ARTICLE: Reach Now (App)

Reach Now is a versatile communications tool that can help you to manage and improve communication with your community.

Reach Now uses internal messages in your Reach portal and push communications for integrations to the Reach mobile app. It provides two methods of communication that can be used to engage your audience:

1. Direct Messages
   
2. 
   
   Chat Rooms
   

Access Reach Now from your Reach web portal through Communications Menu or the double speech bubble in the top menu bar.  You can access Reach now from the Reach Student Life Management App by scrolling down to the Communications tile on the app's home screen or by selecting the speech bubble in the top right of your app's screen.

Reach Now is an extension module that needs to be enabled for your school's portal and infinity permission settings must be enabled for users to have access to Reach Now.  Contact your school's Reach Administrator to find out if Reach Now is available for you to use.  Reach Administrators can contact support@reach.cloud to inquire about enabling Reach Now on your school's portal.

1. Direct Messaging

Direct Messages allow staff to have one-on-one conversations in real time with any contact in your Reach portal.

Important features of Direct Messages:

●      Direct Messages are restricted to staff type users connecting with other contacts in your Reach community

●      Parent-to-parent, student-to-student, parent-to-student, for example are not possible in Reach Now

●      All Direct Message conversations are logged in Reach and can be reported historically.  There are no silent conversations in Reach: Now

●      Direct Message records are maintained on individual user profiles

2. Chat Rooms

Chat Rooms are open communication channels that allow staff users in your community to communicate by viewing and adding content. The room is a positing board where participants can view comments from other participants and add comments themselves.

Important features of Rooms:

●      You can have an unlimited number of rooms

●      Rooms are open to staff and student type users in your Reach community 

●      You can determine who is permitted to join each room to view content

●      You can determine who is permitted to contribute content to each room

●      Room comments are retained in Reach for historic reporting

Create New Direct Message Chat

Open Reach Now from the Chat Bubble icon in the top right of your home screen.

Select the Plus icon in the top right of the Reach Now page.

Select 'Direct Message', search for your intended recipient and select the Check Mark in the top right of your screen to save selection.

Create New Group Chat

Open Reach Now from the Chat Bubble icon in the top right of your home screen.

Select the Plus icon in the top right of the Reach Now page.

Select 'Chat Room', set your Chat Room Label, Visibility and Posting Controls, then select the Check Mark in the top right of your screen to save selection.

 

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