Overview
Display label: Custom message for Employees on Dashboard
Setting ID: Custom_Message_For_Staff_On_Dashboard
Location: Main Settings > General Settings > Dashboard Settings > Dashboard Info Messages
What This Setting Does
This setting holds the actual text of the announcement banner shown on the dashboard for staff-type portal users. It is a rich text field, so the wording can include basic formatting such as bold text, colors, and links.
Where It Is Used
The text is displayed automatically on the dashboard home page for portal users with the Owner, Administrator, or Secretary role, but only while Enable Custom message for Staff on Dashboard (Enable_Custom_Message_For_Staff_On_Dashboard in Dashboard Settings > Dashboard Info Messages) is turned on. The text itself is entered from Main Settings > General Settings > Dashboard Settings > Dashboard Info Messages.
Business Logic / Behavior
- The text is only shown when the paired Enable Custom message for Staff on Dashboard (Enable_Custom_Message_For_Staff_On_Dashboard in Dashboard Settings > Dashboard Info Messages) toggle is on; otherwise it stays saved but hidden.
- The field supports rich text formatting, including bold, italics, colored text, hyperlinks, and lists.
- The field is empty by default; if the toggle is on but the text is empty, the banner box appears with no content.
- The same text is shared across Owner, Administrator, and Secretary dashboards; there is no way to store a different message per role.
- Changes to the text take effect the next time an affected user opens their dashboard, without needing to log out first.
Example(s)
Alpha Institute’s registrar enters the following text into this setting: “Reminder: end-of-term grade submission deadline is July 20, 2026. Please finalize all pending grades before this date.” With Enable Custom message for Staff on Dashboard turned on, every Owner, Administrator, and Secretary user who logs in sees this reminder in a highlighted box on their dashboard until the text is cleared or the toggle is switched off.
When to Use
Use this field whenever you need to communicate a temporary notice to back-office staff, such as a deadline reminder, a policy change, or a maintenance notice. Update the wording as circumstances change; clear it once the announcement is no longer needed so an old message is not left saved for the next time the toggle is turned on.
Notes
Prerequisites: none, though the text only becomes visible to staff once Enable Custom message for Staff on Dashboard is turned on.
- Related settings: Enable Custom message for Staff on Dashboard (Enable_Custom_Message_For_Staff_On_Dashboard in Dashboard Settings > Dashboard Info Messages)
K-12 vs Higher Education: behaves the same regardless of institution type.
