The Communication Automations tab in Learner Section Configuration allows you to schedule SMS and Email Communications to certain learners. Any automations you set up here will run at 5am on every day that they are valid.

For each automation, the Name and Type are shown.

Open

Filtering the Automation List

The following searching and filtering options are available by default above the list. Once you have entered the necessary details, press Enter or select the Search icon to run the search and apply your filters.

• Name

• Number of Records Displayed

Exporting the Automation List

Selecting More shows an option to Export to Excel. Selecting this will generate an Excel Spreadsheet containing the details currently displayed in the list.

Creating a New Automation

To set up a new communication automation, select Create. This will open a window where you can specify whether you want to send an Email or SMS.

Open

Once you have made your choice, select Save. The next window is made up of the following sections:

Message

In this section, you can enter the Title for the automation (which will not be shown to the learner) as well as the contents of the message that will be sent.

It is possible to add merge fields to the message body to personalise the message. To do this, type {{ and search the drop-down menu for the appropriate field.

Schedule

This section allows you to specify the schedule for the communication. The following schedule types are available:

• Days of the Week – With this option, you can use the tickboxes to choose which days of the week you want the automation to run.

• Days of the Month – With this option, you can use the tickboxes to choose which months of the year and which days of each selected month you want the automation to run.

Filtering

This section allows you to filter your learners to specify which ones will receive the communication. If you do not set any filters, a message will be sent to all learners with either an email address or mobile phone number recorded, depending on the type of automation you are setting up.

The following options are available:

• Respect Contact Methods – If this is ticked, messages will only be sent if the contact type is included in the learner’s Allowed Contact Methods field.

• Log Communication – If this is ticked, each time the communication is sent a Communication record will be created against the learner in PICS.

• Max Messages – Here you can specify how many messages in total should be sent to each learner through this automation. Once the maximum number has been reached, the next time the automation is run the learner will not receive a message.

Below these, the following filters are available:

• Entered Between - based on the date the learner record was first created in PICS.

• Started Between - based on the start date of the learner’s episode.

• Expected to End Between - based on the expected end date of the learner’s episode.

• Ended Between - based on the actual end date of the learner’s episode.

• Still on Status Between - uses the status selected below.

• Episode Status – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with a specific Episode Status. This can either be All, Leavers, In Learning or Yet to Start.

• Tags – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with specific Tags. Choosing a tag from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple tags to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following tag options are available:

  • Any – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified tags.

  • All – This will restrict the automation to learners that have every specified tag.

  • None – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified tags.

• Sites – Here you can restrict the automation to learners linked to specific Sites. You can add multiple sites to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following site options are available:

  • Any Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified sites linked.

  • None Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified sites linked.

  • Is Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with no sites linked.

  • Not Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with at least one site linked.

• Qualification Plans – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with specific Qualification Plans linked. Choosing a plan from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple plans to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following plan options are available:

  • Any Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified plans linked.

  • None Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified plans linked.

  • Is Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with no plans linked.

  • Not Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with at least one plan linked.

• Contracts – Here you can restrict the automation to learners linked to specific Contracts. Choosing a contract from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple contracts to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following contract options are available:

  • Any Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified contracts linked.

  • None Of – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified contracts linked.

  • Is Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with no contracts linked.

  • Not Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners with at least one contract linked.

• Programme – Here you can restrict the automation to learners enrolled on specific programmes. You can add multiple programmes to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon.

• Funding Organisation – Here you can restrict the automation to learners funded by specific funding organisations. You can add multiple funding organisations to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon.

• Officer – Here you can restrict the automation to learners linked to a specific Officer via a specific Relationship.

• Organisation – Here you can restrict the automation to learners linked to a specific Organisation via a specific Relationship.

• Past Expected End – If this is ticked, only learners that have passed their Expected End Date will be included.

• Break-in-Learning – Here you can choose whether to include learners on a Break in Learning. You can choose whether to include All Learners, Exclude those on a break in learning, or restrict the automation to Only learners on a break in learning. This can be applied either to learners currently on a break or learners who have had a break recorded at some point during their programme.

• ILR Export Status – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with a specific ILR Export Status set in their PICS Episode Start tab.

• AS Status – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with a specific Apprenticeship Service Status set in their ILR Learner tab.

• Self Assessed Disability – Here you can restrict the automation to learners who either do or do not have a self-assessed disability recorded.

• Provider End Code – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with a specific Provider End Code recorded in their PICS Episode End tab. Choosing a code from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple codes to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following options are available:

  • Any of – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified codes.

  • None of – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified codes.

  • Is Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners that have no code entered.

  • Not Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners that have any code entered.

• Provider Destination – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with a specific Provider Destination code recorded in their PICS Episode End tab. Choosing a code from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple codes to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following options are available:

  • Any of – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified codes.

  • None of – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified codes.

  • Is Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners that have no code entered.

  • Not Blank – This will restrict the automation to learners that have any code entered.

• Has File Type – Here you can restrict the automation to learners with Files of certain File Types attached. Choosing a type from the drop-down menu will add it to the field. You can add multiple types to the field and remove any added ones by selecting the X icon. The following type options are available:

  • Any – This will restrict the automation to learners that have at least one of the specified file types.

  • All – This will restrict the automation to learners that have every specified file type.

  • None – This will restrict the automation to learners that do not have any of the specified file types.

Once you have set up your filters, select Save to add the automation. It will then begin to run at 5am on the next valid date.

Automation Actions

Selecting … by an automation will show the following options:

• Edit – This will open the window explained above for you to edit any message and filter details.

• Delete – You will be prompted to confirm before the automation is deleted.