csuc2013 dlodge-final
TRANSCRIPT
Not Just for the Web:Cascade and Mass Email
MessagesCascade User Conference
September 17, 2013
UCO Configuration Overview
WCMS(Cascade Server)
Staging(blasts-
preview.uco.local)
Production(blasts.uco.edu)
Our Challenge
Distribution of Daily News
Daily newsletterStories submitted by the UCO communityCompiled by University RelationsEmailed to the UCO community
Original Solution
Centralities Mark I
Born in 2001Hand typed daily in OutlookArchives in a shared Outlook folderHad to be sent before the close of business
Centralities - 2001
Original Solution
Centralities Mark II
Created in MS WordSent as HTML from WordAdded brandingRepeated typos due to Word->HTML
translationStill archived in Outlook folderStill sent before close of business
Centralities - 2005
Centralities - 2008
Centralities - 2009
Plan for a New Version
Centralities Mark III
User friendly creation and editing of messages
Queue for sending at any timeUniversity brandedAutomatically go out to multiple mailing listsOnline version and online archive
User-Friendly Editing
The Solution
Email Message Asset – The Message
Simple two-column HTML pageLeft column for a block of upcoming eventsRight column for contentBase URL setSimple workflow:
Edit -> Publish Preview -> Publish Production
“View on Website” link
Workflow
Centralities - 2013
The Metafile
Email Message Asset – The Metafile
Uses the asset ID as a unique identifierContains:
Send Date and Time Path to the HTML file All information for email headers
XML-based
The Metafile
The Archive
Published nightlySimple jQuery-based script to filter the links
The Solution
Production Server-Side Script
Rewrite URLs for hostname changeExtract email information from the MetafileCheck if already processedSend the emailFinal cleanup
Lessons Learned
TimingHTML and XML files are not published instantaneously or simultaneously
Protect People from ThemselvesMore automation equals less chance of user error
Future Plans
Revise the edit formPublish the archive from the WorkflowAdd loggingErrors emailed to our Service DeskExpand solution to other areas of campus
President’s Office Cabinet Notes
