AWARDS generates Internal Audit messages related to data entry and reporting for a variety of functionality throughout the system. Those messages are sent to your AWARDS Messages module when you have the permission to receive them; however, a Notifications feature also exists that allows you to configure whether or not you would like to receive a corresponding notification in an external email system. Using the Notifications feature you can select which Internal Audit messages the emails should be sent for, and keep your email address information up to date.
When the Notification option is configured, external notification emails are sent to the user based on rules set under External Email Functionality and using preferences recorded for that user within the Notifications feature. When a notification is received via email, the content of that notification displays the type of internal audit message, along with a link to the message in AWARDS. Upon clicking that link the user must login, and will then be able to view the full message.
External email notifications NEVER contain protected health information (PHI); that data is limited to viewing from within AWARDS after the user logs in to view the full message.
Required Permissions
The Notifications feature is available to users with the following permissions:
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Receive External Email Notifications
In addition, with few exceptions you must have an internal audit message permission in order to have the option to receive a corresponding notification for it.
Setting Notification Preferences
To set your external email notification preferences, complete the following steps:
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From the navigation bar click the user name drop-down, and then click User Settings. The User Settings page is displayed.
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Click Notifications. The External Notifications Settings page is displayed.
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Configure or make changes to the information in the "Email Addresses" portion of the page as needed:
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Work Email - In this field, type or make changes to your work email address.
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Personal Email - In this field, type or make changes to your personal email address.
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Send Notifications to - Click this drop-down arrow and choose which email address external notification messages should be sent to - "Work" or "Personal." The default value is "Work."
An email address must be entered in the field corresponding to the selection made here.
This option is only available if your AWARDS Administrator has indicated in the External Email Functionality business rules that external notification messages can be sent to either type of email address. If a limitation has been put in place there so that external notifications can only go to your Work Email or Personal Email and not both, that rule is displayed in red at the top of this page, your external notifications will automatically be sent to the appropriate type of email address, and a valid email address of that type must be recorded on this settings page.
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Configure or make changes to the information in the "Notification Messages" portion of the page as needed. It contains a checklist of those Internal Audit Messages for which you have permission (as set under Administration > System Setup > Permissions Maintenance) that are also eligible for external email notifications. Click the checkbox next to each notification type you want to receive external email notifications for.
Regarding which notifications are available for selection, keep in mind that:
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The Ready for E-Signature Notification option is only available in AWARDS databases configured to use electronic signatures with Plans and Reviews, and/or to use the E-Signatures Configuration for Progress Notes functionality. When it is available no corresponding internal audit message permission is required.
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The Direct Message Notification option (shown in the sample screenshot above) is only available for users who have been assigned the Direct Agency Inbox permission, or have an Individual Direct Address, both of which are set by Foothold Technology.
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The AWARDS E-Prescribing option is only available for users who have been granted access to the AWARDS E-Prescribing feature (assigned by Foothold Technology).
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Click CONTINUE. Your notification selections are saved, and read-only report version of those preferences is displayed on the External Notifications Confirmation page.
To make additional changes to your notification preferences at this time, click Data Entry to return to the External Notifications Settings page.
The process of setting external email notification preferences is now complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a delay or lag time between an AWARDS message being sent and an external email notification being sent?
No. The email notifications are sent at the same time as the AWARDS messages. If the message is sent in AWARDS immediately following an action (such as an update to a face sheet) the external email is also sent immediately. Any messages sent within AWARDS overnight have external emails sent overnight as well; however, local delays may exist based on Internet service providers. -
Why aren't I receiving external email notifications when I receive Internal Audit messages in AWARDS?
If you have the Receive External Email Notifications permission and are not receiving external emails, please check to confirm that you have an email address of an allowable type entered for yourself (under Notifications or Password & Security). Allowable type information - Work Email, Personal Email, or Either - will have been specified by your AWARDS administrator under the External Email Functionality business rules and the set rule will be displayed on the External Notifications Settings page for your reference.
Also, not every type of Internal Audit message is eligible to trigger an external email. Only those notifications that have a corresponding Internal Audit message permission are available in the Notifications feature for selection. For example, since there is no permission associated with the message sent when a Calendar event is created, no external emails can be sent for those messages. Also, for AWARDS Certified Edition agencies, the CDS Internal Audit messages are not eligible for Notifications.