Slate Inbox Instruction Manual

Owned by Adam Lenter
Last updated: Aug 05, 2024
4 min read

Slate Inbox makes it easy to send and receive emails to/from an email alias and to delegate responsibility for handling messages. 

To see a visual presentation of the functionality described below, please view the slideshow below that is appropriate for your role:

Advising Team:

To see the above presentation in full-screen mode, please click here: 


CDL Team:

To see the above presentation in full-screen mode, please click here: 


To view messages to email aliases:

  1. Log in to Slate
  2. Click the inbox icon > Inbox

*** Note: The Inbox screen has filters in a box on the right side. Inbox will remember your most recent filter and return to it - even after logging out ***


Inbox Filters

There are four sections of filters on the right side of inbox. The selected filters will be bolded. Unselected filters will be links that allow the user to apply them.

  • Assignment
    • Your Assignments - Messages assigned to the current user to act upon.
    • Assigned - Messages that have been assigned to any user.
    • Unassigned - Messages that have not been assigned yet.
  • Status
    • Open - Messages that have not been resolved yet.
    • Resolved - Messages that have been handled and the matter is resolved.
    • Junk - Spam emails received by an email alias.
    • Deleted - Deleted messages.
  • Importance
    • Show All - All messages (starred or unstarred).
    • Show Starred - Messages marked with a star (important).
  • Roles
    • Your Roles - Messages sent to any of the aliases to which the user has access. 
    • One filter for each alias filter to which the user has access labeled "Inbox - (Alias Name)."

The filters all work in combination with one another. So checking "Assigned", "Resolved," "Show Starred," and "Inbox - SPS Advising" will only show messages that have been assigned to a staff member, have been resolved, were marked with a star and that had been sent to the SPS Advising alias.


Taking Bulk Actions

Inbox allows the user to apply the same action to multiple emails at the same time:

  1. Hold down the "ctrl" key (Windows) or the "⌘" key (Mac) and click on the desired emails.
  2. Click the icon with two gears:
  3. Choose an Action:
    1. Assign - Associate the messages with a student's record, assign the message to a staff member, and/or move the message to a different alias.
    2. Open - Mark "resolved" messages as "open."
    3. Resolve - Mark "open" messages as "resolved."
    4. Delete - Delete messages.
    5. Restore - Undelete messages.
    6. Flag as Junk - Mark spam emails.
    7. Unflag as Junk - Unmark spam emails.
    8. Star - Mark emails as important.
    9. Unstar - Mark emails labeled important as unimportant.
    10. Update Field - (currently unused)
    11. Update Tag - Apply a tag to or remove a tag from messages. To create a new tag, select "Other" and enter the new tag name in the text box that appears.
  4. Choose appropriate actions (where relevant).


Assigning Messages

Inbox enables teams to assign responsibility for handling certain messages to specific users. It also allows users to connect messages to students' records. Messages can be assigned by either clicking on the "Assign" button while viewing a message or taking a bulk action as described above. When assigning a message, the user is presented with three fields in which actions can be taken:

  1. Assigned Record - Lookup a student to associate the message to with their record. If a message is already associated with a student's record, and it should not be, make this field blank and click the "Save" button, and it will be disassociated.
  2. Role - Change the email alias that the message is connected to (Use this when an email was sent to the incorrect alias).
  3. User - Select the team member who should be responsible for handling the message. If a message should not actually be assigned to a particular user, select the blank option, and it click the "Save" button, and it will become unassigned.


Replying to Messages

Users can reply to messages either as the email alias or on their own behalf. By default, the reply will be from the alias. To change the sender, while viewing the message, click on the message header. In the window that pops up, The user can select their own email address. They can change the recipient's email address and add other recipients in the Cc and Bcc fields.


Snippets

Snippets can be created for text that is frequently used in messages. To create a Snippet:

  1. Click the Inbox Icon > Snippets.
  2. Click the "New Snippet" button.
  3. Enter a name for the Snippet and enter the snippet text.
  4. Click the "Save" button.

To insert a Snippet into a message.

  1. Begin replying to an email.
  2. When the cursor is in the appropriate location, click the Snippet in the "Snippet" window at the bottom of the page. 
  3. The snippet will appear in the message at the desired location.


Sending Original Messages from Aliases

To email a student from an alias without replying to an email:

  1. Navigate to the student's record.
  2. Click their email address.
  3. In the email message window that opens:
    1. select the appropriate alias as the sender of the email.
    2. Enter a subject line.
    3. Compose the body of the email. Inbox Snippets are available on the right side.
    4. Click the "Send" button.