoked the notification. If used for a scheduled notification (reminder/escalation), this field outputs the name System User to indicate the notification was sent automatically by the system. From User Email Email address of the user who sent or invoked the notification. From User Phone Telephone number of the user who sent or invoked the notification. To User First Name First name of the recipient of the notification. To User Surname Surname of the recipient of the notification. To User Email Email address of the recipient of the notification. To User Phone Telephone number of the recipient of the notification. Candidate First Name First name of the candidate (payee) to whom the corresponding timesheet belongs. Candidate Surname Surname of the candidate (payee) to whom the corresponding timesheet belongs. Candidate Email Email address of the candidate (payee) to whom the corresponding timesheet belongs. Client Name Name of client (employer) by whom the payee is employed. Client Department Name of client (employer) department by which the payee is employed. Job Order Id Agency job order number to which the corresponding timesheet belongs. Job Order Position Name of job position in which the payee is employed. Timesheet Start Date Start date of the work period for which the corresponding timesheet is valid. Timesheet End Date End date of the work period for which the corresponding timesheet is valid. Timesheet Reject Reason Reason why an approver has rejected the corresponding timesheet. An approver is prompted to key in a message when rejecting a timesheet in order to explain why the timesheet has been rejected. This merge field outputs the contents of that message. Rate Type The Rate Type applied to the timesheet Timesheet Code Timesheet Code entered by the initiator Status The timesheet's status Office Code The Job's Office Code Client Position The Client Position as defined in the job Cost Centre The Cost Center applied to the job Purchase Order Number The Purchase Order number applied to the job Corporate Name The Parent Name linked to the job's client Client Code The Client Code (Id) Payee No The Candidate's Payee No Payee First Name The first name of the Payee Payee Surname The surname of the Payee Candidate No The Candidate's record number (Id) Initiated by User From the Timesheet Header - the name of the user that created the timesheet Initiated Date From the Timesheet Header - the date the timesheet was initiated Initiated Time From the Timesheet Header - the time the timesheet was initiated Updated By User From the Timesheet Header - the user that has last updated the timesheet Updated Date From the Timesheet Header - the date that the timesheet has been last updated Updated Time From the Timesheet Header - the time that the timesheet has been last updated Pay Agreement The Pay Agreement linked to the job Bill Agreement The Bill Agreement linked to the job Note: If the notification is for in-email approval, click here to view additional merge tags available for this process.
8	Where the template is for Email, add in any attachments required by clicking the attachment icon and following the prompts.
9	Click Save. A confirmation message is displayed indicating that the template has been saved.

When inserting a merge field into the message text, the merge field will be inserted into the Message field at the position of the text cursor. You can move the merge field if necessary by copying and pasting the merge field or using any other standard Windows text editing operations to shift the position of the field.

Ensure that you move/copy the entire field including the parenthesis surrounding the field name as the parenthesis designate the start and end of the merge field.

You can delete any merge field that has been inserted into the message by selecting the entire field and clicking DELETE.