Our sample template is saved as shown below:

• Edit HTML Page Link - NNEM actually has its own document editor.

For the sophisticated, clicking on the HTML check box in the lower left hand corner of the editor displays the document’s HTML code.

• Message Field - The text or HTML message and merge variable of the template are entered into the Message Field.  Merge variable which are displayed in the Available Tags field can be entered into the message. The Broadcaster creates a data set for each matching Contact Record to be merged into the Broadcast Template and merges information from each data set into any applicable variable tags located in the Broadcast Template.

• Attachments Field - Email Broadcast Templates can include attachments. Attachments must be loaded into the Document Library first (See the chapter titled Documents Feature in Detail).

Clicking on the + icon activates the Document Search Page.

Clicking on a document name automatically logs it into the attachment list.

Multiple attachments can be included

Highlighting an attachment and clicking on the – icon removes it.

• Object Type Field - Object Type is a class of data related to a specific feature such as Events, Products, etc.

When you create an event and click on the Broadcast button for that event, PORTALPRODIGY passes the Object Type, in this case "Event" and the Object, in this case the record number for the specific event, to the Broadcast engine.  The Broadcast engine then knows what data type it is working with.  It can then retrieve the appropriate set of field tags and it knows which data record to pull data from for the specified Object Type. 

If a Broadcast is triggered directly from the Administration Menu, the broadcast will not have a specific Object Type and the field tags will only include the Membership/Contact fields.

The Membership/Contact fields are always included as field tags, even when an object type is specified.  The membership/contact fields retrieve their data from the records specified as recipients of the Broadcast. 

• Object Field - Object is the record number for a specific Event, Product, etc.

• Available Tags Field - The Available Tags change depending on the Object Type selected. The Tags are variable which can be copied and pasted into the Message Field and act as merge variables. The Broadcaster creates a data set for each matching Contact Record to be merged into the Broadcast Template and merges information from each data set into any applicable variable tags located in the Broadcast Template.  All Object Types contain the special tag <%CONTACT:REMOVE_FROM_MAILLIST%>.  This tag creates a link in the email that recipients can use to be removed from your mailing list.

• Schedule To Run On Field and Time Fields - Broadcasts can be scheduled in advance by entering values in the Schedule To Run On Field and Time Fields

Selecting Recipients for the Broadcast Template

There are two ways PORTALPRODIGY determines the recipients for an email broadcast or contact data sets for an export: the selections made in the Broadcast Recipients Selection page which is accessed via the Recipients button  , or those determined by the specific feature triggering a broadcast.

Recipients can be selected by Contact Type, Special Interest Group, or Security Group. Selecting down a column affects an “OR” search while selecting across columns affects an “AND” search. For example, selecting the boxes Client, Contractor and Contributor would select contacts that are clicked as Client OR Contractor OR Contributor and not necessarily a member of each Contact Type. On the other hand, checking Member, Finance and Accounting, and Admin would select contacts that are Members but must also be in the Financial and Accounting Special interest Group and must have Admin privileges.