Connect for Android Sender App August 28, 2012 Ver 5.3 AWest 1 P age
Blackboard Connect for Android... 3 System Requirements... 3 Installation and Setup... 3 Logging into the Android App... 4 Navigating the Android App... 5 Sending a New Message... 7 Adding a Phone, Email, and SMS Text Message... 10 Scheduling and Sending your Message... 12 Sending a Template Message... 13 Support... 14 2 P age
Blackboard Connect for Android The blackboard Connect for Android app is a powerful and versatile addition to your Connect 5 masscommunication tool. This app is a free download from the Google Market place store, which is available on your Android device. However, in order for you to use this app, you will need to have, at minimum, the permissions to send a message in Connect 5 account. System Requirements Android Version 2.2 and above. WiFi or Data connection An active Blackboard Connect 5 account Installation and Setup Blackboard Connect for Android is a free application for Connect 5 Users and Admins that can be downloaded from the Google Play website. 1. Open the Google Market Place. This should be an icon on your phone. 2. Tap the Apps option and use the search field to look for Blackboard Connect. 3. Locate and tap the Connect for Android app 4. Tap Install on your phone The Connect for Android app will install on your Android phone. You can find the icon to the app on your phone once the application has been successfully installed. 3 P age
Logging into the Android App Blackboard Connect for Android requires no set up process or activation to use. However the use features that will be available to you will be based on your permissions in your Connect 5 account. All you need is: An active Connect 5 account with permissions to send messages. Your Connect 5 User ID and password. NOTE: Connect for Android is not supported on AlertNow or Connect Classic at this time. After you have successfully downloaded and installed the Blackboard Connect for Android app, you can launch the Android app from your phone s home screen. Tapping the app will open the login screen. Provide your Connect 5 username and password in the given fields and tap the Login button, You can also click the Remember Me button to save your username to your system. For security reasons, the app will not save your password. 4 P age
Navigating the Android App The first screen you will see after logging into the app is the Connect home screen with a two buttons to send a new message or send a message using a Template. Additionally, you will see a list of the most recent messages you ve sent. Navigating with the Menu Functions A quick and easy way to navigate the Android application is by using the Menu function on your Android device. To access the Menu function, click the menu button on your phone to bring up the on-screen options. Tapping the menu button will bring up a set of six options including creating a new message, a short cut to the Home screen, templates, and a log out screen. 5 P age
Home brings you back to the homepage where you can view recent activities or send a new message or template New Message brings up the empty message form to send out messages Outbox holds all the messages that you have scheduled to be sent out at a later time Sent shows all of the messages that have been sent out The Templates button gives you access to your Templates you have saved in Connect 5 and allows you to send them right from your phone. Logout logs your account out of Blackboard Connect There is also a refresh button located on each page allowing you to automatically refresh the screen by hitting this button on the screen 6 P age
Sending a New Message You can create a new message in the Connect for Android app by clicking the Send a New Message button on the Home screen or tap the menu button and select New Message. This will open the Send a New Message screen where you will create your message. 1. Use the Type pull-down menu to specify the type of message you want to send. You can either send Outreach or and Emergency messages. NOTE: Attendance and survey messages are not available on the Connect for Android app. 2. Provide a title for your message in the Title field. 7 P age
3. Tap the Select Contacts button to choose your Recipients. This will open a screen where you can choose a group of your Recipients that are located in your Connect 5 account. Tap the checkbox on the right side of the screen to select one or more groups of Recipients and tap the Apply button located at the top of the screen. To send you message to all Recipients, tap the All Recipients option. NOTE: Selecting individual recipients using the Connect for Android app is currently not supported. Once you ve tapped Apply, a contact screen will open. This screen will display the groups and the total number of Recipients who have been you ve added to your message. Tap the Groups button to add or change your Recipients. To remove a Group, click the Delete button next to the specified group. 8 P age
Tap the Back button on your Android device when you re done adding your Recipients and the Send a New Message screen will open. This button is located at the bottom of your phone (not on the screen) next to the Home button. Notice the total number of Recipients that have been added now appears in the Recipients button. 9 P age
Adding a Phone, Email, and SMS Text Message The Delivery Mode section is where you ll add your messages. The Connect for Android App has the ability to send Phone (voice and Text- to- Speech), Email, and SMS Text Messages. Text- to- Speech If you d like to provide text, which will be read by a computer- generated voice, tap Text to Speech. Tapping the Phone button on the Send a New Message screen will offer you a choice between Text- to- Speech or Voice. A. Tap the Text- to- Speech button on the Phone screen. B. Type your text message into the space provided. C. When you re done, tap the Apply Button. If you d like to remove a TTS message, tap the Remove button Voice To record a message using your own voice, tap Voice. A. Tap the Voice button on the Phone screen. B. Use the Red Record button on the screen to start the app s recording feature and record your message. C. Press the Stop button to stop recording. D. Use the blue Play button to play back the message you just recorded. E. When you re done, tap the Apply Button. If you d like to remove a message you recorded, tap the Remove button. When you re done, tap the Apply button. 10 P age
Email Tap the Email button on the Send a New Message screen to add an email message. Provide your message in the given field and tap Apply when you re done.. SMS Text Messages Adding a text message is the same as adding an Email or Text- to- Speech message. Simply provide your SMS message with the appropriate character count and tap Apply when you re done 11 P age
Scheduling and Sending your Message The last step in creating a message is to schedule a time for your message to be delivered. 1. Tap the Set Delivery Date and Time button located at the bottom of the Send a New Message screen. 2. Tap a green button on the pop- up window to specify whether you want to send your message immediately or at a later time. Selecting Now will return you back to the Send a New Message screen. Sending Messages Later If you selected Later, the app will open a date and time screen where you can select the date and time you want your message to be scheduled. 1. Use the + and the buttons to adjust the month, day, year, and time. 2. Choose the time zone using the time zone dropdown menu located below the time selection fields. Your message will be moved to the Outbox. When your message has been sent, your message will be moved to the Sent Folder. 12 P age
Sending a Template Message If you and your Institution use Templates to send messages to your Recipients, you can tap the Send a Template Message button on the Connect for Android Home page to view private and shared templates you have saved in your Connect 5 account. These templates cannot be edited or modified on your Android device and can only be changed by logging in your Blackboard Connect 5 account. To send a Template Message: 1. Tap the Send a Template Message button on the Connect for Android Home Screen. 2. Tap on the template you d like to send. 3. Add a new schedule time. You can choose either now or send at a later time. If you choose later you will need to specify a date and time. 4. Click Ready to Send when you are done. 13 P age
Support If you have any questions regarding the information in this manual, you can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also check out our new support website Behind the Blackboard, where you can find more information about Connect s special features as well as share ideas with other schools and institutions. Contacting Client Care Available Hours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone Support Higher Education Support Government and City (866) 435-7684 higheredsuport@blackboardconnected.com (877) 428-9411 support@blackboardconnectgov.com K- 12 Support (866) 435-7684 higheredsupport@blackboardconnected.com 14 P age