Application headers help you and the applicant differentiate between multiple applications. You can create application header rules to customize the way these headers appear.

💡 If you have no application header rules, Slate defaults to displaying the round name in all locations.

Two types of application header rules

There are two types of application header rules, internal and external. They determine where application headers appear.

Internal

Internal application headers are intended for administrative use and usually involve shorthands or codes. They appear in:

• The application tabs on the person record

• Application details above the dashboard

• The application management page

• Searching applications in the Omni-Search box

External

There may be cases where the application header consists of codes or abbreviations that are informative to staff and internal users, but not ideal for public viewing.

The Application Header (External) rule lets you create a different header for applicants on their application management page and status portal.

External application headers appear in:

• Application details when opening an application

• Application selector in the status portal

• Default application status page

💡 If you don’t have an external application header rule, Slate defaults to the application header set by the internal rule.

Accessing the internal application header rule

Your Slate for Admissions database includes an internal application header rule by default.

1. Go to Database → Rules

2. Select Rule Groups.

3. Select Application. You’ll find Application Header and Application Header (External), among others.

4. Select Application Header.

5. Select Application Header Internal (Show Round).

If you don’t see this rule in your database, you can recreate it by following the steps in the next section.

Take note of the settings configured in the Action section:

• Action: Replace Values from Formula. This replaces the default application header (the round name) with the values entered in the formula field.

• Exports: By default, this rule only includes the Application Round export. If you want the application header to include more data, add exports. For example, you might add an export for Program.

• Formula: This formula assembles the export values in the order you specify. By default, the formula is @Application-Round, which sets the application header to the name of the application’s round. If we wanted to add our Program export when one is present for the application, we could update the formula to:

  @Application-Round + ' ' + isnull(@Program, '') 
  -- The application round name, 
  -- plus a space character, 
  -- plus the program name if one is present, otherwise nothing.

📖 Rule formulas

Creating a new internal application header rule

This rule will create a header using a formula. The formula will concatenate the values of exports we select. Then, the rule will apply this header to all applications in our database.

To create a new rule with the type of Application Header:

1. Go to Database → Rules.

2. Select New Rule.

3. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: Give the rule an internal name, like Application Header Internal (Show Round).

   • Base: Application

   • Rule Type: Application Header

   • Folder: Organize your rules by keeping them in a clear folder structure. Create a new folder by selecting Other.

4. Select Save.

5. Configure the following settings:

   • Action: Replace Values from Formula

   • Exports: Select the exports you want represented in the formula. For example, Application Major, Application Entry Term, Round Key, and Round Year.

   • Formula: Create a rule Formula by adding exports to the Action. For example:

     @Period-Year + ' ' + @Round-Key +'  Major: ' + @Application-Major

6. Select Save.

You can see the application header on the application tab and the Overview tab above the application dashboard.

The header also displays under the applicant's name when searching.

Accessing the external application header rule

Your Slate for Admissions database includes an external application header rule by default.

1. Go to Database → Rules

2. Select Rule Groups.

3. Select Application.

4. Select Application Header.

5. Select Application Header (External).

If you don’t see this rule in your database, you can recreate it by following the steps in the next section.

Take note of the settings configured in the Action section:

• Action: Replace Values from Formula. This replaces the default application header (the round name) with the values entered in the formula field.

• Exports: By default, this rule only includes the Application Round export. If you want the application header to include more data, add exports. For example, you might add an export for Term, Degree, and Program.

• Formula: This formula assembles the export values in the order you specify. By default, the formula is @Application-Round, which sets the application header to the name of the application’s round. If we wanted to add our Term, Degree, and Program exports, we could update the formula to:

  @Term + ' ' + @Degree + ' ' + isnull(@Program, '') 
  -- The application term name and a space character, 
  -- plus the degree type and a space character, 
  -- plus the program name if one is present, otherwise nothing.

📖 Rule formulas

Creating a new external application header rule

To create a new external application header rule:

1. Go to Database → Rules.

2. Select New Rule.

3. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: Give the rule an internal name.

   • Base: Application

   • Rule Type: Application Header (External)

   • Folder: Organize your rules by keeping them in a clear folder structure. Create a new folder by selecting Other.

4. Select Save.

5. Configure the following settings:

   • Action: Replace Values from Formula

   • Exports: Select the exports you want represented in the formula. For example, Application Major, Application Entry Term, Round Key, and Round Year.

   • Formula: Create a rule Formula by adding exports to the Action. For example:

     (convert(varchar(max), @Period) + ' '  + @Round + 'Application for' + @Program)
     -- Converts the integer period year to a text string, plus a space
     -- plus the round, plus a space,
     -- Plus the text string 'Application for', plus a space,
     -- Plus the program name

6. Select Save.

The external header we’ve configured provides more detail than the internal header. It appears on the Application Management screen prior to submission, both on the main page and in the pop-up.

On both the standard status page and the custom status portal, the external header displays in the application selector if the applicant has multiple applications.

On the standard status page, the external application header will also appear.

Creating an application header color rule

In addition to creating custom text to appear on the application tab, users can customize the header with a color.

To create a new rule with the type of Application Header Color:

1. Go to Database → Rules.

2. Select New Rule.

3. Configure the following settings:

   • Name: Give the rule an internal name.

   • Base: Application

   • Rule Type: Application Header Color

   • Folder: Organize your rules by keeping them in a clear folder structure. Create a new folder by selecting Other.

4. Select Save.

5. In the rule Action, select the box next to Color.

6. Select a color from the color picker or enter the desired hex value.

   

7. Select Save. 

Application Header Color rules can help easily identify applications in different states.

For example, in the example below, the header color is unset for applications in inactive periods, turns blue once a decision has been made, or remains red if a decision is still pending.