Alerts and Notifications Utility in Tour deForce

The purpose of this technical bulletin is to provide an overview for the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility, to provide the Administrative users of Tour de Force with the instructions on how to set up the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility in order to send Mailings to the users of Tour de Force, as well as demonstrate how to create and maintain Mailings, Alerts, and Email Notifications.

 

The Manage Alerts & Notifications utility is used by Administrative users of Tour de Force to set up Mailings in order to send users Email Messages that displays information related to the Records or Items that have been created or modified in Tour de Force.  

 

Alerts and Email Message Notifications are extremely useful because users can automatically receive information related to sales territories without having to access Tour de Force.  Alerts can set up to provide relevant information for managing customers and sales territories in a single Email Message or multiple Email Messages.  Plus, users have the ability to access the Records or Items associated with Tour de Force if needed quickly by using the hyperlinks in the Email Message.

 

This technical bulletin contains the following sections:

1. Overview of the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications Utility
2. Accessing the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications Utility
3. Registering the TDF Alert Service
4. Setting up the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications Utility
5. Setting up Alerts and Notifications for Mobile
6. Creating a New Mailing and Alert
7. Overview of Child Alerts
8. Maintaining and Updating a Mailing
9. Add Subscribers to an Alert
10. Overview of Event Alerts
11. Alerts and Notifications Best Practices

 

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1. Overview of the Manage Alerts & Notifications Utility

 

The Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility can be used to set up and maintain Mailings, Alerts, and Email Notifications for any licensed users in Tour de Force.  Typically, Mailings are set up for Account and Sales managers in order to provide these users with timely and relevant information on a daily basis for managing customers and sales territories.  

 

In order to understand the Alerts and Notification functionality associated with Tour de Force, a few terms need to be defined:

 

Mailing – A Mailing is an item that consists of one or more Alerts.  

 

Alert – An Alert is a rule or a set of conditions used to analyze the data associated with Tour de Force.

 

Notification – A Notification is an Email Message sent to Subscribers that displays information related to the Tour de Force data based on one or more Alerts.

 

Subscriber – A Subscriber is any licensed user in Tour de Force.

 

Frequency – Frequency is used to specify how often an Email Message is sent to the Subscribers associated with a Mailing.

 

A Mailing can contain one or many Alerts based on the data associated with Tour de Force.  For example, a Mailing can be set up with only one Alert that displays a list of the top ten Account records in a territory based on year-to-date sales, while another Mailing can be set up with one Alert that displays all new Contact records created in the last 30 days and another Alert that displays all Opportunity records modified in the last 30 days.

 

When creating a Mailing, the Administrative user of Tour de Force sets up one or more Alerts for analyzing the data associated with Tour de Force, specifies the Subscribers or users to associate with each Alert, as well as determines the frequency or how often the Notification or the Email Messages are sent to the Subscribers.  An Alert can have one Subscriber or as many Subscribers as needed.  Also, a user can be a Subscriber to one or as many Alerts as needed.

 

The Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility has one main form for creating and maintaining Mailings.  

 

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2. Accessing the Manage Alerts & Notifications Utility

Use the following procedures to access the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility:

1. Click the Admin Utilities button in the Tour de Force toolbar.

2. Select Advanced Features Setup and then click the Manage Alerts & Notifications option.

 

3. The Manage Alerts & Notifications utility opens.

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3. Registering the TDF Alert Service

Before the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility can be used to process a Mailing, the TDF Alert Service needs to be registered.

Note:  The Alert System service can only be started from the TDFAdmin System.  

Use the following procedures to register the TDF Alert Service:

4. Open the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.
5. Click the Service Status button to access the Alert Service Status window.

 

6. In the Alert Service Status window, click the Install Service button to register the TDF Alert Service on the server where the Tour de Force Administration Console is installed.

 

7. In the Notice window, click the OK button.

8. In the Username field, type the domain and the ID associated with the Administrative user account of Tour de Force.

For example, type mrhtech\tdfadmin where mrhtech is the domain associated with the Administrative or tdfadmin user of Tour de Force.

 

9. In the Password field, type the password associated with the Administrative user account of Tour de Force.

 

10. In the Confirm Password field, type the password associated with the Administrative user account of Tour de Force.

11. Click the OK button to close the Set Service Login window.

If the Username is not correct, the Failure window displays.

12. When the TDF Alert Service is registered on the server, click the Start Service button to start the service.

  

13. After the TDF Alert Service is started on the server, close the Alert Service Status window by clicking the X in the upper right hand corner of the window.

 

Once the TDF Alert Service is registered on the server, this service can be managed using the Services utility associated with the Control Panel on the server.

 

The TDF Alert Service is the TDF_AlertService.exe file located in the directory on the server where Tour de Force is installed.

 

If the TDF Alert Service has not been registered or started, the Test Service button can be used to send Email Notifications for testing purposes.

 

Note: Clicking the Test Service button simulates running the TDF Alert Service without the need for registering or starting the service on the server.

 

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4. Setting up the Manage Alerts & Notifications Utility

Before the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility can be used for creating a Mailing, a few options need to be configured or set up.

Use the following procedures to set up the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility:

14. Open the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.
15. Click the Settings button to access the Settings window.

 

16. In the Email Server field, type the Name or the IP Address related to the SMTP Server associated with sending the Mailings.

For companies that are using Microsoft Exchange for the Email Server, type the Name or the IP Address associated with the Microsoft Exchange Server.

For example, type EmailServer.MRHTech.local.

 

17. In the UserName (optional) field, type a valid Email Address for accessing the Email Server.

For companies that are using Microsoft Exchange for the Email Server, type the Email Address associated with a user that has access to the Email Server.

Note: The UserName (optional) field has to be a Microsoft Outlook user that has a Microsoft Outlook Inbox.  This field is typically set to the tdfadmin user of a company or the tdfemail associated with the Email Logging Service related to the Tour de Force.  For example, tdfadmin@mrhtech.com or tdfemail@mrhtech.com is a valid entry for the UserName (optional) field.

For example, type tdfemail@mrhtech.com.

 

18. In the Password (optional) field, type the password associated with the user for accessing the Email Server.

19. In the Sender Email field, specify an Email Address associated with the sender of the Mailings.

Note:  This Email Address does not have to be a valid Email Address.

For example, type PostMaster@mrhtech.com.

20. Click the OK button to close the Email Server Settings window.

5. Setting up an Alert for Tour de Force Mobile

Administrators can also set up Alerts that can be viewed in Tour de Force Mobile. A new setting has been added to the Alerts and Notifications that allow users to set whether a Mailing needs to display in Tour de Force Mobile or just sent as a normal email.

This new field is called Mobile Only.  If this field is checked then that means the Alert data is pushed out to Tour de Force Mobile on a constant basis.  When a user logs into Tour de Force Mobile and views an alert that alert is going to display up-to-date information.

The example below shows a Mailing called Mobile Alerts marked as Mobile Only.  

The alerts linked to that Mailing are now configured to display on a user’s homepage when they log into Tour de Force Mobile.

6. Creating a New Mailing and Alert

Once the Manager Alerts & Notifications utility has been set up, a new Mailing can be created.  A Mailing is an Email Message that can be sent out to one or more Subscribers.  These Email Messages can list information related to new or modified Records and Items in Tour de Force.

One example of an Alert that can be sent out is the top ten Accounts mailing.  This mailing would email any subscribed users an alert everyday about information related to their top ten Accounts in their sales territory.

Use the following procedure to set up a new Mailing related to the top ten Account records in a sales territory based on year-to-date sales:

1. Open the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.
2. Click the New Mailing button.

3. In the Mailing Name field, type a name to associate with the Mailing.

For example, type Top Ten Accounts Alert.

4. In the Start Date field, select a starting date to associate with the Mailing.

For example, if the Mailing needs to start immediately, click the Today button.

5. In the End Date field, select an ending date to associate with the Mailing.

Note: If there is no ending date for the Mailing, specify a date into the future such as 12/31/2099.

6. In the Valid Send Hours fields, specify the hours in which the Mailing can be sent.

 

Note:  To limit a Mailing to sending an Email Message to users during normal or regular business hours, specify 8:00 AM in the first Valid Send Hours field and 5:00 PM in the second Valid Send Hours field.

7. In the Frequency field, select how often the Mailing is sent to the users that are subscribed to the Mailing.

For example, to have the Mailing or Email Message sent out once a week, type 10,080.

 

 

Note:  The Frequency field needs to be set in minutes.

8. Click the Frequency button to close the Create Mailing window.

 

9. Click the Open Folder icon to the left of the Mailing to associate Alerts and Subscribers to the Mailing.

 

 

 

10. Click the Link Alert button to add a new Alert to a Mailing.

11. In the Add Content to Mailing window, click the Add Another icon to associate an instance of the Record or Item with the Mailing.

An Instance allows the creation of an Alert based on the Item Type.  For each Alert associated with a Record or Item in Tour de Force, an Instance needs to be added.  For example, since this Alert is a list of the top ten Account records in a territory based on year-to-date sales, the # of Instances field associated with the Item Type field for Account needs to be set to 1.  

 

 

If two Alerts associated with a Mailing need to be based on Account records, then the # of Instances field for the Item Type field for Account needs to be set to 2.  

 

For example, to create a Mailing that has an Alert based on the top ten Account records in a territory based on year-to-date sales, as well as to create an Alert based on the Account records created in a territory in the last 7 days, the # of Instances field for the Item Type field for Account needs to be set to 2

 

To create a Mailing that has one Alert based on information associated with Account records and another Alert based on information associated with Contact records, then set the # of Instances field for the Item Type field for Account to 1 and also set the # of Instances field for the Item Type field for Contact to 1.

12. Click the OK button when # of Instances is set for each Record or Item Alert.

 

13. Click the OK button verify the number of instances is set properly and to close the Please confirm this selection window.

14. Click the Open Folder icon for each Alert associated with a Mailing.

 

15. In the Banner Text field, type a title or description to display at the top of the Email Message sent to users subscribed to the Mailing.

For example, type Top 10 YTD Sales.

 

16. Click the Add button to specify the fields in the Alert Content section to associate with the Alert.

17. In the TDF Field associated with the first line in the Alert Contents section, select the first field to display in the Mailing or Email Message.

For example, select Company.

 

18. Continue adding as many fields to the Alert Contents section as needed.

For example, add BSICustomerID, BusinessCity, Sales Manager, and BSI: Sales_YTD.

Note:  The order in which the fields or columns display in the Email Message can be edited by clicking the Up Arrow and Down Arrow buttons.

 

19. After all of the appropriate fields have been added to the Alert, click the Save button.

20. In the # Records field, type 10.

The # Records field determines the number of items that display for an Alert associated with a Mailing.

 

 

Note:  The number ten is used in this example because this Alert is designed to display the top ten Accounts in a territory based on year-to-date sales.  

21. In the Date Settings field, select the No date filter option.

 

Note:  No date filter is needed for this Alert because this Alert is designed to display the top ten Accounts in a territory based on year-to-date sales.  

• Since last mailing – Use the Since last mailing option when an Alert needs to be created to display only new Records or Items created or modified since the last Email Message to the users that are subscribed to the Mailing.
• Today less some arbitrary time span – Use the Today less some arbitrary time span option when an Alert needs to be created to display only new Records or Items created or modified based on a relative date.  

For example, if an Alert needs to be created to only show new Opportunities entered into Tour de Force in the last seven days, then select the Today +/- an arbitrary time span option, press the Tab key on the keyboard, and then specify -7.

22. In the Sort Expression field, click the down arrow to the right of the field and then select the field for the basis of the Alert.

For example, BSI: Sales_YTD.

 

23. Once the appropriate field is selected in the Sort Expression field, specify how the data needs to be sorted.

Check the Descending field to sort the information in the Email Message in descending order.  

 

For example, to sort the Account records based on highest year-to-date sales to lowest year-to-date sales, check the Descending field.

 

 

Note:  If the Descending field is not checked, then the data is sorted in ascending order.

24. Click the X to establish the field and sort order in the Set Expression field.

25. Check the Restricted field to keep this Alert from being copied to a new Mailing.

 

Note:  When creating a new Mailing, Alerts associated with other Mailers can be copied to the new Mailing.  Checking the Restricted field keeps Alerts previously set up from being copied to a new Mailing.

26. In the Subscribers to this Mailing section, click the Link Subscribers button to link users or Subscribers to the Alert.

27. Check the Include field for every user that needs to receive the Alert in an Email Message.

For example, check Dan Shawver.

 

28. In the Select one or more Alerts section, select the Alerts that the each user needs to be subscribed to for a Mailing.

 

If more than one Alert is associated with a Mailing, each Alert displays in the Select one of more Alerts section.

 

If two Alerts are associated with a Mailing and a user only needs the information related to one of the Alerts, then only check the Include field associated with that Alert. For example, check the Include field next to the Top 10 YTD Sales alert to subscribe Dan Shawver to that Alert.

 

29. After subscribing each user to the appropriate Alerts, click the OK button.

30. Click the Back button to return to the main form associated with the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.

31. Close the Manage Alerts and Notifications utility.

7. Child Alerts

A new feature in version 6.0 is the Child Alerts which are configured in the Alerts and Notifications utility. Child Alerts are configured like a normal alert, but are used to show the linked record or items for another Alert.

 

For example, if an admin creates an Account based Alert, an Activity Alert can also be created and then linked to that Account based Alert.  When the Account Alert is sent out, all of the Activity items linked to the Account records in the Alert get added to the Alert.

 

Note:  Only TDF Item Alerts can be used in Parent-Child relationship Alert.  The BSI Data Alerts can not have Child Alerts and can not be used as Parent Alerts.

 

To make an Alert a Child Alert, right click on the Alert and select Make Child Of.

 

 

The list that displays is the list of all of the available Alerts in the Mailing, that the Alert can be linked to.  Select the Alert that the the Child Alert needs to be linked to.

 

 

Once the Alert has been linked, the linked Child Alert is going to be sent at the next Mailing time.

 

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H. Maintaining and Updating a Mailing

Once a Mailing has been created, the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility can be used to maintain and update the Mailing.

Use the following procedure to maintain and update the Top 10 Accounts Alert:

1. Open the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.
2. Give focus to the appropriate Mailing in the Manage Alerts & Notifications window.

3. Use the Last Sent field to view the last date and time the Email Notification associated with a Mailing was sent to the Subscribers related to the Mailing.

 

Note:  The Last Sent field can be modified to a previous date and time in order to force the Email Notifications to be sent the Subscribers associated with a Mailing.  This feature is very valuable when testing Alerts and Email Notifications after modifications have been performed on the Alerts associated with a Mailing.

For example, to update the Last Sent field to the current date, click the down arrow to the right of the Date field and click the Today button.

Then click the X in the lower left corner of the Date and Time window to update the Last Sent field.

4. Use the Send Every field to update the Frequency or how often the Subscribers associated with a Mailing are sent an Email Notification related to a Mailing.

For example, to update the Sent Every field to every weekday, click the down arrow to the right of the Sent Every field.

5. In the Increment By field, select the days option from the dropdown list.

6. In the Every field, type or specify 1.

7. Uncheck the Saturday and Sunday values and then click the X to update the Send Every field.

8. Use the Next Send field to update next Date and Time an Email Notification related to a Mailing is going to be sent to the Subscribers associated with a Mailing.

 

Note:  The Next Send field can be modified to a future date and time in order to force the Email Notifications to be sent the Subscribers associated with a Mailing.  This feature is very valuable when testing Alerts and Email Notifications after modifications have been performed on the Alerts associated with a Mailing.

 

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9. Adding a Subscriber to a Mailing

Once a Mailing has been created, the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility can be used to maintain and update the Mailing such as adding a Subscriber to a Mailing and Alert, as well as removing a Subscriber associated with a Mailing or Alert.

Use the following procedure to add a Subscriber to the Top 10 Accounts Alert Mailing:

1. Open the Manage Alerts & Notifications utility.
2. Give focus to the appropriate Mailing in the Manage Alerts & Notifications window and click the Open Folder icon.

3. Click the Link additional subscriber(s) to this Mailing icon.

 

4. Check the Include field in the Select one of more Users section of the Add Users to Mailing window to add users as a Subscriber to a Mailer.

For example, to add the user Bill Pargeon as a Subscriber to the Top 10 Account Alert Mailing, check the Include field.

5. Check the Include field in the Select one of more Alerts section of the Add Users to Mailing window to associate an Alert to the Subscriber, and then click the OK button.

For example, to add the user Bill Pargeon as a Subscriber to the Top 10 YTD Sales Alert, check the Include field.

6. Close the Manage Alerts & Notifications window.

 

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10. Overview of Event Alerts

A new feature that has been added to the Alerts and Notifications is the Event Alerts.  The Event Alerts are used to create Alerts related to Events created in the Event Manager, and  directly interact with a web site created by the Tour de Force Web API.  The Event Alerts can only be used in conjunction with the Tour de Force Web API.

 

 

For more information regarding the Event Alerts, please refer to Technical Bulletin 6003 – Event Alerts.

11. Alerts and Notifications Best Practices

There are many ways to set up and use Mailings and Alerts in the Alerts and Notifications utility.  The scope of how many different ways to create an Alert goes beyond this document.  There is no set way to create an alert; however there are some practices that can be used to set up an alert to avoid running into errors and breaking an alert preventing the Mailing from being delivered.

This section provides a best practices and recommendations to use when creating a new Mailing.  While these are not requirements, these are steps and tips that Tour de Force recommends when using the Alerts and Notifications module.

Setting up the Alert Service

Before the alert service can be run and Mailings be sent out to users, the service needs to be set up.  The Settings window contains five fields that relate to setting up the alert service.

For SMTP servers and Exchange servers users can either type in the name or the IP address in the field.  Tour de Force recommends using the IP Address of the server and not the name.

Scheduling Alerts

There is no set time or set interval to use when sending out an alert, however, there are important factors that need to be considered when setting schedule times for the Mailings.

The Start Time and End Time fields operate on a twenty-four hour clock scale and not twenty-four hours from the time set in the Start Time field.  For example, if the Start Time is 8:00 AM, and the End Time field is set to 7:00 AM that does not mean the Mailing is operating for 23 hours.  In this scenario the Mailing would not be sent because the End Time was set to a time before the Start Time.

Tour de Force recommends that if an alert needs to be run all day that the End Time be set to 11:59 PM.

 

Summary

The purpose of this technical bulletin is to provide an overview for the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility, to provide the Administrative users of Tour de Force with the instructions on how to set up the Manage Alerts &Email Notifications utility in order to send Mailings to the users of Tour de Force, as well as demonstrate how to create and maintain Mailings, Alerts, and Email Notifications.