Access to Connect for Essentials and Classic sites will be available through December 31st, 2020. We will confirm or extend that date closer to based on the health and economic environment at the time.
Overview
This document outlines Connect for All capabilities, including how Essentials and Classic sites can access Connect, and how administrators can grant Standard Users Connect access.
Why Connect now?
This is a trying time for everyone but now is especially challenging for nonprofits. Demand for services is skyrocketing while organizations are having to pivot operations to accommodate social distancing.
Moving to remote service delivery can be made easier by using Connect. Connect is a suite of capabilities that allows participants to apply for services, update personal information and complete activities so that you can ensure progress continues when you can’t meet face to face.
Here are just a few ways Apricot users are utilizing Connect during Covid:
Complete online applications with document uploads \
Obtain e-signatures on consent forms
Survey participants on immediate needs (rent support, Internet for virtual classes)
Check-in texts to reduce feelings of isolation
Send video conference links for virtual sessions
Provide resources and suggested activities to parents
Release Includes:
Connect: Intake, Portal & Direct Messages for all Apricot administrators thru Dec. 31, 2020. (Note: Previously Connect was available to only Core and 360 administrators)
Connect: Portal & Direct Messages added as an External Access Product Area Role. Administrators may grant Connect to any and all Standard Users. (Note: Form & Record permissions are respected)
Limitations
Intake will remain an Admin only feature, access is not included in the Manage Connect Role.
As Form & Record permissions (Programs) are respected, Standard Users can only work with participants in Connect they have access to. This could mean Admin views may differ with their Standard Users’.
Accessing Connect
To access to Connect, locate Connect in the Side Navigation bar of the Administrator tab.
Expand the Connect section to access the Portal (“Participants”), Settings and Direct Messages.
In Participants, users can register participants and assign forms – both Tier 1 & Tier 2 – for viewing and editing.
In Settings, users can configure Connect to reflect the organization’s preferences. Examples include uploading logos and selecting default email addresses.
In Direct Messages, users can send individual or mass texts and emails, and track the status of those texts and emails.
NOTE: If you grant Standard Users the Manage Connect role, they will be able to access and make changes in Settings.
Assigning Connect Access to Standard Users
Administrators can grant Standard Users Connect access by assigning the Manage Connect role. Once granted Standard Users will be able to create participant types, register participants, send Direct Messages and more.
To assign Connect access to a Standard User, navigate to the User Details Page and click “Edit”. Scroll to the second section “Assigned Roles” and click “Add”. This will open the above dialog box.
In Roles Search, users can scroll to the External Access Product Area, or use the search functionality for quicker access.
Expand the row by clicking the triangle and find the Manage Connect role. Click Manage Connect and move to the next step.
Upon clicking the Manage Connect role, a link will appear in the Assigned Roles section. If no other changes are needed on the Users Page, click “Save Record” in the top right side palette.
Once the User record is saved, the User will see the Administrator tab in addition to My Apricot in their view. From the Administrator tab, they may now access Connect.
Permissions in Connect
Please note that Standard Users permissions (Programs) are respected in Connect. Standard Users will not be able to register or send messages to participants, they do not have access to.
It could be the case that the Administrator view, and Standard User view is different. We will illustrate that here.
As seen above, the Standard User we are working with only has access to one program: Hogwarts. However, there are additional programs in the site, as you can see below.
When this Standard User navigates to “Participants” (Portal) they are only able to see Participant Types based on the Tier 1 in the Hogwarts program.
As the Standard User is operating in the Hogwarts program, they are seeing a subset of existing Connect participant types. Below is the Administrator view (All Sites & Programs), as you can see there are two additional Participant Types.
2. Please note, Standard Users will have to ability to edit Participant Types if given the Manage Connect role.
3. Standard Users can also create new Participant Types based on the Tier 1s they have access to, in this case Hogwarts Students.
Permissions (Programs) are also respected in Direct Messages.
This Standard User can only see Direct Message statistics that include participants, they have access to. Below is the Administrator view (All Sites & Programs), as you can see there are Direct Messages outside the Hogwarts Program
What Happens when Connect Access is removed?
Connect pages become inaccessible to Apricot users.
Administrators or Standard Users given Connect Admin Role will not see Connect in the left side nav in the Admin Tab. Note: Connect will not become read only. All pages will be removed from the interface.
Intake forms inaccessible to participants. Error shown.
Connect accounts inaccessible to participants.
Participants can still access login page; but cannot access account. Error shown.
Any forms attached to a Direct Message inaccessible to participants. Error shown.
What Happens when Connect Access is restored?
Apricot Support will re-enable Connect for the organization.
Administrators or Standard Users given Connect Admin Role will see all Connect pages in the interface.
Un-pause button appears top of Connect Settings
Participants cannot access any Connect pages until un-paused
Admins unable to create accounts, publish intakes or send DMs until un-paused
Once Admin clicks un-pause:
Connect URLs are live for participant action including: Intake forms, Connect accounts, Previously sent, incomplete forms attached to DMs
Ability to create accounts, publish intakes, send DMs
Un-pause button disappears from the interface.