Sending Email as Text Messages in RecTrac 3.1
Question
Can text messages can be sent from RecTrac 3.1.
Answer
Note: True SMS Text Messaging is available in RecTrac 3.1.10.00.00 and higher. Contact Sales for further information and pricing.
Yes. Email to Text Messaging is available in RecTrac 3.1.06.13 and later. This is NOT true SMS Text messaging. However, it does give you the option to send emails as text messages from any RecConnect Report using the Email Options portion of RecConnect Results. Email as Text Message is available for households, family members, staff members and League Teams/Team Members.
The email to text messaging feature discussed here will be deprecated at some point as true SMS Text Messaging is now available.
To utilize this feature (until it is deprecated), some File Maintenance is required. The basic steps are outlined below.
To Send Emails as Text Messages
- Ensure your Cell Phone Type System Code is linked in the Default 'Cell Phone' System Code field on the Misc Settings group of your Static Parameters profile. This field MUST be populated in order to send email as text message.
- Add Cell Phone Provider fields, as needed, to the appropriate screens in RecTrac, such as Household Update, Member Details, Staff Update, and League Team Update. This can be done using Custom Screen Design in Management Screen Management.
Field Type = Phone <number> Provider. For Example: Phone #1 Provider.- Phone Provider fields already exist on your screens. You need to change the FieldStatus from 'Hidden' to 'Updateable.' Upon doing this, rearrangement of other fields may be necessary.
- Phone Provider fields are available on the following screens: SAHouseholdUpdate, SAPersonUpdate, SAStaffUpdate, and LSTeamUpdate.
- Cell Phone Provider System Codes must be created, and the Provider Domainfield on each Code must be populated.
- If your database does not already contain them, contact Vermont Systems Support; we will supply you with a Cell Phone Provider System Code Import file.
- Comprehensive lists of SMS Gateways can be found on the WWW using a simple Google search.
- Upon adding the Provider field(s) to your screens, you will have to go to each Household, Staff Member and League and update each member manually. There is no Bulk method of assigning Cell Phone Provider codes to the cell phone numbers for your members.
- Ensure your Households, Family Members, League Teams, and Staff Members (as appropriate) have a 'Cell Phone' Phone Type and the appropriate Phone Provider listed.
- Once setup is complete, you can run any RecConnect Report and send email as text messages.
Refer to: Topic Document - RecConnect Reports for instruction and other information.