GEORGETOWN GRADUATE SCHOOL Tipsheet: Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself In ApplyYurself (AY), it is very simple and easy t send a mass email t all f yur prspects, applicants, r students with applicatins in-prgress. All that is invlved is setting up the email template and then running a query t pull all f the applicable recipients f yur email. Step 1: Getting Started Thinking thrugh these steps belw will make it easier fr yu t create yur email template. What is yur target audience? D yu want t ntify prspects f interesting events in yur department? D yu want t let students wh have already submitted their applicatins that they have materials that they still need t submit? D yu want t ntify students wh have started, but nt yet submitted, their applicatins f yur upcming deadline? These are imprtant questins t cnsider, because they will determine which part f AY yu will need t access, as well as what type f query yu will need t run. What term r date range d yu want t pull students frm? It is imprtant t make sure that yu re nt sending yur email t students t whm it will n lnger be pertinent. Create yur template in HTML r text frmat? If yu re in a hurry, r if yu dn t have a lt f HTML experience, then text frmat is yur best bet. AY des prvide sme help fr the HTML nephyte (see Step 3 belw), thugh the scpe is limited. The dwnside f text, is that yu cannt include anything like bullet pints, bld r italic text, r pictures t enhance yur message. D yu want t include yur lg in the message? If yu d, as mentined abve, yu will have t create yur template in HTML frmat. Als, yu will need t make arrangements with the Graduate Schl t have yur lg upladed t the AY server. Remember, if yu d include a lg r pictures, please keep the size dwn t avid any prblems with yur message being refused by the receiver. Did yu knw that yu re required by law t have an unsubscribe ptin when yu send ut mass emails? AY prvides hyperlink text fr yu t put in each f yur email templates t allw fr this. Page 1 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Step 2: Lgging int ApplyYurself Navigate t: https://webcenter.applyyurself.cm After entering yur Client ID, User Id, and passwrd, yu will arrive at the main page. Yur Target Audience If yur target audience is applicants r applicants-in-prgress, yu will access AY s applicatin mdule. If yur target is prspects, i.e. thse wh have indicated an interest in yur prgram but wh have nt accessed the nline applicatin, yu will access AY s prspect mdule. This is the nly manner is which emailing prspects differs frm emailing applicants. All subsequent steps can be assumed t refer t bth prspects and applicants, unless therwise nted. Page 2 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Step 3: Creating Yur Template Select Webcenter Administratin > Manage Templates > Manage Email Templates Yu will see a list f all existing email templates. Page 3 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself At the tp right f the screen, click the Add buttn. Yu will see an empty template screen. Page 4 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Template Fields Template Name: Enter a shrt, descriptive name, s that yu can determine the cntent f the email frm the list f templates yu see when yu select Manage Email Templates. Descriptin: Flesh ut the Template Name with mre details, if yu wish. Lck: DO NOT LOCK templates. N ne in yur department will be able t use this template if yu are ut r depart frm the university. Email Sender: This is the name (NOT the email address) that yur email will be listed as Frm in the recipient s mailbx. Cnsider a descriptive name, i.e. Graduate Schl f Arts & Sciences, r Center fr Latin American Studies. Email Frm Field: The email address assciated with yur department, i.e. gradmail@gergetwn.edu. T: The default is Applicant s Prfile Email Address in the applicatin mdule, and Prspect s Email Address in the prspect mdule. These bth reflect the initial email address entered by the student. Yu will want t use this ptin. Email Reply T: This is the email address that will be placed in the T field when the student clicks Reply t respnd t yur message. It autmatically defaults t the same address as the Email Frm Field, but yu can change it t an alternate address if yu wuld prefer that inquiries g t a specific persn, fr example. BCC All and BCC Ntificatin: These fields serve as ways f ntifying yu that yur email message has been sent. If yu want t use this feature, it advisable fr yu t use ONLY the BCC Ntificatin field. The BCC Ntificatin field sends yu a blind carbn cpy f the last message, whereas the BCC All field sends yu a blind carbn cpy f each message. Subject: Chse a subject line that will be interesting t yur applicants r prspects. Click the Spam Check buttn t determine the likelihd f yur message being caught by a spam filter. Message and Message Type: The bdy f yur message. See Sectin 4 belw fr mre infrmatin. Flder: Save all messages in the flder fr yur department. Mail Merge Sectin and Mail Merge Tag: These are the fields by which yu set up yur template t retrieve data frm AY t persnalize yur message fr each student. See Sectin 4 belw fr mre infrmatin. Page 5 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Step 4: Entering Yur Message After yu have entered the infrmatin described in Sectin 3, it is time t prceed t the mst imprtant part the bdy f yur message. Message Type As mentined abve, yu will have t decide whether yu want t have yur message in text r HTML frmat. Each has its prs and cns; hwever, if yu are able, HTML will give yu mre flexibility in frmatting yur message. Befre yu begin with yur message, g t the Message Type field and select the frmat (text r HTML). Enter yur message text as yu nrmally wuld in an email brwser, including any HTML frmatting yu need. If yu chse HTML, yu will see the links belw t email, event, and newsletter templates belw the message entry bx. These templates have been set up by AY. The tp f the windw is the HTML cde; the bttm f the windw is a mck message. If yu like any f the templates, cpy the cde int the message blck f yur template. Please take care t make all changes listed at the tp f the mck AY template. Please als keep in mind that any graphics r lgs must be upladed t the AY server befre yur message is sent. There is als a link fr HTML frmatting help, which prvides basic cding help fr thse unfamiliar with HTML. Page 6 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Persnalizing Yur Message AY allws yu t pull in infrmatin frm the applicant s (r prspect s) recrd, such as name, address, prgram, and admit term, s that yu can persnalize each email fr each respective student. It is nt necessary, f curse, t d this. It is easy t include this in yur message, and it will have a greater effect n the students wh read yur email. AY prvides mail merge tags t pull in the infrmatin frm each recrd. At the bttm f the screen yu will see these fields. Yu can access data frm the whle applicatin frm, but the infrmatin yu will be mst interested in will be in the Persnal Infrmatin (i.e. name) and Graduate Prgram Data (i.e. prgram, admit term) mail merge sectins. Select the apprpriate Mail Merge Sectin, then select the infrmatin specific t the applicant that yu want t include in the email. Fr example, yu want t send ut a message every mnth thanking peple wh recently applied t yur prgram, regardless f whether they ve applied fr the Fall term r the Spring term. Yu ve written yur message, and nw yu need t add yur mail merge tags: First, yu want t include the applicant s name in the message. G t the Mail Merge Sectin drp-bx and select Persnal Infrmatin. G t the Mail Merge Tag drp-bx and select Applicant First Name. [Nte: All mail merge tag names are usually slightly different in the Prspect Mdule. There are als fewer tags.] Yu will see an HTML sequence ppulated in the Mail Merge Tag bx. Cpy this entire tag and paste in int yur message beside Dear. Page 7 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Next, yu want the applicant s admit term. G t the Mail Merge Sectin drpbx and select Graduate Prgram Infrmatin. G t the Mail Merge Tag drpbx and select Intended Entry Term 1. Again, cpy this entire tag and paste in int yur message. Reminder abut AY and Admit (Entry) Terms: Because f the way that the AY and their queries are set up, if yu chse t include admit terms in yur emails yu will have t set up tw versins f yur email. An applicant has the ptin f chsing yur prgram in ne f tw drp-bxes n the applicatin. T send this email t all f yur applicants yu will need t have an email fr each drp-bx in the applicatin, as well as a query fr said drp-bxes. While this sunds cmplicated, nce yur query is set up yu can reuse it each time yu want t send a new message. Yu ll nly need t mdify the date. Unsubscribe Optin Yu must include an ptin fr recipients t pt ut f receiving any further emails frm yu, as required by law. This is dne thrugh a mail merge tag that, when clicked n by the student, takes them t a windw in AY that asks them t cnfirm their wish t unsubscribe. Think f a sentence prviding the ptin t subscribe, i.e. Click here if yu n lnger wish t receive emails frm The Gergetwn University Graduate Schl f Arts & Sciences. T retrieve the mail merge tag, g t the Mail Merge Sectin drp-bx and select System Fields. G t the Mail Merge Tag bx and select Email Subscriptin Link. Select the tag that appears in the bx belw. The tag is very lng, s make sure that yu scrll thrugh the whle bx and select the entire tag. This tag is the Click here in the sentence abve. Type yur sentence int yur email, pasting the mail merge tag in the apprpriate spt. Yu d have t mdify the tag. If yu will ntice, at the end f the tag it says, Type yur text here. Delete this text and change it t Click here, etc. Page 8 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself This is what yur cmpleted email message nw lks like. Yu re almst ready t send it. Preview Yur Message Click the Preview buttn (beside the Message Type drp-bx) t see what yur message will lk like t the recipients. This is mre imprtant when the frmat f yur email is in HTML, as it will allw yu t check yur cding and spacing. Page 9 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Step 5: Sending Yur Message In rder t send yur message, yu must run a query t pull a list f all f the students that meet yur criteria. Running Yur Query In AY, g t WebCenter Administratin and then select Manage Queries. Click n the flder fr yur department. In the Applicatin Mdule, yu already have tw queries set up t give yu a listing f applicants wh have chsen yur department in the first selectin bx and in the secnd selectin bx f the nline applicatin. Click n the query yu wish t run. (If yu are in the Prspect Mdule, yu may have t create a new query. Please see the tipsheet n creating queries in AY if yu need further assistance.) If yu wuld prefer yu can create a new query fr students frm a specific date range. At the tp f the screen, select Applicatin Submitted r Applicatin In Prgress. Applicatin Submitted will retrieve students wh have already submitted their applicatins. Applicatin In Prgress will retrieve thse wh have begun, but nt cmpleted, their applicatins. Nte: The abve des nt apply in the Prspect Mdule. Page 10 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Test Yur Message Yu shuld als test yur message, t make sure that the frmat is crrect. Testing will pint ut any HTML errrs als, if yu chse this frmat fr yur message. Yu r smene in yur department can set up a dummy applicatin (withut submitting!) r prspect recrd. Search fr that particular persn, and then send nly t them (see belw). Preparing t Send After yu have run yur query, yu will see a search results page. Scrll t the bttm f the page t the Select an Actin bx. Click the Apply t All radi buttn, in rder t select all f the results f yur query. Under Select an Actin, chse Send Email. Selecting Template Parameters The next screen yu see very similar t the screen in which yu develped yur email template. G t Select a Template at the tp f the screen and chse yur template frm the list. Templates are srted by flder. Recrd in Actin Histry The Actin Histry is a list f actins that have been taken in regard t each applicatin. It is a gd idea t leave this bx checked, s that yu can keep track f wh has received what emails frm yu. The actin label will default t the subject line f yur email. Page 11 f 12
Sending Out Mass Emails in ApplyYurself Avid Duplicates Yu can avid students receiving duplicate cpies f yur email by checking the bx beside D nt send email t applicants that have already received this message. Nte: This functin nly wrks prperly if yu always recrd sending f emails in the applicants Actin Histry. In the Prspect Mdule, avid duplicates by selecting the checkbx similar t the ne mentined abve in the Applicatin Mdule. Check the bx by Exclude all prspects matched t nline applicants frm distributin. Scheduling a Specific Time At the bttm f this screen, yu will ntice that yu can schedule yur message t g ut at a specific time f day. If yu are sending yu message ut t a large quantity f peple, e.g. 500 r mre, it is advisable t send yur message ut in the middle f the night. This eases the lad n the AY servers, causing less likelihd f prblems with yur message ging ut. Select the hur and time t be mailed. Click n the calendar icn t select the date. Imprtant! If yu are scheduling yur email t g ut early in the mrning, make sure yu select tmrrw s date and nt tday s date! If yu select tday s date, yu are backdating and yur email wn t g ut. Sending the Message Nw that yu ve selected all f yur parameters fr yur email, yu are nw ready t send it. Simply click the Send buttn lcated at the tp r bttm f yur screen. Page 12 f 12