Messaging setup

  1. Adding CNAME records to your domain host to manage SPF and DKIM
  2. Updating the default email for system messages
  3. Sending SMS messages
  4. Setting up Viber

Adding CNAME records to your domain host to manage SPF and DKIM

We use Twilio Sendgrid to send your emails from Staffwise to ensure deliverability to your staff. To help protect against spoofing & phishing, and help prevent messages from being marked as spam you can add SPF and DKIM records to your domain host:

  • SPF Specifies the servers and domains that are authorized to send emails on behalf of your organization.
  • DKIM  Adds a digital signature to every outgoing message, which lets receiving servers verify the message actually came from your organization.

When we complete your Domain Authentication with Sendgrid, automated security is enabled by default. Automated security handles your SPF and DKIM records for you. Twilio SendGrid then provides us with CNAME records that you need to add to your DNS records. This allows you to add dedicated IP addresses and make other account updates without having to manage your SPF records manually.

We will send you 3 CNAMES that you can add to your domain host provider. Here is an example of what these 3 CNAME records will look like: 

  • CNAME 1
    • Label/Host field: em1234.staffwise.io
    • Destination/Target field:  u123456.wl123.sendgrid.net
  • CNAME 2
    • Label/Host field: s1._domainkey.staffwise.io  
    • Destination/Target field:  s1.domainkey.u123456.wl123.sendgrid.net
  • CNAME 3
    • Label/Host field: s2._domainkey.staffwise.io 
    • Destination/Target field:  s2.domainkey.u123456.wl123.sendgrid.net

If you're not familiar with CNAME records, contact your domain host or IT team, who can help you.

To add the CNAME record to your domain host, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to your domain’s DNS records.
  2. Add a record to your DNS settings, selecting CNAME as the record type.
  3. For each CNAME above copy and paste into the Label or Host field, and then copy and paste into the Destination or Target field within your DNS records

Updating the default email for system messages

With the system, there are a number of automatic emails that are sent based on certain tasks that you perform or are performed automatically. These are for:

  • Staff registration
  • Job references
  • Interviews
  • Staff accounts
    • Birthdays, resetting password
  • Shortlisting/inviting/applying for shifts
  • Booking staff
  • Staff reminders
    • Chasing missing info, Shift reminders, Missing bank details.
  • Expenses
  • Other
    • Housekeeping

To update the default copy in these emails:

  • Go to Message Centre > Manage email templates
  • You will go straight to the Auto tab
  • Here you will see a list of the emails
  • Click on Edit on each to review and update according to your company's own brand and tone of voice
  • Note
    • You must not remove any words within [[double_tags]] as these are populated, similar to a mail merge, with the relevant details.
    • A list of available tags can be found in this article: Creating and amending email templates

Sending SMS messages

In order to send SMS messages from the system you will need to register with https://www.textmarketer.co.uk.

We can manage this on your behalf but we add 50% management and processing fee to each SMS you send, so we give you the option to manage this yourself and save on the costs. The current cost per message direct from TextMarketer can be found here on their website: https://www.textmarketer.co.uk/bulk-sms-prices/ 

Once you are registered please login to your TextMarketer accounts and go to:

  • Go to Account Settings
  • Go to the API config tab:
  • Send us the API username and password so we can link your system to send SMS via your text marketer account.

Setting up Viber

Agency setup

Simply follow these instructions:

  • Create a user account here: https://account.viber.com/en/create-account
    • You will need to have a phone number associated with a Viber account and that device will need to also have Viber installed. Please make sure this isn't an employee's phone, because if that person leaves the company the user token database will be lost.
  • Create a bot account: https://partners.viber.com/account/create-bot-account
  • We will then need you to send us this: Account authentication token - the unique account identifier used to validate your account in all API requests. Once your account is created your authentication token will appear in the account’s “edit info” screen (for admins only). Each request posted to Viber by the account will need to contain the token.

Staff setup

Within the staffarea there is a banner at the top of the page for the staff to click in order to subscribe to your Viber business account: