Overview

In this article, we will explore how users can configure Referral Connect, how recommenders can utilize its features to submit evaluations seamlessly, and how institutional users can leverage the functionality to access and manage recommendation data from a centralized location.

Plan & Permissions

This feature is introduced as an add-on and will be functional only when users have opted for the Application Automation Platform.

Referral Connect Permissions:

• Referral Connect: Grants users the ability to create and Edit Referral Connect workflow.
  
• Re-send Communication to Referee: Allows backend users to re-send communication to the referee.

Dependencies:

• The feature must be activated in the institution’s plan.
  
• User roles must have appropriate access levels to manage workflow settings 

Step-by-Step Guide to Setup the Referral Connect

Referral Connect Configuration

Step 1: Navigate to the Application Manager in the menu, then click on the Manage Referral Connect in the sub-menu. Else, search for the Manage Referral Connect in the menu search and then click on the Manage Referral Connect listing.

Step 2: When you land on the Manage Referral Connect, a list of all workflows will be shown. If there are none, a brief introduction to Referral Connect will appear, and you'll be given the option to "Add New Workflow" by clicking the button.

Step 3:  Click on "Add New Workflow" to open a configuration popup titled "Add Workflow". In Step 1 of the configuration, users are required to define the Basic Settings and Recommendation Settings.

Basic Settings: Users must provide the following details:

• Workflow Name: Enter a meaningful name for the workflow. A descriptive name will help easily identify and filter the workflow later.
  
  
• Applicable Form: Select the form to which this Referral Connect workflow will apply.
  Note: Only one workflow can be configured per form.

Recommendation Settings: Users must define the following:

• Start Date: Specify the date when the Referral Connect workflow should begin.
  
  
• End Date: Specify the date until which the workflow should remain active

Users also have the option to enable the 'Form End Date' toggle, which will automatically set the End Date to match the form's last date

Once users have defined all the details, they can click on the “Save & Next” button to continue further.

Step 4: Users are required to configure the Recommender Settings by specifying the following:

Applicable On: Select the trigger point at which the Referral Connect email should be sent. The available trigger options are:

• On Page Submission: The communication is triggered when referral fields are filled in the form, and the user clicks "Save and Next" to proceed to the next stage.
• Application Submission: The communication is triggered upon successful submission of the application.
• Payment Approved: The communication is triggered when the user completes the payment successfully.

Step 5: Users must define the Referrals and their corresponding fields that will trigger the communication. It is mandatory to configure at least one referral.

To set this up:

• First, select the form field and the corresponding template that should be triggered.
• This configuration needs to be done separately for Email, SMS, and WhatsApp.

Note: Users must configure at least one mode of communication (Email, SMS, or WhatsApp).

To add a referral, click the "Add Referral" button.

Step 6: Users are required to define the Layout and fields that would be visible to the Recommender to fill up the recommendation data

Users are required to define the layout and fields for individual referrals, which users will be able to do so from the left side navigation

The user would be able to add fields by clicking on the “+” button 

 When adding fields, users are required to configure the following parameters:

• Field Title: Specify the title of the field. This will be visible to the recommender on their form.
• Field Type: Users have the flexibility to choose from the following field types:

1. 1. Dropdown: Users can either manually enter individual dropdown values or link the field to an existing master data list.
   2. Text Field: Allows users to specify the type of input required. Supported formats include: Alphabet, Alphanumeric, Number, Amount & Currency, Email, Mobile, or URL.
   3. Text Area: Enables recommenders to enter longer text or paragraphs.
   4. Date Field: Users must define the expected date format for the input.
      
      
      

Step 7: Once fields are added, users can drag and drop them from the Layout Elements panel into the Layout Builder.

• Users can arrange the fields by placing them within specific rows.
• A maximum of 2  fields can be added to a single row as needed.
  
  
  

Step 8: If the user wishes to change the field settings, then the user can do so by clicking on the settings button corresponding to every field, as highlighted in the screenshot below.

Step 9: Within Field Settings, users can configure the following parameters:

• Placeholder Text: Text that appears in the field before the user enters any input. This helps guide the user on what to enter.
• Character Limit: Set the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field.
• Restrict Special Characters: Allows users to specify which special characters are not permitted in the field input.
• Mask Input: When enabled, the input data will be masked (hidden) from view in the Application Manager for added privacy or security.
• Mandatory: Users can mark the field as mandatory, making it required for submission.
  
  
  

Once the fields and layout are defined then the user would be able to Activate the workflow by clicking on the Active button. 

Finally, Referral Connect configuration is completed.

Applicant Flow

The applicant will enter the recommender's details while completing the application form. Based on the configured triggers, an automated communication will be sent to the recommender.

Referral Connect on Student Admission Portal

Users can track the status of whether the recommender has successfully submitted the recommendation form directly through the Student Admission Portal, as shown below.

To configure Referral Connect, users need to follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to Settings and navigate to Applicant Flow Configuration, or simply search for Applicant Flow Configuration using the menu search bar.

Step 2: Go to Navigation Panel Configuration, add Referral Connect to the listing, and click the Save button to apply the changes.

Recommender Flow

Based on the configured triggers, a communication will be automatically sent to the recommender.

Step 1: When the recommender clicks on the recommendation link, they will first be prompted to enter an OTP (One-Time Password).

Note: The OTP will be sent to the same channel through which the recommender is accessing the form. For example, if they open the recommendation link from their email, the OTP will be sent to their email address.

Step 2: After entering the correct OTP and clicking the Continue button, the recommender will be granted access to the recommendation form and can proceed to complete and submit it successfully.

Account User Flow

Account users can view recommendation data directly within the Application Manager.

On the Application Manager page, users can:

• Add Referral Connect fields as columns using the Add/Remove Columns option.
  
• Filter recommendation data using the Advanced Filter functionality.
  
• Download the recommendation data along with other application details using the Download Applications feature.

Conclusion

Referral Connect offers a seamless and structured way to manage recommendation workflows within the admissions process. From configuring customized recommendation forms to triggering automated communications based on specific application milestones, the feature ensures efficiency and clarity for all stakeholders. Applicants can effortlessly share recommender details, recommenders benefit from a secure and user-friendly submission experience, and institutional users gain centralized access to well-organized recommendation data. By integrating Referral Connect into the Application Automation Platform, institutions can streamline their admissions journey and make more informed, timely decisions with minimal manual effort.