Overview

This article describes the application setting that controls whether Classter automatically emails a welcome message to a _Parent_ (Guardian) as soon as a new _Parent_ portal account is created. It explains what the setting does, where it applies, the underlying business rules, practical examples, and guidance on when to turn it on or off.

What This Setting Does

This is a simple on/off (Yes/No) option. When it is turned on, Classter automatically sends a welcome email to a _Parent_ the moment a new _Parent_ account is created in the system, letting them know their account is ready and how to sign in.

When it is turned off, the _Parent_ account is still created exactly as before. The only difference is that Classter does not automatically email the new user. Staff can still share the login details with the parent manually (in person, by phone, on paper, etc.) if the institution prefers that approach.

Where It Is Used

• Configuration: the option is found under General Settings > Security Settings tab, in the “Invitation Letters (New Account)” section, next to the equivalent options for _Student_ and _Teacher_ accounts.
• Parent (Relative) records: it takes effect whenever a staff member creates a new _Parent_ record and gives that person portal login credentials (a username, and either a password or an external sign-in account).
• Other Contact records: the same option is also used to decide the default “send welcome email” behavior when creating certain other, non-family contact records, such as _Employees_ or _Companies_, in the Other Contacts area, since those screens follow the same account-creation logic and there is no separate option dedicated to them.
• The welcome email itself (its subject and wording) comes from the “New User Creation (with Account / without Account)” email template. Which of the two templates is used depends on whether the new user signs in with a Classter-issued username and password, or with an external account such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

Business Logic / Behavior

• If the setting is ON: as soon as a new _Parent_ account is created and given login credentials, Classter automatically sends that person a welcome email confirming their account exists.
• If the setting is OFF: no such automatic email is sent. The account is created silently, and any communication of the login details is left to the staff member handling the registration.
• The welcome email adapts itself automatically: if the parent will log in with a school-managed external account (for example, a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace single sign-on), a version of the email without a system-generated password is used; otherwise, the version that includes the Classter username and password is used.
• This option only controls whether the notification is sent. It does not control whether an account is created, and it has no retroactive effect on parents whose accounts were created before the setting was changed.
• The equivalent options for _Student_ and _Teacher_ accounts are controlled completely independently. Enabling or disabling notifications for parents has no effect on whether students or teachers receive their own welcome emails.

Examples

Example 1 – Setting Enabled (K-12 institution)

“Greenfield Elementary School” has this setting turned on. When the school secretary registers a new student, Alex Carter, and creates a linked _Parent_ account for his mother, Mrs. Taylor Carter, Classter automatically sends Mrs. Carter a welcome email as soon as her account is saved. The email contains her username and either a temporary password or sign-in instructions, depending on how the school manages logins, so she can access the Parent Portal right away.

Example 2 – Setting Disabled

“Bright Path Academy” prefers to hand out login information in person during enrollment, so this setting is turned off. When the registrar creates a _Parent_ account for Mr. Jordan Lee, no automatic email is sent. Instead, the registrar prints the login details and gives them to Mr. Lee directly during his enrollment appointment.

When to Use

When to Enable

• The institution wants parents to be notified and able to access the Parent Portal immediately after their account is created, without staff needing to contact them separately.
• Parents are expected to use the Parent Portal soon after enrollment, for example to view announcements, grades, attendance or payment information.
• The “New User Creation” email templates have already been reviewed and approved, so the automatic message matches the institution’s tone and branding.

When to Disable

• The institution prefers to communicate new account details in person, by phone, or on a printed handout, rather than by automatic email, for example, during in-person enrollment or orientation.
• The “New User Creation” email templates have not yet been finalized, and the institution does not want an unreviewed message to go out automatically.
• Parent accounts are being created in bulk, for example during a mass import of families, and the institution wants to avoid sending a large batch of notification emails at once.
• Parent email addresses have not yet been verified, and staff prefer to confirm contact details before any communication is sent.

Notes

Related Settings

• “Classter will send welcome email to user when a new student account is created” / SchoolPortal_Enimerwsi_mathitwn_kata_tin_dimiourgia_logariasmou (General Settings > Security Settings > Invitation Letters (New Account)) – same behavior, for _Student_ accounts.
• “Classter will send welcome email to user when a new teacher account is created” / SchoolPortal_Enimerwsi_kathigitwn_kata_tin_dimiourgia_logariasmou (General Settings > Security Settings > Invitation Letters (New Account)) – same behavior, for _Teacher_ accounts.
• “Enable Configuration for Higher Education” / Xrisi_parametropoihshs_kolegiou (General Settings > Higher Education Customization > Higher Education Basic Settings) – determines whether the institution runs in Higher Education Mode; see the note below on K-12 versus Higher Education Mode.

Prerequisites

• The “New User Creation (with Account)” and “New User Creation (without Account)” email templates should be reviewed and set up with the desired content, since this is the message the welcome email uses.
• The institution’s outgoing email delivery must be properly configured; otherwise no automatic email, regardless of this setting, will actually reach the parent.
• The _Parent_ record should have a valid, correctly entered email address, or be linked to the institution’s external sign-in provider, for the welcome email or sign-in instructions to be delivered.

K-12 versus Higher Education Mode

This setting behaves identically whether or not Higher Education Mode (“Enable Configuration for Higher Education” / Xrisi_parametropoihshs_kolegiou) is enabled. There is no confirmed functional difference in how the notification works between the two modes.

(Assumption, based on typical institutional practice rather than confirmed system behavior:) K-12 institutions generally create a _Parent_ account for most or all enrolled students, so this setting affects a larger share of day-to-day account creation. Higher Education institutions, where students are usually adults, tend to use _Parent_/Guardian accounts more selectively, for example for emergency contacts or specific financial guarantors, so this setting affects fewer account creations in practice.

Additional Note

The exact on-screen presentation of this behavior (for example, whether a “send welcome email” option is visibly shown and can be overridden for an individual parent at the moment of account creation) may vary slightly between Classter versions. The confirmed, underlying rule is that this setting’s value determines whether the welcome email is sent automatically.