This article covers how to create custom notification templates that can then be attached to learning activities.
Need-to-Know
- Custom Notification templates should be created with HTML.
- Notifications can be attached to learning activities.
- Customizing notifications allows more targeted language and the use of campus branding.
- It is recommended to use a program like Adobe Dreamweaver or other HMTL software to create the notification template and paste the code into CSU Learn.
- Best practice is to utilize the sample HTML coding / language (link) as a starting point.
If you are interested in learning more about notification templates and macros, please review the SumTotal Notification User Guide.
How to Create Notification Templates
Step 1: Go to Administration > Quick Links > System Notification Templates.
Step 2: Click on NEW under the search field.
Step 3: Fill in the following required fields:
- Name: Type in your notification name.
- Template Type: Click on Browse to find the template type. All templates contain workflow logic so be sure to select a template type that matches the purpose of your custom notification. Or to make it easier, select the template type that aligns with the notifications you will be sending out.
- Primary Domain: Leave it as your campus domain.
- Language: Leave English (United States).
- Subject: It is optional to add marcos in the subject line.
- Body: *HTML Required
Best practice is to utilize the sample HTML coding / language as a starting point for creating notification templates.
Step 4: Once you select a template type, the Valid Placeholders field will populate with macros that are available for this template (each macro is enclosed within a percentage sign %).
If you don’t see the macro you want, then it’s not available for this template. Do not try to manually add the macro as it will leave the information blank.
Step 5: Copy/paste relevant macros into the subject and body of your notification (be sure to include the % on either side of the data value).
Step 6: You can also add HTML to format your text. Preview changes by clicking the book icons to the right of the Body field.
Step 7: When you are done, click on the OK button.
This concludes how to create a notification.