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Parent Communications

Josh
  • Updated

Overview

Communicating with prospective and current families is an integral part of building your relationship with them from discovering your school enrolling in it. Learn which communications are automated or manual so you can customize the parent and student experience while optimizing your yield and retention!

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Inquiry Process Communications

* Inquiry Thank You Page *

  • Description: Once a parent submits the Inquiry Form, they will see the Inquiry Thank You Page within the Parent Portal. This is a great place to include images or video, a links to your social media and website, instructions on how to start an application form, and more.

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* Inquiry Thank You Email *

  • Description: When enabled, the Inquiry Thank You Email will be sent immediately to the parent on the inquiry form, upon its submission by a parent ONLY. Admin-submitted inquiry forms from the quick-action (+) menu will not trigger the inquiry thank you email to send. You can create a custom thank you email template if you have follow-up information you would like to send manually after an Admin-entered Inquiry form is submitted. The Inquiry Thank You Email can be enabled or disabled from 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Setup'.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'System Emails'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that the Inquiry Thank You Email will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Inquiry Calendar Event/Appointment Emails *

  • Description: At the Inquiry stage, parents can register for events or appointments through the Inquiry Form (best practice) or through public calendar links. In addition, parents can be registered for events by admins/users through calendar checklist items. For each calendar event, parents will receive up to three emails (confirmation, reminder, and cancellation), based on the calendar settings you define. Each of these email templates can be turned on or off and all three can be customized on a per calendar basis. Click here for more information.

  • Location to Edit: All calendar emails are managed within the 'Scheduling' tab - 'Calendars' - selecting the specific calendar name - 'Calendar Settings' - 'Edit Settings'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that calendar event emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Inquiry Automated Communication Plan Emails (PRO plan only) *

  • Description: If you have any automated communication plans set up for the Inquiry stage, these will be sent based on the criteria set. Click here for examples.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Plan' - 'Inquiry'.

  • Additional Information: Any emails sent through Automated Communication Plans will be logged within both the 'Sent Emails' page and the Recent Activity/History section of the associated contact record(s).

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* Inquiry Manual Communications *

  • Description: Additional emails, phone calls, or mailings that are information or interest-based. Some examples include mailing a Viewbook, calling about tuition assistance information, answering any questions, mailing tickets to a school game or theater production, creating name badges for events, generating letter templates with speaking points for student or parent ambassadors, etc.

Parent Portal Account Communications

The following applies only to families in the application or enrollment process, since parent portal accounts are not created at the inquiry stage. There are three system default emails associated with the Parent Portal Account creation/login process.

  • Description: Once a parent creates a new parent portal account, they will receive the Welcome Email. If the parent clicks the 'Forgot your password?' link on the Parent Portal login page, or if you as the admin/user click to reset their password, they will receive a password reset email. If the parent enters an email address not yet associated with an existing parent portal account, they will receive an unknown account email.

  • Location to Edit: All of the parent portal account email templates can be customized (e.g. to include your banner/logo, contact information, etc.) within 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'Authentication Emails'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that the parent portal account emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

Application Process Communications

* Application Thank You Page *

  • Application Thank You Page within the Parent Portal. This is a great place to include a video, images, a link to fill out an application for another child and direct them back to their checklist for remaining items.

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* Application Thank You Email *

  • Description: When enabled, the Application Thank You Email will be sent immediately to the parent upon its submission by a parent ONLY. Admin-submitted application forms from the quick-action (+) menu will not trigger the application thank you email to send. You can create a custom thank you email template if you have follow-up information you would like to send manually after an Admin-entered Application form is submitted. The Application Thank You Email can be enabled or disabled from 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Setup'.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'System Emails'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that the Application Thank You Email will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Application Fee Receipt Email *

  • Description: When enabled, the Application Fee Receipt email will be sent to the parent completing the application form once the application fee is paid online via an electronic payment method (i.e. credit card or electronic check). This template cannot be edited at this time; however, you can edit the application fee instructions that appear on the payment page within the application form. The Application Fee Receipt email can be enabled or disabled from 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Setup'.

  • Additional Information: This email is sent from your payment processor to the parent and isn't logged within Finalsite Enrollment.

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* Applicant Calendar Event/Appointment Emails *

  • Description: At the Applicant stage, parents can register for events or appointments through the Admissions Checklist within the Parent Portal, as long as this option is enabled in your calendar settings. In addition, parents can be registered for events by admins/users through calendar checklist items. For each calendar event, parents will receive up to three emails (confirmation, reminder, and cancellation), based on the calendar settings you define. Each of these email templates can be turned on or off and all three can be customized on a per calendar basis. Click here for more information.

  • Location to Edit: All calendar emails are managed within the 'Scheduling' tab - 'Calendars' - selecting the specific calendar name - 'Calendar Settings' - 'Edit Settings'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that calendar event emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Teacher Recommendation Emails *

  • Description: For online teacher recommendations, parents/students enter a name and email in the Parent Portal to send a request to the teacher of their choice. Once the teacher completes and submits the recommendation form, the parent will receive a Recommendation Complete email. The completed recommendation remains school confidential.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'Request Emails'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that request emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Document Request Emails *

  • Description: Similar to teacher recommendations, for online document requests (such as transcript requests), parents/students enter a name and email in the Parent Portal to send a request to the desired recipient. Once the recipient completes and submits the request form, the parent will receive a Documentation Request Completed email. The submitted form and document(s) remain school confidential.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'Request Emails'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that request emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Admissions Automated Communication Plan Emails (PRO plan only) *

  • Description: If you have any automated communication plans set up for the Admissions stage, these will be sent based on the criteria set. Click here for examples.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Plan' - 'Admissions'.

  • Additional Information: Any emails sent through Automated Communication Plans will be logged within both the 'Sent Emails' page and the Recent Activity/History section of the associated contact record(s).

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* Admissions Manual Communications *

  • Description: Additional emails, phone calls, or mailings that are information or interest-based. Some examples include mailing a Viewbook, calling about tuition assistance information, answering any questions, mailing tickets to a school game or theater production, creating name badges for events, generating letter templates with speaking points for student or parent ambassadors, etc.

Enrollment Process Communications

* Contract Thank You Email *

  • Description: When enabled, the Contract Thank You Email will be sent immediately to the primary parent upon submission of the enrollment contract. The Contract Thank You Email can be enabled or disabled from 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Setup'.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'System Emails'.

  • Additional Information:

    • Please note that the Contract Thank You Email will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

    • Contract Thank You emails are only sent automatically 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.

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* Deposit Receipt Email *

  • Description: When enabled, the Deposit Receipt email will be sent to the parent who pays the deposit online via an electronic payment method (i.e. credit card or electronic check). This template cannot be edited at this time; however, you can edit the deposit instructions that appear on the payment page within the contract form. The Deposit Receipt email can be enabled or disabled from 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Setup'.

  • Additional Information: This email is sent from your payment processor to the parent and isn't logged within Finalsite Enrollment.

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* Dual Signature Invite Email *

  • Description: Only for schools using the dual signature feature on contracts. Once the first parent/guardian signs the contract, they will be asked to invite the second parent/guardian to sign as well. The Dual Signature Invite email is what sends to that second parent/guardian.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communications' - 'Email Templates' - 'System Emails' - 'Invite Contract Signer'.

  • Additional Information: Please note that the Dual Signature Invite Email will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

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* Enrollment Automated Communication Plan Emails (PRO plan only) *

  • Description: If you have any automated communication plans set up for the Enrollment stage, these will be sent based on the criteria set. Click here for examples.

  • Location to Edit: 'Settings' - 'Communication' - 'Communication Plan' - 'Enrollment'.

  • Additional Information: Any emails sent through Automated Communication Plans will be logged within both the 'Sent Emails' page and the Recent Activity/History section of the associated contact record(s).

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* Enrollment Manual Communications *

  • Description: Additional emails, phone calls, or mailings that are information or interest-based. Some examples include mailing a Student Handbook and school calendar of upcoming events, answering questions for class schedules and athletic/academic programs, etc. Also, enrollment emails for all returning and new families with parent portal log-in instructions, authentication codes and instructions, or notifications that contracts are available for completion.

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Billing Process Communications

Click here to learn about automated and manual billing communications.

Please note that the automatic billing emails will only be logged in the 'Sent Emails' page, and not in individual contact records.

Additional Resources

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