Customizing Your Turnkey (2 Year/Community College) Database
  • 14 Mar 2024
  • 6 minute read
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Customizing Your Turnkey (2 Year/Community College) Database

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Article summary

This article is specifically tailored for institutions implementing our ready-to-use turnkey database.

The following checklist is your go-to resource for understanding your database's full range of preconfigured features and functionalities. It provides a detailed overview of all elements that require customization to unlock the full potential of certain capabilities. This checklist provides a clear roadmap to explore, configure, and optimize your Slate database, resulting in a seamless user experience tailored precisely to your needs.

This article serves as an extension to the themes and functionalities highlighted in the "Fundamentals of Admissions" course. We highly recommend engaging with it concurrently as you navigate through your database. The course is designed to supplement your understanding, providing a robust framework to enhance your experience and proficiency with our database.

 

Getting Started

Test Record

We have created  Albie Test within this database. We recommend testing all things built within your Slate instance so it will be necessary to develop multiple test records with a variety of data points. 

 

Denotes action is required

Testing

Ensuring the reliability of your configurations in Slate is paramount. Whenever modifications are made, particularly before initiating any "Go-Live" functionalities, it's crucial to rigorously test your processes. To facilitate this, consider provisioning or refreshing your Test environment. This environment mirrors your Production setup, granting you the freedom to run Slate functions without compromising data integrity in your production environment.

Applications

Application Components

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Slate-Hosted Application Pages

Enrollment Information Page * - This page can be customized in any way to meet your institutional needs. The following prompt-based fields have been preconfigured - You must modify and add the prompt list that mirror your institutional options:

  • Preferred Start Term

Knowledge Base - Custom Personal Background Page

Application Creation Form

Application Creation Form has been preconfigured to include round and pin. These must be updated prior to going live. Communications have been configured and need to be customized. You will need to customize the "Sender" field to reflect your institutional email.

Knowledge Base - Application Creation Form

Status Portal

The application status portal has been preconfigured. However, this portal can be enhanced based on institutional needs at any time.

Knowledge Base - Custom Applicant Status Portal

Submission Requirements

 

All common submission requirements have been preconfigured based on historical knowledge of other institutional expectations. These can all be modified or removed. You can also create any additional requirements at any time.

Knowledge Base - Application Logic Settings

Rounds & Periods *

*Placeholder periods and rounds have been preconfigured. These must be updated prior to going live.

Knowledge Base - Period and Round Structure

Decision Management

The Slate  decision management system  is streamlined and comprehensive, allowing for the release of electronic decisions to application records on an individual or batch basis. The system uses reader evaluations, rankings, and other inputs to make decisions that can be released immediately or scheduled for future release. 

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Decision Codes

Best practice Decision Codes have been preconfigured and can be customized to meet your institutional process.

Knowledge Base - Decision Codes

Decision Letters *

Three example placeholder letters have been preconfigured that can be customized to meet your institutional language and branding.

Knowledge Base - Decision Letters

Automation

The following rules have been pre-configured:

  • Add Decision Reply Form to Checklist

  • Add Enroll Decision Code

Knowledge Base - Decision Automations

 Reader Workflow

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

General Review Workflow

A basic and general workflow has been created for reviewing applications. 

 

Knowledge Base - Configure the Workflow Process

Bins

Bins and columns have been created based on historical knowledge of general institutional needs. They can be configured or renamed to reflect your process.

Knowledge Base - Bins

Bin & Queue Automations

A Do Nothing Rule, Awaiting Submission and Awaiting Materials automations have been configured. Automation within the reader can increase efficiency of your review process. Further configuration is recommended.

 

Knowledge Base - Bin & Queue Automations

Review Form

A generic Reader Review form has been created and configured for the Review Bin. 

 

Knowledge Base - Workflows - Review Forms

Knowledge Base - Reader Review Form Calculations

Reader Tabs

Basic reader tabs have been created for:

  • Dashboard (General Applicant Information)

  • Personal Information

  • Application Information

  • Application

  • Academic History

  • Employment History

Additional Tabs and Materials should be configured to reflect your process.

Knowledge Base - Reader Tabs

Knowledge Base - Portals in Reader

 Deliver

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

 

Campaign

 

Two example templates have been created that is mobile responsive.

You will need to customize the "Sender" field to reflect your institutional email.

Knowledge Base - Build a Drip Marketing Campaign

System Emails

The following System emails have been generally configured with your {{System-Database-Friendly-Name}}:


Application Created

Application Submission

Account Password Reset

Account Email Migration

Recommendation Request (To Recommender)

Recommendation Submission (To Recommender) 

Recommendation Submission (To Applicant)

 

Mailings may need additional customization to reflect your branding/style guide. You will need to customize the "Sender" field to reflect your institutional email.

 

Knowledge Base - Default System Emails

Knowledge Base - Customize System Emails

Forms

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Request for Information

*The following prompt lists are included on this form have been preconfigured with placeholder values, are associated with custom fields, and must be customized:

  • entry_term *

A confirmation page/email has been configured to fire upon form submission. You will need to customize the "Sender" field to reflect your institutional email.

Knowledge Base - Creating a Form

Events

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Event Templates *

Three event templates have been created equipped with event communications. Event details must be customized.

 

The following must be updated in order to use these templates:

  • Location

  • Description

  • Registration Settings

  • Rescheduling (if applicable)

  Knowledge Base- Events

 

Event Landing Page  

    

Event Landing Portal has been configured and can be modified as necessary

Knowledge Base- Event Landing Page

Event Communications

The following emails have been configured for each event. You will need to customize the "Sender" field to reflect your institutional email. You will also need to Activate each mailing in order for them to function.

 

Confirmation Page

Confirmation Email

Reminder Email

Reminder SMS

Thank You for Attending Email

Sorry We Missed You Email

 

Knowledge Base- Form and Event Communications

Knowledge Base- Form and Event Communications Merge Fields 

Knowledge Base- Text Messaging (SMS) Overview

Knowledge Base- SMS to Impress

 Queries / Reports

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Query - Data Export *

This query has been preconfigured but must be modified further in order to activate and use.

Knowledge Base - Exporting Data Overview

Query - Document Export

This query has been preconfigured. You may customize filtering in order to us

Knowledge Base - Document Export Query

 Tabs

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

More Information Tab

Update the form to include any additional institutional-specific person-scoped fields, as necessary.

Knowledge Base - Custom Tabs

Application Details Tab

Update the form to include any additional institutional-specific application-scoped fields, as necessary.

Knowledge Base - Custom Tabs

 Origin Groups & Sources

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Groups

Common groups have been preconfigured. Add any additional groups as necessary.

Knowledge Base - Origin Sources

Sources

Common sources have been preconfigured. Add any additional groups as necessary.

Knowledge Base - Origin Sources

Rules

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Staff Assignments

The staff assignment exclusively group has been preconfigured. The remainder of these rules commonly are unique to each institutions. Be sure to update the filter criteria and all users associated. Alternatively, use these as a reference and delete them all / create your own from scratch.

Knowledge Base - Getting Started with Staff Assignments

Population

 

Two sample populations have been configured that can be used throughout drip marketing campaigns.

  • Prospect 

  • Applicant

Knowledge Base - Creating Populations

Fields & Prompts

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Fields

  • Staff Assigned - The prompt list is directly associated with users created in your database. This prompt list will automatically update as users are or customized.

Knowledge Base - Field Settings

Prompts

The following prompt lists have been preconfigured, are associated with standard fields and can be customized:

  • degree

  • education_level

  • ferpa_access

  • ferpa_info

  • ferpa_who

  • high_school_grad

  • major

  • minitary_branch

  • reference_type

  • sex

  • visa

The following prompt lists have been preconfigured, are associated with standard fields and can be customized:

  • enrollment_status

  • entrance_status

*The following prompt lists have been preconfigured with placeholder values, are associated with custom fields, and must be customized:

  • term *

Knowledge Base - Prompt Settings

Users & Access

Pre-Built

Requires Further Configurations

Role Groups & Permissions

The following roles have been pre-configured and can be updated to remove or add permissions that make sense for your users. These roles can be granted to any new user that you create that meet that criteria:

  • Academic Advisor

  • Admission Counselor

  • Admissions Inbox

Knowledge Base - User Accounts

 


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