23 May 2024

What are communications templates?

Communication templates can be localised so that applicants receive communication, such as offer letters, in their preferred language. In addition to the main body of text of the communication templates, the Tribal connector for Power Automate enables the values of fields used the communications templates, such as OfferText, to be localised.

The table Actions and communication templates details the actions that result in the templates being used to generate communications with applicants, the outcome, and whether the communication is sent automatically or manually to the applicant.

Actions and communication templates

Action	Communication templates	Sent	Outcome
Application received from existing applicant	Application acknowledgement	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email.
Application received from new applicant	Applicant portal registration email	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email.
Create applicant task to upload a document	Applicant document upload task email	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email. Task added on the applicant portal.
Publish decision for a conditional offer	Offer email Conditional offer letter	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email. PDF of the conditional offer letter is created and made available to the applicant on the applicant portal.
Publish decision for a rejection	Rejection email	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email.
Publish decision for an unconditional offer	Offer email Unconditional offer letter	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email. PDF of the unconditional offer letter is created and made available to the applicant on the applicant portal.
Publish a credit offer	Credit offer email	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email.
Programme cancellation or change	Programme cancellation Programme change	Manually	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email. Attention. You must edit the programme cancellation or change template for each programme change or cancellation. For more information, go to How to change or cancel a programme.
Response to a deferral request	Deferral request response email	Manually	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email. Attention. You must edit the template to add the content for each deferral.
Send CAS number	CAS number	Automatically	Document with applicant's CAS number available in the applicant portal.
Send CAS number available	CAS number email available	Automatically	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email informing that their CAS number is available.
Shortlist applications	Application shortlisted	Manually	Email sent to the applicant's preferred email.
Start academic review for delegation	Notify staff of academic review delegation	Automatically	Email sent to the selected staff member to choose the academic reviewers.
Start academic review for application review	Notify staff of academic review request	Automatically	Email sent to the selected academic reviewers.
Start academic review for credit review	Notify staff of credit review request	Automatically	Email sent to the selected academic reviewers.

Templates are HTML documents with static content and dynamic content, such as the applicant's name, address, programme, and so on. Dynamic content is added when, for example, decisions are published. Templates use inline CSS to define fonts, font size, colours, and so on, and can also include images, such as the logo of your institution.

Templates use the Liquid template language for the dynamic content. For more information on Liquid, go to Liquid Introduction . The Liquid template language defines the dynamic content and the logic to display content as follows:

Content

Custom field are Liquid objects represent variables that define the dynamic content to display. Objects are enclosed in double curly braces, such as {{content}}. For example, the object {{ApplicantReferenceNumber}} displays the applicant's reference number. For more information, go to What are the fields used in communication templates?

Use filters to avoid potential cross-site scripting (XSS) when using Liquid objects to read data that cannot be trusted data, such as data provided by applicants.

For example, for the object {{ ApplicantAddress1 }} use {{ ApplicantAddress1 | escape }} or {{ ApplicantAddress1 | strip_html}}

For more information, go to escape or strip_html on the Liquid website.

Logic

Tags define the logic and flow in templates. Tags have a curly brace and percentage delimiter, such as {% and %}. Tags to control the flow can use the if condition to decide whether text is displayed.

For example, the tag below checks whether the applicant has a UCAS student reference number. If true, the UCAS student reference is displayed. If false, the line is left blank.

{% if UcasStudentReferenceNumber -%}UCAS student reference number: {{UcasStudentReferenceNumber}}{%- endif %}

The image Template viewed in a browser shows a template for an email to reject an application when opened in a web browser. The template has Liquid objects for the applicant's reference number, program title, and institution name.

Templates have English and Welsh language versions. The English language version of templates are the default templates for applicant communications. The Welsh language version of the templates are used when an applicant's preferred language for communications is Welsh. Applicants preferred language for communications is recorded on the applicant profile.

Communication templates have the following permissions in the authorisation area Communications:

Services

Permissions define whether users can view or manage communications configuration and templates.

Settings

Permissions define whether users can view or manage communications settings.