To compose the body text of a message definition

The message body can be composed using the Cx Editor - a powerful and intuitive feature, containing all the functionality required to define the content of the output, as viewed by the target audience. Two construction formats are available, the selection of which will be governed by the required content: (1) Simple - This option is applicable to announcement-style bulletins, where no aspect of personalisation is warranted; (2) Advanced - Allows place holders to be inserted into the message body using entity focused data tags, which are then replaced by personalised, contact-specific information at the point of generation.

The procedure to compose the body text of a message definition is as follows:

1. Navigate to Quick Menu > System > Portal Configuration > Message Definition. The Message Definition window is displayed.
2. Select a message definition from the alphabetical list or type its name into the Search Message Name field. By default the list is filtered to show Current message definitions. An alternative filter can be applied using the Filter by drop-down field: Expired, Future or All combinations 1.
3. Click on Message Body. The Message Body tab is activated, revealing the standard text editor window.
4. Click on Simple or Advanced to hide or reveal the data tag selection pane 2.
5. Enter the body text of the bulletin that will be the same for all recipients. This requisite step mirrors that covered separately in the topic Understanding the communication template editor.
6. Where Advanced mode has been selected, insert place holders - also referred to as merge tags - into the body text where personalised data is to appear (e.g. an address, a salutation, an event-specific data item, etc.). A list of possible tags relevant to the message board functionality are displayed in the left-hand pane. Expand the entity headings and select the correct tag, or type the name into the Search Tags field to display all possible matches 3.
7. Click on Save.

Note

1 The Search Message Name field will match against any element of the message definition name.

2 By default, the Advanced mode is activated for new messages.

3 A pseudo (friendly) name is shown in the list of available tags; this is replaced by the physical database field name when transferred over to the body text.

See related topics...

Message board control centre overview

Understanding the communication template editor

To create a new message definition

To add recipients to a message definition