Onboarding (Transitions) Message Template - Key Concepts

Several elements are configured when creating a message template.

Properties: In the Properties section of a message template, the following elements are defined:

• Code

• Name

• Description

• Status

• Message Format: 1) HTML: Select this format if you want the custom content to be seen directly in the email. 2) Read only attach: Select this format if you want the custom content to be delivered as a PDF attachment. 3) Text: Select this format if you want to send an email which contains the custom content in an HTML attachment.

• To, Reply To, Cc, Bcc: Email-type variables can be copied and then pasted into these fields. Afterward, whenever a message based on the template is sent to the task assignees, the message will also be sent to the individuals who correspond to the email-type variables. You can also enter specific email addresses in these fields.

• Subject: Variables can be copied and then pasted into the Subject field.

Content: There are two types of content:

• Custom content: It is built by adding text and rich text formatting to the message. Variables can also be used to personalize parts of the message. You can pull in user-defined fields in these messages as well which can contain values that were previously filled out in a user-defined form.

• Document-based content: It is built by selecting one of the documents that is active and available in your system. This method is not typically used with most message templates.

Attachments: Files can be attached to message templates. By default, the attached file maximum size is 0.1 Mb, and the attached files maximum total size is 500 Mb. The maximum number of attachments allowed is by default 5. These attached documents can be files of any type, including checklists in Word, spreadsheets in Excel, documents in PDF, or materials in any format. These attached files cannot contain personalized variables or fields from the Onboarding (Transitions) database, unlike the PDF documents which the Onboarding (Transitions) administrator uploads into the Documents feature.

Variables: Variables are strings of text that automatically call information from the system and display it in the message. Variables are very useful in the creation of text-based messages. Variables are most often used in the body of a text-based message but email-type variables can also be inserted in the To, Cc, Bcc, and Subject fields. Standard variables are provided with the system and represent a specific value in the database. For example, a message template contains the standard variable {PersonalInfo_Para.LastName}. Just before sending the message to the new hire, the system will replace the variable by the new hire's last name.

By default, all variables are listed in the Available Variables list. However, a shorter list of variables can be displayed by entering a few letters contained in a variable. The system then automatically suggests variables containing these letters. For example, if entering the letters “add”, the system could suggest the following variables: “Candidate.Address”, “Candidate.Address2”, “ElectronicSignature.IpAddress”. Once the right variables are displayed, you can drag and drop the desired variables in the paragraph. To return to the default list of variables, you just need to remove the letters you entered.

The following table presents useful information regarding specific variables:

Variable	Description
{TransitionsURLs_Para.TaskAccessURL}	Can be used for any assignee. The variable is resolved as follows: Candidates and new hires are directed to the Career Section. Managers and recruiters (and other SmartOrg users) are directed to the Onboarding (Transitions) Center. Users who only have “External User” permissions are directed to the Response Center. Email messages do not require a specific variable to direct users to the Response Center. The “{TransitionsURLs_Para.TaskAccessURL}” field brings each assignee to the appropriate place where he/she can complete the assigned task. This means that a single message template can be used for a task assigned to different people: a candidate or a new hire, a Response Center user and an Onboarding (Transitions) Center user. Clicking the link displays the right page and the right task to each type of user. Alternatively, a specific message template can contain the “{TransitionsURLs_Para.ResponseCenterURL}” field to ensure that people are directed to the Response Center only. The people must have Response Center permissions.
{TransitionsURLs_Para.ResponseCenterURL}	The assignee is directed to the Response Center.
{TransitionsURLs_Para.TransitionsCenterURL}	The assignee is directed to the Onboarding (Transitions) Center.
{Requisition_Para.ExpectedStartDate}	Used to display a new hire's start date in a message template. The date is to be displayed with the time.
{Requisition_Para.ExpectedStartDateNoTime}	Used to display a new hire's start date in a message template. The date is to be displayed without the time.
{TaskParticipant.FirstName}	This variable is useful if you want to say “Dear [Fred]” in a correspondence. It is also useful if there are multiple assignees and you want to say “Dear [Mary]” to the other recipient who isn't Fred.
{Task.AssigneesNames}	This variable is useful if you want to tell the recipient who are ALL the assignees of the step: they all are listed.
{Task.OwnerFullName}	This variable is useful to tell candidates/new hires who to contact should they have any questions. This works if the process owner is the manager, recruiter, or a specific person like [e-mail]. It also works when the process owner is a functional role – as long as the role resolves to a single person. If the functional role for this requisition's OLF is assigned to more than one person, then only one person's contact information will be shown.