Newsletter module

Content

1. Introduction
2. Installing the module
3. Newsletter module: overview
4. Adding a newsletter
5. Your newsletter on the site
6. Manage a contribution
7. Applicants and subscribers section
8. Search section
9. Import CSV file section
10. Configuration section

1. Introduction

The Newsletter module of Site@School is a complicated module with many options and features :

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2. Installing the module

Newsletters are bound to pages. See the 'Module manger' chapter on how to connect a newsletter to a page.

NOTICE: When you have made the page, and you did not yet made the newsletter, you get an error message. When visiting the page you will see:
"A newsletter category with this page name doesn't exist,
please check your configuration of the newsletter module."

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3. Newsletter module: overview

Go to the module manager, click on the newsletter module. You will see its opening screen:

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mod_nwsl_open.jpg
Explanation:
  1. Menu: Under the menu all the selectable items are listed.
  2. Newsletters: This is the opening screen. The newsletter you own ( you are the editor of) is on the right. The newsmodule owner will see all the newsletters.
  3. Archive: Here the newsletter archive with archived issues is located. The newsmodule owner can see all the archived newsletters and issues.
  4. Subscribers: Here you find the list of subscribers for a newsletter. The module owner sees all the subscribers of all the letters.
  5. Applicants: See above
  6. Search: You can search in the email addresses and the additional info of the newsletter you own (edit). The module owner can search in all addresses.
  7. Import CSV file: The module owner can add lists of addresses to newsletters.
  8. Configuration: Here you can set the email address of the administrator of the module. Only the module owner has access to this option.
  9. New Newsletter: By clicking you can create a new newsletter. This option is only visible for the module owner.
  10. Go back: To return to the page manager.

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4. Adding a newsletter

As module owner, click on 'New Newsletter'. You will see:

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mod_nwsl_config.png
Explanation:
  1. Page name: The page name you put in here must be exactly the same as the page name you created earlier. In our example, put in 'School News'. Omit the quotes.
  2. Title: Here you can put (HTML) text which will be the header on the newsletter page on your site.
  3. Email of owner: Here you put in the email address of the newsletter owner (editor), or the newsletter module owner. The newsletter module owner has complete access rights to all newsletters. The newsletter owner (editor) has only access to the newsletter(s) she owns (edits). Multiple newsletter owners are possible (see below).
    NOTICE.

    The From: field in the email newsletter issues contains this email address. Sometimes this is undesirable. A workaround is to use a general address, for example 'info@ourschool.org' and create a S@S user (in our example, the user could be called 'schoolnews') with the 'info@ourschool.org' email address. This prevents subscribers writing to a private email address of an editor.

    NOTICE: The newsletter owner (editor) must be a S@S user.
    A teacher or a pupil must have:
    - an account with an email address in S@S.
    - access rights to the module manager and the newsletter module.
    - the option to be a S@S user set to 'yes'.
    Multiple editors for one newsletter are possible. Separate the email addresses with a comma.

  4. Welcome subscribe text: When someone wants to become a subscriber she presses the 'subscribe' button on the newsletter page. A form is presented to fill in. The form starts with a 'welcome' text'. Here the welcome text can be made.
  5. Welcome unsubscribe text: When a subscriber wants to unsubscribe from a newsletter, she presses the 'unsubscribe' button on the newsletter page. A form is presented to fill in. The form starts with a 'welcome unsubscribe text'. This text can be made here.
  6. Welcome contribution text: When a subscriber wants to contribute to a newsletter she presses the 'contribute' button on the newsletter page. A form is presented for the contribution. The form starts with a 'welcome contribution text'. This text can be made here.
  7. Contribution thank you text: When a subscriber has made the contribution for a newsletter she presses the 'Send' button on the contribution page. A 'thank you' message is presented. Here the text can be made.
  8. Template HTML code: This html code (can be left empty) will be loaded into the editor the when a new issue is created. E.g. it can contain a HTML table with a background picture in it. In this way it can be used on all issues automatically.
  9. Additional info: When a person wants to subscribe to a newsletter, she has to fill in a form. The form contains surname, name, email address and additional info. Here the text for the additional info field can be defined. In our 'School News' newsletter we could ask: "Fill in the group and name of your child".
  10. Send link instead of content: (Y/N)?: Here you can mark which option you prefer for the content of the newsletter by email. It can be either the full text, or just a clickable link to the content of the newsletter on the site. This option's default is 'no'.
  11. Admin has to confirm subscription: (Y/N)?: Here the option can be set whether a subscriber directly subscribes herself or the subscription comes in the 'Applicants' section and the owner (editor) of the newsletter has to decide to add the applicant to the list of subscribers. This option's default is 'yes'.
  12. Show contribution button: (Y/N)?: When the option is set to 'yes' the 'Contribute' button will be visible on the newsletter page. The contribution is visible in the WYSIWYG editor, together with the name and email address of the contributor. When an issue is sent and no new issue is made and someone contributes, a new issue with that contribution is automatically made.

    NOTICE: To prevent contributions in an issue that is ready for publication, but waiting for the publication date, create a new issue. Contributions will go to the new issue.

  13. Newsletter on protected area (Y/N)?: Set the button on the desired choice.
  14. Go back: To go back to the previous page
  15. Save: To save your work and return to the previous page.

Fill in all the fields and click on 'Save'. You will be back at the opening screen and you will see:

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mod_nwsl_nwsl_added.jpg
Explanation:
  1. New Newsletter: To create a new newsletter. This option is not available when you are an owner (editor) of a newsletter.
  2. Trashcan Icon: To delete the newsletter.
  3. Edit icon: Clicking on 'Edit' brings you to the previous section where you can change owner, welcome texts and options. Do not change the page name! This option is not available to newsletter owners (editors).
  4. Newsletter name: Clicking on the name creates a new issue. See below for explanation.
  5. [#0]: Number of subscribers for the newsletter
  6. [id=1]: The newsletter identification number. This number is used in the 'Subscribers' and the 'Applicants' section where it shows which subscriber/applicant is subscribed to which newsletter(s).
  7. Go back: To return to the module manager.

When you click on the 'Newsletter name' (in our case it's 'School News'), you will see:

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mod_nwsl_add_issue.jpg
Click on 'New Issue' and you will see:

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mod_nwsl_new_issue.jpg
Explanation:
  1. Issue: Here you can specify issue information. For example the issue number. In our example newsletter we will put in. Year 1, Number 1
  2. Header: Here you can create the header of the newsletter. You can use HTML tags to markup the text, use images, etc.
  3. Footer: Here you can make the newsletter's footer text. HTML and pictures can be used.
  4. Go back: To go back to the previous page.
  5. Save: To save your work and go back.
Fill in the fields and click on 'Save'. You will see:

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mod_nwsl_new_issue_added.jpg
Explanation:
  1. Trashcan icon: To delete this issue.
  2. Edit icon: This brings you back to the issue, header and footer screen. Most times you will need this to put a new issue number on the new issue and leave the header and footer texts intact.
  3. Issue name: Clicking on the issue name brings you to the WYSIWYG editor. You do not see the header and footer texts. They are added when you sent the newsletter.
    When you have set the 'contribution' button to 'on', you can expect contributions.
  4. World icon: When the world symbol has a red cross in it, the news letter is not published on the site. Clicking the icon will make the red cross disappear and will make the newsletter visible on the site.
  5. Archive icon: Clicking this icon moves the newsletter to the archive.
  6. Test mail icon: When you have made an issue and you want to test whether it satisfies your requirements, you can send yourself as owner (editor) a mail containing the issue.
  7. Send mail icon: Clicking this button sends the mail to all subscribers. When the sending process is finished (this can take some time, depending on the number of subscribers) a green check-mark appears at the right side of the icon.
  8. New issue icon: Click this to create a new issue. When you create a new issue, it will not be visible on the site. When a new unpublished issue is created, contributions from subscribers will be automatically stored in the unpublished issue.
  9. Go back: To return to the module manager.
Now you have created your first issue of the 'Our School News' newsletter. Put in some content and click on the 'World' icon. The red cross will disappear. It's time to check the issue on the site.

When you are an owner (editor) of a newsletter, your opening screen after logging in and clicking on the newsletter, looks like:

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mod_nwsl_open_owner.jpg
You cannot create new newsletters and you have no access to the CSV tool.

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5. Your newsletter on the site

Now we will take a look at the 'Our School News' example. Go to your site and go to the page called 'School News'. Click on the page. You will see:

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mod_nwsl_site_open.jpg
Explanation:
  1. Title info: What you will see here is made in the 'Title' section when you create a new newsletter.
  2. Subscribe: When you click subscribe you will see:

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    mod_nwsl_site_subscribe.jpg
    Explanation
    1. Title information: This text is made in the 'Title' section when you create a new newsletter.
    2. Welcome subscribe info: This text is made in the 'Welcome subscribe text' section when you create a new newsletter.
    3. Surname: The surname of the subscriber.
    4. Name: The name of the subscriber.
    5. Email address: The email address of the subscriber. The subscriber will receive an email to confirm the subscription.
    6. Additional info: This text is made in the 'additional info' field when creating the newsletter.
    7. Go back: To go back to the previous menu
    8. Send: To send the subscription form.
    When you have completed all the fields and click the 'Send' button you will see:

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    mod_nwsl_site_subscribed.jpg

    This is a general text. that applies to all newsletters. You can change this text with the 'Translate' tool. See the corresponding chapter.

  3. Unsubscribe: When you click this button you will see:

    [ ]
    mod_nwsl_site_subscribed.jpg

    This is a general text that applies to all newsletters. You can change this text with the 'Translate' tool in the 'Tools' chapter.

  4. Contribute: Click on 'Contribute' and you will see:

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    mod_nwsl_site_contribute.png

    The email address must belong to a subscriber of the newsletter. In other cases a message is shown indicating the contributor is not a subscriber. The text you will see is made in the 'Contribute welcome text' field when you create a newsletter.
    When a subscriber has made a contribution and has pressed the 'Send' button, she will see:

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    mod_nwsl_contrib_thank.jpg

    The text is made in the 'Contribute thank you' field when you create a new newsletter.

    NOTICE: See below under 'Manage a contribution' to manage the contribution.

  5. Archive: Clicking on this button brings you the newsletter archive.
  6. Issue: When, in the issue configuration of the newsletter, you have clicked away the red cross in the 'globe' icon, you can see the 'issue' information.

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6. Manage a contribution

When a reader has contributed to a newsletter, you will see the following when you are in the newsletter module and click on 'newletters' in the menu and on the newsletter. You will see:

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mod_nwsl_manage_contribution.jpg

A new issue is added with the same name as the previous issue. The issue is not published on the site as can be seen by the red cross.
When you, after publication of the first issue, immediately had created a second issue, the contribution would have gone in that issue.
You can rename the second 'Year 1 Number 1' to another issue number with the 'Edit' option.
When you click on the issue name, the page editor opens and you can see and edit the contribution:

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mod_nwsl_edit_contribution.jpg

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7. Applicants and subscribers section

When you click on 'Applicants' in the Menu section, you will see:

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mod_nwsl_applicants_open.png
  1. Applicants: Shows where you are, i.e. not in the 'Subscribers' section.
  2. Filter on: You can set a filter for a specific newsletter, so you only see the applicants of this newsletter
  3. Newsletter id's: When you are the module owner, this field is visible. It helps you to identify which subscribers are subscribed to which newsletter(s).
  4. Trashcan icon: To delete an applicant
  5. Edit icon: Click on it and you will see:

    [ ]
    mod_nwsl_applicants_edit.png

    You can edit the properties of an applicant and activate/deactivate an applicant. Activating means: porting the applicant to the subscribers list.. This is the same function as the 'Activate' icon (see below).

  6. Applicant's name: Applicant's name.
  7. Applicant's surname : Applicant's surname.
  8. Sort icon: Clicking on 'Name, surname' , 'Email address' or 'Newsletter id' sorts on that column. The icon indicates which column is sorted.
  9. Applicant's email address: Applicant's email address
  10. Newsletter id's: Shows you the newsletter id's that the applicant is subscribed to. The newsletter id's are listed next to the input fields.
  11. Status: This field has three options: 'New', 'Confirmed' and 'Subscribed'.
  12. Date: The date on which the applicant submitted his application.
  13. Activate icon: Pressing this icon will subscribe the applicant to the newsletter.
  14. Page counter: When there are more than 25 subscribers the list becomes to long and a new page is created.
The 'Subscribers' section operates more or less in the same manner:

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8. Search section

Pressing the 'Search' link in the Menu brings you to:

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mod_nwsl_search.png

You can search the database of subscribers and/or applicants to the newsletter you own. The module owner can search through all applicants and subscribers.

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9. Import CSV file section

This option is only accessible for the newsletter module owner. Pressing the 'Import CSV file' link in the Menu takes you to:

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mod_nwsl_csv.png
Explanation:
  1. Value: Here you find the values that are used when a subscriber subscribes
  2. Order: Here you can specify in which order these values are sorted in the file you want to upload
  3. File: Here the name of the file you upload will be visible when after selecting. See 'browse' below.
  4. Browse: Clicking on 'Browse' opens a window on your computer. Select the CSV file you want to import.
  5. Go back: To return to the previous screen
  6. Send: To upload the CSV file and import into the database.

Here is an example to clarify the use of the CSV file import tool.
The newsletter module CSV database has a format like this:

Johnson, Peter, jp@provider.com, 5b mary
Smith, Will, wills@otherprovider.org, 4 Said, etc.
Suppose you have an existing email newsletter program, or a list of parents with their email addresses and their profession. Suppose the list looks like: jwpie@pie.org, Jonathan William Pie, carpenter, ptt@tele.com, postman, etc.etc.

In the above list, the email address is the first value, the complete name is the second value and the profession is the third value. You decide to use the email address, to put the full name in the surname field and not use the profession.
The values you put in the CSV tool will look like:

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mod_nwsl_csv_example.png

This will ensure correct filling of the newsletter module subscribers table.

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10. Configuration section

This section is only accessible for the newsletter module owner.
Pressing the 'Configuration' link in the Menu takes you to:

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mod_nwsl_configure.jpg

Here you can change the ownership of the newsletter module. The module owner has every right to every newsletter. Take care when changing this email address. Putting in an invalid address or making a typo can result in inaccessibility of the module for the owner! Only one email address can be added.
This module owner address can also be changed in the 'Configuration manager' > 'S@S options' under 'Email address administrator (Newsletter)'. When you change the address in the Newsletter module it is automatically changed in 'S@S Options' and vice versa.

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Author: Dirk Schouten <schoutdi (at) knoware (dot) nl>
Last updated: 2006-04-18