Auto Notices allow you to automatically send notifications to parents and students based on data. This can be used for attendance, discipline, bus route, etc. notices. This guide covers the complete setup process from configuration to scheduling. You must have an API and/or SFTP setup between the Communication Dashboard and your Student Information System.
Accessing Auto Notices
Once your API connection and/or SFTP is complete, Auto Notices can be configured in Mass Communication > Auto Notices.
From the Auto Notices screen, you can view all existing auto notices and their status information including:
Name: The auto notice title
Last Status: Current status (Sent, etc.)
Last Sent Date: When the notice was last sent
Next Send Date: When it will send next (if scheduled)
Creating a New Auto Notice
Step 1: Initial Setup
Click + New Auto Notice
Complete the setup fields:
Auto Notice Name: Enter a descriptive name for your auto notice
Data Source: Choose your data source:
CSV: Use uploaded CSV file data
SIS Attendance: Use Student Information System attendance data (not available with all SIS connections)
CSV Data Configuration: If you select CSV as your data source, you must have an SFTP setup between your Student Information System and Edlio's Communication Dashboard.
You'll see a "CSV data" section that allows you to quickly configure the data source by uploading a sample of the CSV file that will be used for this auto notice. Click Upload CSV to upload your sample file, which helps the system understand your data structure and available fields. Be sure to upload a sample of what will be sent via SFTP moving forward. The filename and headers need to match identically with what you have uploaded when creating the Auto Notice.
*Keep in mind the column types will be available as insert fields to your email, text, and phone messages.
CSV Row Filtering
Auto Notices now support filtering CSV rows based on column values, eliminating the need to pre-process data files before upload. This allows you to upload complete data files and let Auto Notices handle the filtering automatically.
When to Use Row Filtering
Row filtering is perfect for:
Sending only to specific lunch status values (e.g., only "P" status)
Excluding rows with empty or specific column values
Filtering by custom data fields without external processing
Targeting subsets of data based on business rules
Configuring Row Filters
After uploading your CSV sample, you can set up row filtering:
Enable filtering: Check the "Conditionally include or exclude rows from this data source" checkbox
Set your filter logic:
First dropdown: Choose "Exclude" or "Include only"
Second dropdown: Select "Any" (match any condition) or "All" (match all conditions)
Configure filter conditions:
Column: Select the CSV column to filter on
Operator: Choose from:
Is one of
Is none of
Has any value
Is empty
Contains
Does not contain
Starts with
Ends with
Values: Enter the values to match against
Add multiple conditions: You can create multiple filter rules that work together based on your "Any" or "All" selection
Row Filtering Examples
Example 1: Filter by Lunch Status If you have a "Lunch Status" column with values like E, F, P, R and only want to send to people with "P" status:
Enable row filtering
Select "Include only"
Choose "Lunch Status" column
Select "Is one of"
Enter "P"
Example 2: Exclude Empty Values To exclude rows where a field is empty:
Enable row filtering
Select "Exclude"
Choose your column
Select "Is empty"
Example 3: Multiple Conditions To send to students with status "Active" OR grade "5":
Enable row filtering
Select "Include only"
Choose "Any" (match any condition)
Add condition: Status column "Is one of" "Active"
Add condition: Grade column "Is one of" "5"
Step 2: Configure Channels
Default Language: Select the primary language for your communications
Communication Channels: Choose from:
Email
Text (SMS)
Voice
Step 3: Compose Your Message
Email Configuration
From Field: Choose which email address the auto notice will be sent from
Subject Line: Create your email subject using merge fields. Available merge fields include:
Message Body: Compose your email message using the same merge fields available for the subject line:
Note: The message field is required and will show a character count as you type.
Text and Voice Messages
Configure similar message content for text and voice channels using the same merge fields.
Text
Voice
Step 6: Schedule Your Auto Notice
Repeat Settings:
Repeat At: Set specific times for the auto notice to run
Timezone: Times are displayed in your organization's timezone
Repeat On: Choose recurring schedule options or select "Doesn't repeat" for one-time notices
Important: All times are displayed in the organization's timezone (example: Central Europe Standard Time).
Managing Auto Notices
From the main Auto Notices screen, you can perform several actions on existing auto notices:
Available Actions
Send Now: Manually trigger the auto notice immediately
Reports: View delivery reports and statistics for the auto notice
Edit: Modify any aspect of the auto notice configuration
Delete: Remove the auto notice entirely
Status Monitoring
The Auto Notices dashboard provides real-time status information:
Last Status: Shows whether the notice was successfully sent
Last Sent Date: Displays the most recent send date and time
Next Send Date: Shows when the notice is scheduled to send next (displays "-" if not scheduled)
Best Practices
Message Content
Use merge fields to personalize messages with student and recipient names
Include text fields in your message for clarity
Keep messages concise but informative
Test your messages before scheduling
Scheduling
Consider your organization's timezone when setting send times
Schedule notices during appropriate hours when recipients are likely to check messages
Use recurring schedules for ongoing attendance monitoring
Communication Channels
Email is best for detailed information and record-keeping
Text messages work well for immediate, urgent notifications
Voice calls can be effective for critical attendance issues
Consider your audience's preferred communication methods
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Messages not sending: Check that recipients have valid contact information
Wrong timezone: Verify organization timezone settings
Missing merge field data: Ensure attendance data includes all required fields
Delivery failures: Review recipient contact information and communication channel settings
Data Requirements
Ensure your data source (CSV or SIS) contains all necessary fields for merge fields
Verify attendance status codes match your system's configuration if using the SIS Attendance plug-in
Check that recipient contact information is current and properly formatted