Communication Suite
iKnow makes it easy for us to contact different groups of people from our database using the iKnow Communication Suite.
In the Communication Suite, we can choose to contact people by email, SMS, or by letter.
We are also able to export the contact details of people in our iKnow database to a CSV file. On the right of the Communication Suite, we simply click the option we wish to use.
Simple Email
Selecting Simple Email will allow us to create an email and add up to 5 attachments, which can be sent out to our contact group.
We are able to personalise our Emails by using the Tags button, which we will find at the top of the Communication Suite. We can choose any of the tags in the list and the system will then replace the tag with the relevant information. So, if we want to address each person by name, we can add the {firstName} tag. When people receive the email the tag will be replaced with their first name. If we include the {setPasswordLink} tag, recipients will receive a unique link that will allow them to create a new password which they can use to log in to iKnow.
Simple SMS
Selecting Simple SMS will allow us to send a text message to the group. There is a charge for sending SMS, but we will see a notification of how much we are going to be charged just below the message area.
Letter
To communicate by letter, we will need to use the Letter option. This will create a PDF file that can be printed and posted. If we want to personalise our letters, we are able to add Tags, in the same way as we can with emails.
Letters can be used in conjunction with the Branding feature in iKnow, which will allow us to add Letterhead graphics and footers to our letters. We’re also able to use Branding with our emails.
CSV Export
If we select the CSV Export option, we are able to download a spreadsheet file containing the contact information for all those in our list. The file will include people’s names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers. There will also be an indication of whether a person has chosen to not be contacted using a particular contact method.
Adjust Contact List
In all of the communication options, we can remove people from the contact list by clicking the red X next to their name.
If people have opted out of being contacted by any of the contact methods in the Communication Suite, they will not appear in the list of contacts for that form of contact.
Access the Communication Suite
There are a number of ways to access the Communication Suite in iKnow.
In the People module, select any of the Quick Groups, Circles, Teams, Groups or Searches on the left hand side. At the top of the list we will see an orange, Contact This Group button, clicking it will take us to the Communication Suite.
In the Teams module, if we have access to Contact Members in a team we are a member of, we can go to Teams, click on our team, click Manage Membership and click the Contact Your Team button.
In the Groups module, if we go to a Group of which we are the leader, or that is in a network of which we are the overseer, we can click the Contact Members at the top of the My Group page, or the Contact Your Group button on the View People page.
In the Check In module, if we are a class Supervisor, or a Global Supervisor, and have been given permission to Contact Guardians, we can access the Communication Suite from our class, or classes. Simply click the Class and click the Contact Parent and Guardians button.