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Enrollment Emails: Samples & Best Practices

Josh
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Overview

During the Enrollment Process, it's important to have key information and links within the 'Enrollment email' and 'Contract Thank You email' so that your parents can enroll their students with ease. This article includes best practices and sample email templates for these customizable system-automated enrollment communications as well as a custom 'Enrollment Checklist Reminder' email that can be sent manually or through an automated communication plan for our Finalsite Enrollment EMS PRO accounts. 


System Automated Emails

  • Welcome Email (Authentication Emails tab). 
    • This email is sent automatically once a parent creates their portal account for the first time.
  • Contract Thank You Email (System Emails tab)
    • This email is sent automatically once the contract is submitted with all required signatures.
    • Please note: Contract thank you emails are only sent automatically if they are enabled within the Communication Setup Page (Settings > Communication > Communication Setup) and if the contract submission is performed by the parent. Bulk contract submissions by an admin or contracts subjected to countersign will not trigger the system Contract Thank You Email.
      • If you are using the countersign or bulk submission feature and would like to learn how to set up an automatic communication plan to trigger a Thank You email post-contract completion, please refer to this article within the How-To Set Up an Automatic Contract Thank You Email section.
  • Deposit Receipt (sent automatically, and not customizable or viewable within the system)
    • This email is sent automatically once the deposit is paid on the contract/registration form and the contract is submitted.

Custom Emails (Not sent automatically unless you set up an automated communication plan)

  • Enrollment Email for New & Returning Families (Usually sent manually in bulk)
  • Enrollment Checklist Reminder Email (Great use case for date-based automated communication plans).
    • Click here for more enrollment-based automated communication plan examples. 

Enrollment Email for New & Returning Families

Overview

The Enrollment Email is a communication that's manually sent in bulk to both new and returning families after the school has generated and previewed contracts to ensure all contract language, fees, and fee rules are confirmed and correct. Click here to review the process for new and returning student enrollment.

This email informs families that their contract/registration form is now available in the Parent Portal, and it provides them with a unique auto-generated link that will authenticate the parent/guardian to their child's enrollment checklist if they're not already authenticated.

Authentication is the linkage or access between a parent/guardian/consultant and a child/s checklist or ledger (for those with Finalsite Enrollment Billing) within the Parent Portal.

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Enrollment/Contract Email Best Practices

  • Include your school name in the subject line.

  • Include a custom reply-to email address for the Enrollment/Business Office

  • Brand your email with a school banner, logo, etc.

  • Include school contact information and ensure that it is current. If enrollment contact merge tokens are being used.

    • Make sure you check this information within Settings--General--Contact Information.

  • Include the {{recipient.verification_link}} merge token

  • Include the {{recipient.parent_portal_email}} merge token

  • IMPORTANT: Include a link back to the Parent Portal and Enrollment checklist.

    • If you need to find your unique parent portal link, click on your username in the upper right of your site and select 'Parent Portal.'

  • Include a link to the Parent Help Center for a list of FAQs so parents can get answers to their questions during off hours.

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Sample Enrollment/Contract Email

IMPORTANT: The email sample below includes some information that may or may not apply to your process so please make sure you read this section before copying and pasting the template into your site and check all merge tokens in the email preview before you send it.


About This Template

  • Authentication Merge Token: The first point includes the verification link merge token or authentication link that will auto-generate a hyperlink to your parent portal with a unique authentication code for that contact.

    • If the contact is already authenticated, they can simply log in using this link.

    • If they're not yet authenticated (if they do not yet have access to their child's checklist), this link will grant them access after they first create an account.

  • Account Creation/Portal Email Display for Existing Accounts: The 2nd point has a business rule that will display instructions for the recipient to create a parent portal account if they did not create one yet. If they do have a parent portal account and email log-in, they will see their parent portal email address displayed instead of being asked to create an account. There are also instructions to contact the school if their email address is incorrect because sometimes parents mistype their email upon account creation and don't realize it. This is a nice reminder for the parent to know what email to use to log in, especially year over year for returning families. If you have a specific contact you'd like them to reach out to for parent portal email updates, this is a great place to include it. Click here to learn how to update a parent portal email address. If they can't log in, they can reset their password on the log-in page.

  • Dual Signature and Deposit Instructions: There are instructions near the bottom of the email that is specific to schools that are utilizing the dual signature feature on their contracts. If you are not using dual signatures, you will not need this information. If you would like to add dual signatures to your contracts, please reach out to the Support team.

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Enrollment/Contract Email for New & Returning Students

Dear {{recipient.salutation_preferred_names}},

{{school.long_name}} has moved to using an online enrollment system for the {{school.current_enrollment_year}} school year. To begin this process to enroll {{contact.first_name}} {{contact.last_name}}:

  1. Click on or copy and paste the following link to visit your family's {{school.portal_name}}:{{recipient.verification_link}}

  2. {%if recipient.portal_email != blank%}Log in using your Parent Portal Account email: {{recipient.portal_email}} If your email address is incorrect (it may have been mistyped upon account creation), please contact the school so we can update it for you.{%else%} Create a Parent Portal Account by clicking on the 'Create an Account' button near the bottom of the Parent Portal login page.{%endif%} If you have any issues with the above link, you can authenticate manually using your unique authentication code: {{recipient.authentication_code}}.

  3. If prompted to confirm your identity, please do so.

  4. Once you login/create your account, click on the blue 'Continue Enrollment Process' button next to your child's name to see a list of items needed to complete your enrollment process.

  5. Once you see your checklist, click on the blue 'Complete Form' button next to your contract to begin the enrollment process.

  6. Please complete the online contract, submit your deposit payment, and complete any remaining checklist items.

IMPORTANT: For dual household families that are prompted to invite a second signer, both parties MUST have their own unique parent portal account to sign the contract. You will not be able to proceed in the process if you use the same login. Once both signatures have been submitted on the contract, either signer can pay the deposit. Please note, if you need the deposit split, contact the school for an adjustment.

Still need help? Click here for the online Parent Portal Help Center (FAQs), or call us at the number in the signature.


We look forward to seeing you in the upcoming year!

Sincerely,

{{school.enrollment_contact_name}}
{{school.enrollment_contact_title}}
{{school.enrollment_phone}}
{{school.long_name}}

Contract Thank You Email

Overview

The Contract Thank You email is a system-automated email that's sent once a contract is submitted by a parent/guardian. You can locate it within Settings--Communication--Email Templates--System Emails--Contract Thank You Email.

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Contract Thank You Email Best Practices

  • Brand your email with a school banner, logo, etc.

  • Include school contact information and ensure that it's current.

    • If enrollment contact merge tokens are being used, make sure you check this information within Settings--General--Contact Information.

  • IMPORTANT: Include a link back to the Parent Portal and Enrollment checklist so that families can easily return to their checklist for any remaining items.

    • If you need to find your unique parent portal link, click on your username in the upper right of your site and select 'Parent Portal.'

  • Include a link to the Parent Help Center for a list of FAQs so parents can get answers to their questions when the school is closed.

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Sample Contract Thank You Email

Dear {{contact.salutation_parent_first_names}},

Thank you for returning your signed contract and for paying your enrollment deposit, which holds a place for your student in next year’s class. Please maintain a copy of this email for your records.

  • Click here to return to your child's enrollment checklist.

If you have elected to pay your tuition in full:

A statement of tuition balance due will be sent to you in "x month." Tuition must be paid in full by "x date."


We look forward to having your child with us in the coming school year!

Sincerely,

{{school.enrollment_contact_name}}
{{school.enrollment_phone}}
{{school.enrollment_email}}

Enrollment Checklist Reminder Email

Overview

The Enrollment Checklist Reminder email, located in Settings--Communications--Email Templates--Custom Emails is a great way to nudge your families to completion and meet deadlines with their contract and remaining checklist items.

We recommend picking one or more dates to send this email to your families as you get closer to any deadlines. This email can either be sent in bulk or automated through a communication plan, as long as it's been set up before your students become a status of 'Enrollment in Progress' in the system. If your students are already in the status of 'Enrollment in Progress', then the automated email will not be sent.

  • Manual Bulk Email:

    • Go to the Enrollment tab -- Students in Enrollment.

    • Click on 'Filter Options' and select the status of 'Enrollment in Progress.'

      • Set any additional filters you may need.

    • Click 'apply.'

    • Next, select all contacts in bulk.

    • Select 'Communicate'-- 'Send Email.'

    • Once you set all of your sending criteria, select the enrollment checklist reminder email template. Make sure you preview the email and review all merge tokens before sending.

  • Automated Communication Plan: Click here to learn how to set up this email as an automated communication plan on one or more dates leading up to the contract or enrollment checklist deadline.

Best Practices

  • Include your banner/logo

  • Include a link to your parent portal so they can easily log back in to complete any remaining items. Click on your username menu in the upper right and select 'Parent Portal' to get the URL.

  • Communicate deadlines.

Enrollment Checklist Reminder Sample Template

Dear {{recipient.salutation_first_and_last_names}},

Thank you for signing your contract! Please click here to return to the portal to complete the following checklist items by "x" date:

{{contact.checklist_enrollment}}


Sincerely,

{{school.enrollment_contact_name}}
{{school.enrollment_contact_title}}
{{school.enrollment_phone}}
{{school.enrollment_email}}

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