InitialView offers applicants live, unscripted interviews that are recorded and uploaded to its interview platform, enabling admissions officers to quickly determine the applicant’s communication and soft skills. In partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs) all over the United States, InitialView provides short elevator pitch videos. Students related to CBOs record their elevator pitch and provide them free of charge to institutions.

By integrating with Slate, you can view the interview in the Slate Reader while enjoying full access to the InitialView platform.

✨  Learn more about InitialView on their website, or by contacting [email protected].

You can import InitialView interviews into Slate with a source format. You can also create a Reader tab group to display InitialView interviews.

Step 1: Creating custom fields

You must create at least one required custom field in your Slate database to store InitialView data.

You may need to create additional custom fields depending on the services you use from InitialView, like stars and Elevator Pitch Videos.

InitialView Video URL

This custom field stores the InitialView Video URL, used to display the interview in a Reader tab.

To create an InitialView Video URL custom field:

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Select Fields.

3. Select Insert.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • Status: Active

   • Scope Category: Records

   • Scope: Person

   • ID: initialview_video

   • Name: InitialView Video URL

   • Field Type: Free Text

   • Unique for Merging: Do not use value for merging
     

5. Select Save.

InitialView Star

You can create an additional custom field to store the InitialView Star value.

Each InitialView interviewee receives two virtual stars. They can demonstrate interest by assigning these stars to their top two target schools during regular decision.

To create an InitialView Star custom field:

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Select Fields.

3. Select Insert.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • Status: Active

   • Scope Category: Records

   • Scope: Person

   • ID: initialview_star

   • Name: InitialView Star

   • Field Type: Bit (Yes/No)
     

5. Select Save.

📝 If your institution uses EPIC and Elevator Pitch interviews, create additional fields to store these URLs as well.

Step 2: Getting the InitialView API key

To find the remote server address with your institution's unique API key within InitialView:

1. Log in to InitialView.

2. Select the cog to go to the Settings page.
   

3. Under Slate, copy the entire URL.
   

Copying this URL from certain chat platforms, like Slack, might result in the end of the URL being corrupted. Make sure the URL ends with this string of characters: ?start={{dtstart|date:'s'}}Z&end={{dtend|date:'s'}}Z

Storing the URL

Paste the URL, which includes the API key, somewhere secure where you can retrieve it later, like a password manager.

Step 3: Adding the InitialView source format

This source format automatically fetches interview information shared with your institution.

To add the InitialView source format in Slate:

1. From the main navigation, select Database.

2. Under Import and Data Processing, select Source Format Library.

3. In the Search Library box, enter “InitialView”.

4. Next to InitialView, select Add.

5. In the popup, select Add.

6. Confirm the browser dialogue.
   

Step 4: Configuring the InitialView source format

Import Automation

To configure the InitialView source format’s import automation:

1. Select Source Formats from the right navigation.

2. Select the InitialView source format.

3. Select Edit.

4. Select the Import Automation tab.

5. In the Import Remote Server field, paste the URL copied in Getting the InitialView API key. The URL must exactly match what appears in InitialView.
   

Remap settings

To configure the remap settings for the InitialView source format:

1. From the main navigation, select Database.

2. Select Source Formats.

3. Select InitialView.

4. Select Remap.

5. Select ivVideo.

6. Configure the following settings:

   • Map the ivVideo source field to the initialview_video custom field that you created earlier.

   • Select Unsafe Override to set this field for records with active applications.
     

7. Select Save.

8. Confirm and customize the remaining destination field settings as needed, noting that First Name, Last Name, Email Address, and Date of Birth are pre-mapped.

Activating remap settings

Once you have finished customizing the remap settings, turn on the import for automatic processing using the following steps:

1. Use the breadcrumb navigation to return to the InitialView source format page.

2. Select Edit.

3. In the Remap As Of Date field, optionally enter a date on or after which the remap should occur.

4. Set the Remap Active flag to Active.

5. Select Save.
   

Step 5: Displaying InitialView data in a Reader tab group

Reader tabs displays data in the Reader. They allow readers to view the InitialView interview video interface to watch the interview video.

To add InitialView data to a Reader tab:

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Select Workflows.

3. Select an existing workflow, or create a new one.

4. Select the Reader Tabs tab.

5. Select the pencil icon (Edit Reader Tabs).

6. Select Link from the palette at right.

7. Configure the following settings:

   • Status: Active

   • Name: InitialView

   • URL Type: URL

   • URL: Enter the merge field for the custom field you made and mapped above. For example, {{initialview_video}}.

   • Order: Enter a number representing the order in which the tab appears within the Reader.

8. Select Save.

With the configurations above, all applicants that have the InitialView Video URL field will have a Reader Tab with the embedded video and writing sample within the Reader.

📝 If your institution uses EPIC and Elevator Pitch interviews, create separate Reader tab groups to display these interviews in the Reader.

Display the InitialView Reader tab conditionally

To show the Reader tab only to those applicants that have a value in their InitialView Video URL field:

1. Within the Edit Reader Tab popup, select Subquery Filter.

2. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: InitialView URL Field Exists

   • Type: Dependent Subquery

   • Aggregate: Exists

3. Create joins to:

   • Application

   • Application / Person

   • Person / Field Values

4. Create a filter for Field Values / ID.

5. In the ID field, enter initialview_video.

6. Save the subquery filter.
   

Step 6: Creating an InitialView interview checklist item

If you would like to use a checklist item that can be fulfilled by the InitialView interview, you may do so using a checklist rule.

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Select Rules.

3. Select New Rule.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: InitialView Video Interview Checklist Rule

   • Type: Configurable Joins

   • Category: Records

   • Base: Applications

   • Rule Type: Checklist

   • Rule Trigger: Upon Update (Deferred)
     

5. Select Save.

6. Use the same Field Value Exists filter from the InitialView Reader tab group to find records that have a value for the InitialView Video URL.

7. Select the checklist item that you wish to fulfill under the Checklist list.

8. Select Mark Existing as Received under the Action list.

9. Save the rule, then test it while it is in the Preview status using Preview Actions.

10. Once you are satisfied, activate your rule.