Choosing the Right Email Template – Brilliant Assessments

This article explains how to configure and use email templates in Brilliant Assessments, including how to customize email content and branding, set up email settings, use merge strings, and choose the correct email type for different scenarios.

Overview

Emails can be fully customized and branded by you.

You can (and should) make them come from your organization by setting up login details (on the Settings form) to your organization's SMTP server. (Read here for more information on how to achieve this.).

You can add your logo, fully customise the text, and choose from range of email merge strings to add to the templates.

Here are links to some training videos on email templates: Email Templates – Brilliant Assessments

Article Navigation

1. How to Navigate to Email Templates	2. Email Settings
3. Email Merge Strings	4. Email Types for Individual Responses
5. Email Types for Cohort Initiations	6. Administration Email Types
7. Email Types for Responses to Phased Assessments	8. Email Types for Training Certification
9. Important Notes - Emails are only sent when..

1. How to Navigate to Email Templates

From the Assessment List, click on 'Settings' for the assessment you want to access. Then navigate to the 'Emails' tab.
Or click 'Emails' on the main menu on the left to access global email templates and a list of email templates from all assessments to edit or make a copy.

2. Email Settings

The Assessment this email template is attached to. If the email is not attached to an assessment (e.g. the change password email template) then select --- Global ---
The Email Type (as specified in the table below).
The Cohort Iteration this email relates to. This allows you to specify different email types for different cohort iterations.
The Assessment Report only appears for the Completion Email Type. If you have multiple Assessment Reports you can specify which report should be attached to this email. By Default, all reports will appear on the same email.
The Subject line of the email. The subject may contain merge strings in the format of the table below.
The number of days after Response Create only appears on Reminder emails. You can have multiple reminder emails, each specified with a different number of days.
The Days before Completion only appears on Reminder emails as an alternative to the Days after Response Create. This is only valid where the response is part of a cohort. You can have multiple reminder emails, each specified with a different number of days.
The Customer Type for this email template. If selected, this value must match the Customer type on the response. This allows you to word your email differently depending on the Customer Type. Read more about Customer Types)
The text of the email. The text will normally include a link for the respondent to enter the assessment – and is denoted {ResponseLink} You have a full HTML editor to format the email exactly how you wish, including images.
The Merge Fields button lists all of the available merge fields for this email type. Selecting a merge string will insert the formatted merge string where the cursor currently is in the text.
Your Logo - you can insert your logo into the templates to personalize emails attached to your assessment, including adding footers and headers to your templates.

3. Email Merge Strings

The available merge fields for all template types are:

Merge String	Comments
{Response.FirstName} or {FirstName}	First Name
{Response.LastName} or {LastName}	Last Name
{Response.BusinessName} or {BusinessName}	Business Name

Others Merge Strings are dependent on the type and are documented below.

4. Email Types for Individual Responses

All of these email types are linked to an assessment.

Email Type	Generated when:
Welcome	A response is created. If the response is created using the Response Add or CSV upload, the email is sent immediately. If a response is created automatically due to an external link (usually from your website) being used, the Welcome email is generated when the first section with the email address included is saved (by clicking Next or Save Progress). Note - For this to work it needs to be on the first section of the assessment. The {ResponseLink} merge field will include a link directly to the Response.
Auto Reminder	The response hasn’t been completed x days after the response was created or x days before completion (valid for responses linked to Cohort Initiations only). If you don't have a completion date set, then the reminder email will not be sent. The {ResponseLink} merge field will include a link directly to the Response.
Manual Reminder	A manual reminder is sent from the Response List screen (by clicking the Groups button). Manual Reminders are sent to responses for a group where the responses haven't been completed. The {ResponseLink} merge field will include a link directly to the Response.
Completion	The response is completed (when the Finish key is clicked for the last section of the assessment. This email is only sent if the Email Report On Completion checkbox is selected on the Assessment. This email type is also for the iterative feedback report to send to the respondent. The {AdditionalReports} link can be used if Additional Reports are available
Feedback Follow-up	Sent by the system x days after the Feedback report is generated. Where x is the specified days after Completion. The {AdditionalReports} link can be used if Additional Reports are available

5. Email Types for Cohort Initiations

All of these email types are linked to an assessment.

Email Type	Generated when:
Welcome Cohort	This template is used when a Cohort subject is invited to initiate their Cohort assessment. This may be a 360 Feedback assessment but is not limited to that. The {CohortLink} merge field provides a link to the Cohort Invite Respondents screen. {CompletionDate} will display the specified closing date for the Cohort Initiation.
Cohort Auto Reminder	This template is used to send automated reminders to Cohort subjects invited to initiate their Cohort assessment. The {CohortLink} merge field provides a link to the Cohort Invite Respondents screen. {CompletionDate} will display the specified closing date for the Cohort Initiation.
Cohort Manual Reminder	This template is used to manual send reminders to Cohort subjects invited to initiate their Cohort assessment.
Welcome Cohort Recipient	This email Type is now obsolete. Use the Welcome email type instead. This template is used when a Cohort subject (or contact) or an administrator (or manager) invites respondents to respond to a Cohort assessment. The {CohortLink} merge field provides a link to the Response Screen. {CompletionDate} will display the specified closing date for the Cohort Initiation, and {Subject} will display the name of the subject of the Cohort Report (often used for 360 Feedback).
Cohort Paid	This Template is used when payment is received for a Cohort Initiation. It includes the {CohortLink} merge field to provide a link back to the initiation they have paid for. The workflow is for the system to take them straight to the initiation, so this Link is only required if they want to reenter the initiation screens at a later point.
Cohort Progress Report	This template can be set up to send the contact for the cohort progress reports of how many respondents have completed a response, by role. The Progress Table merge string retrieves the information and displays it in tabular format. It should be on a line of its own, with text above and below, as required.
Cohort Feedback	This email is sent to the subject or contact with the Cohort Report attached and/or a link to the Results Dashboard when: the completion date is past and the minimum number of responses has been completed for each assessment role. The Cohort Report sent is specified on the Cohort Initiation. The Results Dashboard is specified either on the Feedback tab of the Assessment settings, or on the Cohort Iterations tab of the Assessment Settings.
Cohort Feedback OnDemand	This template is used to enable a customized email to be sent to administrators and managers when they generate a Cohort Report OnDemand. The email is generic across all assessments and isn't able to be customized by assessment.
Cohort Complete Follow Up	This email type is used to follow up after the Cohort is complete. This email goes to the contact/subject for the cohort. It may be used to market reassessments or other assessments. You may have any number of follow-ups at specified intervals after completion. This email sends purely based on the requested cohort completion date.

6. Administration Email Types

All of these email types are NOT linked to an assessment.

Email Type	Generated when:
Respondent Welcome	A new respondent is added either manually or by CSV Upload. It is not generated when a respondent is generated automatically by the system as part of creating a response. The {Reference} merge field will include a link to register on the Respondent Portal
Resumption Help	This template is used to send an automated email to the respondent when they click Save Progress on an assessment. To send, the template needs to be set up against the assessment.
Admin/Manager Welcome	When a new Administrator or Assessment Manager is added, you can send them an email, which will allow them to set their password. The {Reference} merge field will include a link to register on the system
Forgotten Password	This template is used when the user uses the Forgot Password functionality on the login screen. The merge text of {Reference} will create a URL to take the user to the assign new password function.
Interim Report	This template is used to send the Interim Report. If this is sent to the Assessor only, you can add a link to the response for the Assessor to click on the link and be taken directly to the response (if they are logged in as an assessor). (This template is used when the response status is answered, but not assessed).
Standard Report OnDemand	This template is used to enable a customized email to be sent to administrators and managers when they generate a Standard Report OnDemand. The email is generic across all assessments and isn't able to be customized by assessment.
Bulk Feedback Report	This template is used to enable a customized email to be sent to administrators and managers when they generate a Bulk Feedback Reports. The email is generic across all assessments and isn't able to be customized by assessment.

7. Email Types for Responses to Phased Assessments

These email types are used in addition to the normal Response email templates. They are all linked to assessments.

Email Type

Generated when:

Phase Welcome

A phased assessment response has a phase completed, and the next phase is ready to start.

The {Reference} merge field will include a link directly to the correct section in the Response.

Phase Completion

A phased assessment response has a phase completed. If there is a report associated with the completion of this phase, it will be attached. Report Templates for Phase Completion are loaded on the last section for the phase.

8. Email Types for Training Certification

These email types are only used if Brilliant Assessments is being used for Training Certification. They are all linked to assessments.

Email Type

Generated when:

Completion - Certified

Sends the Completion email when the user has been certified. Only applies if the Certifications Issued checkbox is selected.

As well as sending the Report it also attaches the Certificate.

Completion - Uncertified

Sends the Completion email when the user has not been certified. Only applies if the Certifications Issued checkbox is selected.

Only sends the Report - the Certificate is not included.

9. Important Notes - Emails are only sent when:

There is a Template with the correct email Type linked to the assessment being used (except for Admin emails templates).
There is a template with the same customer type as is on the response (or default).
The Assessment table “Assessor Answers” indicator if off (Read more about Add/Modify Assessments).
For the Completion report, the Assessment table “Email Report on Completion” indicator if on (Read more about Add/Modify Assessments).

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