Message Formats

Owned by Michelle Cabaya (Unlicensed), created
Last updated: Sept 24, 2024 by Amy Mangueira
5 min read

This page is for the Operations App. For the Classic Operations App please see Message Formats (Classic Operations App).

Message formats are used when sending email messages to customers and email, text, or X Mobile messages to drivers. 

To get to the Message Formats section, go to Maintenance > Message Formats.

How to Create a New Message Format

  1. Go to Maintenance > Message Formats.

  2. Click the + button in the top right.

How to Copy a Message Format 

  1. Go to Maintenance > Message Formats.

  2. Click the action menu for the message format you would like to copy.

  3. Select Copy. 

How to Edit a Message Format

  1. Go to Maintenance > Message Formats.

  2. Click the message format you would like to edit or click the action menu at the end of the row and select Edit. 

Quick Tip: You can open 2 edit forms by selecting the checkboxes of the message formats and clicking the edit pencil icon in the top right.

How to Delete a Message Format

  1. Go to Maintenance > Message Formats. 

  2. Check the checkbox of the message format(s) you would like to delete. 

  3. Click the delete button in the top right.

Message Format Form

General

Field Name

Description

Field Name

Description

ID

Unique numeric ID for the message format.

Max value is 2,147,483,647.

Description

Name that describes the message format.

Message Type

The message type of the format. 

Format Dates As

The format that the date will display on the message.

Return Email Name

The name associated with the Return Email Address. The default value is "[OrderID]".

Return Email Address

The email address that a reply to the message will go to. 

This field is required for the message format to work without errors.

CC Email Address

The email address that will be copied on the message.

Message Subject

The subject of the message. The default value is "[OrderID]".

Maximum Length

The maximum length of the message that is created from this format.

Delay Message

The number of seconds to delay the message.

Format

The Format tab allows you to set up the message to be sent. Use Available Fields to add auto-populated information to the message by clicking on the one you want to use and dragging it to the Message Format section. Alternatively, you can place your cursor where you'd like the Available Field added in the Message Format section then double-click the Available Field to bring it over. Available Fields available vary based on the Message Type in the General tab. For "Customer On-Demand" and "Customer Route" message types, you can preview your message after setting up the Message Format. 

Quick Tips

  • Available Fields can be restricted to a certain number of characters. 

    Example:

    [5POD] would return 5 characters to the POD value instead of the full POD.  If a POD of 123456789 were entered in it would return the first 5 as 12345.

  • Localized times for Available Fields: 

    • Server times: Invoiced, PickUpTimeFrom, DeliveryTimeFrom, Canceled 

    • Origin times: ReadyTimeFrom, ReadyTimeTo, PickedUp, AtOrigin, Confirmed, Dispatched, Ordered, Transmitted, ReceivedAtDock, UpdatedWhen, PickupETA

    • Destination times: DueTimeTo, DueTimeFrom, AtDestination, Delivered, DeliverETA

  • You can add Client Portal track order or attachment links to the Message Format section. See Client Portal Punch-Through URL.

  • Message formats can be up to 100,000 characters. 

Advanced

The Advanced tab allows you to execute a custom SQL statement when the message format is triggered and/or use a report format for the message format. For "Customer On-Demand" and "Customer Route" message types, you can preview your message. 

Execute Custom SQL

Check the Execute SQL Statement checkbox and then click the button next to SQL Text.

Use the Query Builder to create a query using the Available Fields, SQL Syntax, Tables/Views, and Table/View Columns. 

Use Report Format

Select the Report Format you would like to use.

 

How to Preview Message Formats 

You can preview the message format without having to send a test email for "Customer On-Demand" and "Customer Route" message types. This works for previewing messages with standard Available Fields and Text as well as HTML and SQL Statements. 

  1. Go to the Format or Advanced tab.

  2. Enter the order ID or stop ID in the Preview section. 

  3. Click Display.

Message Formats in the Operations App

Drivers

Select the message format sent to the driver in the driver record. See Drivers.

Message Formats in the Classic Operations App 

Customers

Select message formats to send your customers in the Alerts section in the Contact tab of the customer record. See Customers - New/Edit Customer.

Human Resources

Select the message format to send the human resource in the Settlements tab of the human resource record. See Human Resources.