Communications: Composing Messages

The Compose tab allows users to create new messages to selected students and/or staff, use a template, create a new portal announcement, and/or create a new template, depending on assigned roles in Focus.

1. Navigate to Students then Communication.

• Select Compose

• Choose Recipient Option

Options for Recipients include:

• Students: Sends to student’s primary email address, Focus account and/or phone number.
• Primary Contacts: Limits to contacts marked as “custody.” Contact Cleanup
• All Contacts: Includes all persons in student’s addresses and contacts.

• Once Per Family: Sends the message to the student's custodial contacts and/or contact with a Sort Order priority of 1. Within a sibling group, one student within the group who has at least one contact is selected randomly and all of their custodial contacts are messaged. If that student has two contacts with the same linked user, those two contacts are deduped into one, and the user can see the message when logging in, or through any attached notifications.

• Teacher of: Sends the message to all the students’ current teachers.
• Students & All Contacts: Sends the message to the student’s primary email address and/or phone number as identified in the address block and all users and/or persons in a student’s addresses and contacts.
• Students & Primary Contacts: Sends the message to the student’s primary email address, as well as logged custodial contacts for the selected student(s). If the student’s custodial contacts reside at different addresses or have different recorded email addresses, the message will be sent to all addresses.

NOTE: If a student does not have a contact and contacts are selected as the recipient, Focus will check the student’s contact records including emails and phone numbers; if no email or phone number can be found, Focus will use the contact information of the linked user associated with the student.

​

This also applies if Primary Contact is selected and the contact does not have an email address stored in Focus.

Communications: Composing Messages

• Select Student Recipients

Use the pull down menu to select the students who should receive the message. On the right, toggle each section on or off to add student names to the of students on the left. Use “Check All” to select all the students in the highlighted section or select students individually. If you have access to more than one school, the menu at the right allows you to switch schools.

Use the magnifying glass to access the Focus search menu to locate a more specific group of students.

Communications: Composing Messages

If using More Search Options, use the checkboxes to select the students who will receive the message. Once you click Done, the checked students will populate the student recipient pull-down.

• Select Letterhead Template, if applicable

• Select Staff Recipients, if applicable

Use the checkboxes to select the staff recipients, if sending message to staff. If you have access to multiple schools, choose the school at the right.

Communications: Composing Messages

• Secure Email

Select the Secure Email checkbox to flag the messages as secure and require users to log into Focus in order to view the message. �NOTE: If Secure Email is enabled, the Copy Self and CC options are disabled.

• Add Log Record

Messages sent through Focus will automatically log in the student’s Letter Log, available under Student Info. �NOTE: If Teachers OF is selected in the Student Recipients drop down, the Add Log Record checkbox is disabled.

• Copy Self

Select the Copy Self checkbox to copy �yourself on the message. A copy will be sent to you as well as recipients. �NOTE: Copy Self is disabled if Secure Email is checked. If you select Copy Self you will receive a single copy of the message and any attachments.

• Allow Student/Parent Reply

Select the Allow Student/Parent Reply checkbox to allow student and parent recipients to reply to your message.

Communications: Composing Messages

Composing Messages

• Enter the Subject of the message in the subject box.
• Complete the CC field if you are copying other users.
• Enter their email addresses, separated by semicolons. Select the First Only checkbox to send the CC email on one email only. If the box is left unchecked, the CC is displayed on all emails sent. If Secure Email is flagged you cannot CC additional users.

NOTE: All users/emails CC’d will be copied on every message that is sent out. If files are attached to the original message, the files are sent in the copy as well. Upon being CC’d, users received translated messages.

• Enter the Email Message in the text editor

Use toolbar to format, edit text, insert formulas, etc.

See next page for toolbar key.

Use File to attach files.

Communications: Composing Messages

Toolbar Key

Text Tools From left to right:

Bold

Italics

Underline

Cross Out

Subscript

SuperScript

Font

Font Size

Alignment

Bullet List

Numbered/Lettered List

Font Color

Background Color

Highlight

​

​

​

​

​

Student Fields

Click the Student Fields icon to insert student fields such as First Name, Last Name, etc.

​

Search for and select the desired field; click Done when finished

​

Tables and Lines

Click to add a table or a horizontal line.

Insert Media or Equations from left to right:

Insert Link

Insert Equation

Insert Picture

Insert Media from URL

Search Message

Undo

Redo

Communications: Composing Messages

Once the email is complete, use the toolbar at the top to save, discard, print, schedule, or send:

• Click Send to send the message immediately; a pop up will display indicating how many recipients will receive the message.
• Once sent, the message displays in the Sent tab on the left.
• Click Schedule to send the message at a later date and time. Complete the Schedule Message pop up.
• If the message is Recurring, select the recurring method from the pull down (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Annually), then enter a Final Date.
• Click Save
• Once scheduled, messages can be viewed by date scheduled and recurring information in the Scheduled tab
• To make changes to a schedule message, select it from the list.

Communications: Composing Messages

• Click Save Draft to save a draft copy of your message.
• Draft messages will be saved with all attached data in the Drafts tab.
• To view the details of a drafted message or to make any changes, select the message in the Drafts list.
• To discard/delete a message, select Discard.
• To print a message, select Print.
• A PDF Print Preview window opens with the message.
• You have additional options prior to printing:

​

​

• Include Student’s or User’s Name: Select the checkbox to include the student/user’s name and identification number on each printed page (as it pertains to that person).
• Redirect to print Avery Labels - Select the checkbox to automatically navigate to the Print Avery Labels screen
• Print Original - Select the checkbox to print the original message drafted instead of the messages generated based on the recipients preferred language.
• Print in Primary Contacts Language - Select checkbox to print messages in Primary Contacts language.

Communications: Composing Messages