ARTICLE: Reach Now (Desktop)
The Communications section of the main menu provides access to Reach Now, allowing users to send direct messages and post or view messages in chat rooms to defined groups of contacts.
Please Note: Reach Now is part of the larger Communications Module that may need to be installed and enabled for your school's Reach Portal. Contact your school's Reach Administrator to connect this extension module.
GO TO: Main Menu >> Communications >> Reach Now
The Reach Now offers two different methods for communicating; Messages and Chat Rooms.
Messages
This method allows staff to have one-on-one conversations in real time with any contact in your Reach portal.
Click on any previous message conversation to start messaging.
To start a new message, simply click on edit button, select New Message and select the person you are wanting to start a Message with.
Important features include:
● Restrictions can be applied 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 conversations are logged in Reach and can be reported historically. There are no silent conversations in Reach Now
● All records are maintained on individual user profiles
● Users can edit/delete their sent messages, however, a complete audit log of all versions of the messages is maintained within Reach's audit log/reporting of Reach Now Messages
● Users can mark Reach Now Messages as Unread/Read, and can Archive/Unarchive messages channels. If a new message is sent to an archived channel, the channel will become active again in their Chat section
Chatrooms
Chatrooms can function as announcement zones, providing a platform for one-way communications to your community or can allow for an open communication channel that allow staff and student users in your community to communicate by viewing and adding content. Through configuration settings, Chatroom administrators can determine who has the ability to post information into the Chatroom and who will be a passive participant only able to view information posted.
To post an announcement simply click on a current noticeboard in your list and add your note.
To create a new noticeboard, click on New Notice Boards, add a name, the participants that can view the notices, and click save.
Important features of Chatrooms:
● An unlimited number of Chatrooms can be created
● Chatrooms can be open to all user types in your Reach community
● Members of Chatrooms will receive a PUSH notification alert to their device when information is published (requires Reach App to be installed on their device) and a new notification indicator in their Reach desktop account.
● You can determine who is permitted to see and subscribe to each chatroom
● You can determine who is permitted to join each Chatroom to view-only content
● You can determine who is permitted to contribute content to each Chatroom
● Chatroom communications are retained in Reach for historic reporting
● Just as with Messages, users can edit/delete their sent messages in Chatrooms, however, a complete audit log of all versions of the messages is maintained within Reach's audit log/reporting of Reach Now Messages
● Just as with Messages, users can mark Reach Now Chatroom Messages as Unread/Read, and can Archive/Unarchive chatroom channels. If a new message is sent to an archived channel, the channel will become active again in their Chat section
● Icon tools in top right of Chatrooms allow for referencing current list of channel members and see who has posting and viewing ability, as well as managing configurations for the Chatroom
Additional Information
Detailed information regarding Reach: Now can be viewed via the following items;
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