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Email System

PBS Knowledge includes a templated email system for automated notifications, announcements, and communications.

Overview​

Email Capabilities​

The system supports:

  • Transactional Emails - Automated notifications
  • Template Management - Customizable email templates
  • Campaigns - Bulk email sending
  • Tracking - Delivery status monitoring

Email Architecture​

Event Trigger → Template Selection → Variable Substitution → Queue → Send

Email Templates​

Template Components​

Each template has:

  • Name - Identifying name
  • Subject - Email subject line
  • Body - HTML email content
  • Variables - Dynamic placeholders
  • Type - Template category

Creating Templates​

  1. Go to Admin → Email → Templates
  2. Click Create Template
  3. Fill in:
    • Template name
    • Subject line
    • Email body (HTML)
    • Available variables
  4. Preview the template
  5. Save

Template Variables​

Use variables in templates:

Hello {{ student_name }}, Your milestone "{{ milestone_name }}" is due on {{ due_date }}. Best
regards, {{ department_name }}

Common Variables​

VariableDescription
{{ student_name }}Student's full name
{{ faculty_name }}Faculty member's name
{{ milestone_name }}Milestone title
{{ due_date }}Formatted due date
{{ course_name }}Course title
{{ department_name }}Department name
{{ app_url }}Application URL

Notification Types​

Milestone Notifications​

Automatic emails for:

  • Milestone assigned
  • Deadline reminder
  • Submission received
  • Approval requested
  • Status changed

System Notifications​

Emails for system events:

  • Account created
  • Password reset
  • Permission changes
  • Sync completed

Custom Notifications​

Create notifications for:

  • Announcements
  • Reminders
  • Event invitations
  • Status updates

Sending Emails​

Transactional Emails​

Triggered automatically by:

  • System events
  • Workflow transitions
  • Scheduled jobs
  • User actions

Manual Sending​

Send emails manually:

  1. Go to Admin → Email → Send
  2. Select template
  3. Choose recipients
  4. Preview email
  5. Send or schedule

Bulk Emails​

Send to multiple recipients:

  1. Select recipient group
  2. Choose template
  3. Configure personalization
  4. Review and send

Campaigns​

Creating Campaigns​

  1. Go to Admin → Email → Campaigns
  2. Click New Campaign
  3. Configure:
    • Campaign name
    • Target audience
    • Template
    • Schedule
  4. Launch campaign

Campaign Targeting​

Target recipients by:

  • Role (students, faculty)
  • Program (PhD, honors)
  • Status (active, alumni)
  • Group membership
  • Custom filters

Campaign Tracking​

Track campaign performance:

  • Sent count
  • Delivery status
  • Open rates (if configured)
  • Bounce rates

Configuration​

Email Provider​

The system uses AWS SES:

  • Configure credentials in settings
  • Verify sending domain
  • Set sending limits

Sender Settings​

Configure default sender:

  • From address
  • Reply-to address
  • Department name
  • Contact information

Rate Limiting​

Control sending rate:

  • Maximum per minute
  • Maximum per hour
  • Queue management

Template Editor​

HTML Editor​

Templates support:

  • Rich text formatting
  • HTML markup
  • CSS styling
  • Image embedding

Preview​

Preview templates:

  • With sample data
  • Across email clients
  • Mobile vs desktop

Testing​

Send test emails:

  1. Open template
  2. Click Send Test
  3. Enter test email
  4. Review received email

Best Practices​

Writing Effective Emails​

  • Clear, concise subject lines
  • Action-oriented content
  • Mobile-friendly formatting
  • Include unsubscribe option (for campaigns)

Template Organization​

  • Use consistent naming
  • Group by purpose
  • Document variable usage
  • Version templates

Deliverability​

  • Authenticate domain (SPF, DKIM)
  • Maintain good sender reputation
  • Monitor bounce rates
  • Handle unsubscribes properly

Troubleshooting​

Emails Not Sending​

  1. Check email queue status
  2. Verify AWS SES credentials
  3. Check sending limits
  4. Review error logs

Template Errors​

  1. Validate HTML syntax
  2. Check variable names
  3. Preview with test data
  4. Review error messages

Delivery Issues​

  1. Check recipient address
  2. Review bounce messages
  3. Verify domain authentication
  4. Contact email provider