This guide will advise you how to set up your ScholarPack Parents App.
Preparing to launch the App
1. Managing Duplicate Contacts
Before you can start setting up your Parents App, you need to ensure that you have no duplicate contacts within your ScholarPack system. This is a good thing to be aware of even outside of this as not only is this good housekeeping for your contacts, it also will avoid any duplicate communications being sent out.
You can merge your duplicate student contacts at Admin > Config > Manage Duplicate Contacts (you will need the full Admin user role for this area).
Here you will see all the duplicate records you have for each contact as they are grouped by name. Siblings need to be linked to the same contact details rather than a separate contact record set up for each one. For more information on how to use this section, please see our help guide HERE.
2. App Configuration
The next step is to configure Parents App to how you wish this to display to contacts and who the app is available to. You can access this by going to Admin>Parents App>App Config.
- Contact Details Visibility - This is where you can change if contacts show on the app as 'Name Only' or 'Normal' (Name, Address, Phone Number and Email address).
- Note: App users are always able to see their own name in full.
- Students' Permissions - Select if you'd like the pupil's permission to show on the app.
- Student Dietary Requirements - Select if you'd like the pupil's dietary requirements to show on the app. You also get the option to select to show this information with or without notes.
- Student Medical Details - Select if you'd like the pupil's medical details to show on the app. You also get the option to select to show this information with or without notes.
- Extended Student Details - Select if you'd like to also show a pupil's Date of Birth, Gender, Ethnicity, Religion and Languages within their profile on the app.
- Allow app users to comment or submit changes to data - You are able to tick or untick this selection to allow or disallow an app user to submit requests via the app to the school regarding changing information.
- Allow app users to report absences - You are able to tick or untick this selection to allow or disallow an app user to report absences via the app to the school.
The next section on this tab is where you can select who has access to the app. There is an option of 'Contact 1s', 'Contact 2s' and/or 'Any contacts with parental responsibility.
Note: Please ensure to select 'Save changes' at the bottom of the page once you are happy with all your selections.
3. School Details
This section is what you would like to display within the 'School Details' section on the Parents App, you can access this by going to Admin>ParentsApp>School Details.
The first section on this page is where you can edit your 'School Details', this includes your school name, address, website, email and phone number. To make any changes, select the 'View and edit school details' button.
Beneath this area is the 'Links' section, here you are able to add additional sections containing links/web addresses that may assist the app user, an example of this may be your school home page, school term dates page, link to a 3rd party site that is used, etc.
Anything you add to this section can be removed at any time, and you will also see a preview of what this page will look like to the left side of the page.
4. Check Staff Roles
Please ensure that all school staff that require access to Parents App sections have the relevant roles assigned to them. There are 3 levels of access for Parents App, the level of access they require will determine what role you should assign to them:
- Level 1: Parents App inbox - This provides access to the 'Inbox' only (tab 1 within Admin>Parents App).
- Level 2: Parents App Access Management - This provides access to 'Inbox', 'Manage access' and 'App config' (tabs 1, 2 and 3 within Admin>Parents App).
- Level 3: Parents App Configuration - This provides access to 'Inbox', 'Manage access', 'App config' and 'School Details' (tabs 1, 2, 3 and 4 within Admin>Parents App).
Note: Anyone requiring access to the Parents App sections of ScholarPack will require to also have either the 'Admin' or 'Senior Management Team' roles assigned to them to allow you to assign these additional Parents App roles (when assigned the admin or SMT role, this will also include 'Comms User').
How to Onboard App Users
To onboard your app users you will first need to send them an email with a unique linkup code and also that they will need to download the 'ScholarPack Parents App' from the App Store on their mobile phone.
To access this, go to Admin>Comms.
Once in this area (using the left side menu) select who you are sending your emails to, your selection will show inside the window on the right.
You are also able to select which contacts you are sending this email to using the top radio button menu.
Note: If the contact does not have an email address, mobile number or postcode, they will be unable to use the app.
Once you are happy with your selection, select the 'Email' button on the top menu to begin composing your email.
You are able to type your own email in or alternatively, you can copy and paste the template below. If you wish to save this within ScholarPack, select the 'Templates' tab above the composition window and select 'Save Template'. This is also where you can access your saved templates).
Note: If you are composing your own email please remember that you must include the linkup code, you can do this by selecting 'Recipient Linkup Code' which insert the code %recipient.app-linkup-code% into your email, which will ensure to generate a unique linkup code into each email you send. A linkup code is valid for 60 days.
Email template
Dear %recipient.title% %recipient.formattedname%
We are delighted to inform you that we are now using the ScholarPack Parents App.
This app will give you up-to-date information about your child’s attendance and your contact details, as well as receiving messages directly from us.
Firstly, you need to download the app onto your phone by searching ‘ScholarPack Parents’ in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Once downloaded you’ll need to enter the following linkup code when setting up the ScholarPack Parents’ App: %recipient.app-linkup-code%
For more information on how to use and set up the Parents App, you can watch this quick set up video HERE and also see the step by step guide HERE.
Kind Regards,
Messages and replies
Sending an App Message
Our ScholarPack Parents App is built with engaging parents in mind. One way to do this is by using our handy messaging service that keeps your parents up to date on everything they need to know.
To get started just head into Admin>Comms to select who you want to message from the right side menu (you can select a whole form, individual students, clubs, etc). If the contact has activated their Parents App using the linkup code they were provided, they will be shown as having a ‘Y’ in the contact list in the ‘App User’ column, or a N if not (by default this will send to any Contact 1 of children you have selected, and you can change this using the ‘Contact Order’ options above).
Once you are happy with your selection, click ‘SMS & App’ from the menu above to get started on composing your message as shown. Note the preview shown below your message.
You will see a white text box below where you can compose your message and add in any Dynamic Fields by selecting them from above (Dynamic Fields personalise your message so that every contact you are sending to has that information provided, it is a great way to save time!)
If you wish to save the message you have composed as a template within ScholarPack, click on the 'Save as Template' button, provide the template with a name, and click 'Save'.
Click ‘Send Message’ and you are done!
Note: Before you send the message you can decide whether you would like parents to be able to reply to your message. You can select this option from the ‘Allow App Users to reply’ tick box at the bottom of the screen.
Here you can also choose whether to send this message to App Users by
App Message or
SMS (useful if app users are not fully set up or there is an issue with the app)
Please note selecting this option would incur charges
Seeing replies in your Inbox
The Parents App Inbox is where you will receive any reply to an App Message you send or any change request sent in by an app user (if you have turned on these features). You can access your inbox this by going to Admin>Parents App>Inbox.
When you receive a message to your inbox, you will see a notification next to your 'Admin' icon on your top menu to alert you of this.
Once you have seen the message within your inbox you are able to reply to this, turn off app user replies for the message and also mark it as read once you have finished (a message will be in the 'Unread messages' section and be highlighted until 'Mark as read' as been selected).
Managing the App
User access
Here you are able to manage the app users once they have signed up to the app; view who has the app, revoke access, change visibility settings, etc. You can access this by selecting Admin>Parents App>Manage Access.
Once you are within the 'Manage access' tab, you will see a table showing students, how many contacts, and how many app users are in each year, to make a change to any of these app users, select the 'Manage Access' button at the end of the relevant row.
Once you have selected 'Manage Access' on the row you require to look further into, you will be presented with a list of app users with various fields of information for each one; what student they are a contact for, their contact email address, their contact mobile number, ability to generate them a linkup code or revoke their access, when they were last active and if that user has any unread messages.