Comments - Mass Assign Student Comments

Purpose:  Provide instruction on how to assign multiple students the same comment.

Audience:  CTC staff that assign comments to students.

You must have at least one of these local college-managed security roles:

Event ID:

  • ZC CC 3Cs Config
  • ZC FA Local Configuration
  • ZD CC 3Cs Config
  • ZD FA Local Configuration
  • ZZ CC 3Cs Config

3C Engine:

  • ZC CC 3Cs User
  • ZZ CC 3Cs User

If you need assistance with the above security roles, please contact your local college supervisor or IT Admin to request role access.

Before mass-assigning student comments, ensure your 3Cs Group Security is set up to run this process. Please work with your local security expert or submit a ticket.

Comments can be assigned to an individual student or in a batch process using the 3Cs engine. Based on the Comment Category set-up, comments may be edited or appended.

Appends (updates) added to comments are not tracked. If it's important for your team to know who is appending comments, develop an internal business process with staff indicating who is appending a comment. One standard method is simply adding your name at the end of the update you're making to the comment.

Comments can also be set to allow no changes; in these cases, the comment would have no options to update. Comments can be assigned manually or in batch using the 3C Engine. The 3C Engine does not check for duplicate comments. So, you need to use a query that includes duplicate checking criteria, a combination of population selection query and schedule to prevent duplicate comments from being assigned, or not have comments in 3C Engine processes that assign duplicate-checked items like checklists and communications.

If you assign your 3C items in batch, test your configuration in PCD before trying it in Production! It is very easy to over-assign 3C items if you are not careful. This is especially true for 3C Comments, as the 3C Engine does not check for duplicate comment assignments.

  1. Thorough PCD testing will include running the 3C Engine process multiple times (and changing student records between runs) to see how the 3C Engine will assign your 3C item to students.
  2. A successful test does not mean that your process ran to Success (it will almost always do this!); a successful test means that you've thoroughly reviewed how the 3C Engine assigned your 3C items to students and that you've confirmed that the 3C items are being given to the correct students and that they are not being over-assigned

3C Events

3C Events tell the 3C Engine what it should do when it runs. 3C Events identify which 3C Engine should assign 3C item(s) and connect multiple 3C items to be assigned simultaneously. For more information on 3C Events, visit the following QRGs:

Creat an Event ID

Navigation: Campus Community > 3C Engine > Set Up 3C Engine > Event Definition

  1. The Event Definition search page displays.
  2. The page defaults to Find an Existing Value. Select Search to view existing values.
  3. Select the Add a New Value tab to define a new Event ID.  
  4. Create an Event ID following the naming convention outlined in the QRG 3C Configuration - Campus Solutions 3Cs and Message Center Naming Conventions. 
  5. Select Add.

Event Definition Page

  1. Change the Effective Date to 01/01/1901 or add a new row to an existing Event Detail
  2. Enter a Description.
  3. Enter a Short Description.
  4. Select the appropriate Function.
  5. Status defaults to Active.Enter the Comment Category within the Comments section.
  6. Please note: The Comment Category is specific to your institution and will vary based on your setup. Please work with your local administrators or submit a ticket.
  7. Select the Detail hyperlink within the Comments section.
  8. The Comments Detail page displays.
  9. Enter your Comment.
  10. Select OK.
  11. The Event Definition page displays.
  12. Select Save.
Event 3C Groups

NOTE:  Each new Event ID needs to be connected to a 3C Group. 3C Groups are assigned to individual users to grant security to all 3C functions included in that group. The following 3C Groups are available to assign to Event IDs:

Navigation: Campus Community > 3C Engine > Set Up 3C Engine > Event 3C Groups

3C Update/Inquiry Group Description
ADMA Admissions 3C Group
ENRL Enrollment 3C Group
FASU FA Super User
FAVO FA View Only
FAVU FA View Update
SFCO Student Financials Coll 3C Grp
STRM Student Term
  1. The Event 3C Groups search page displays.
  2. The page defaults to Find an Existing Value. Select Search to view existing values.
  3. A list of Event IDs is displayed at the bottom of the page. Select one.
  4. The Event 3C Groups page displays.
  5. Enter or look up the Group, or Groups, to associate with the Event ID.
  6. Select Save.
  7. Process complete.

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

View Tutorial Via Panopto

View the external link to Comments 3C Events. This link will open in a new tab/window.

Run 3C Engine

Run Control ID Search Page

Navigation: Campus Community > 3C Engine > Run 3C Engine

  1. The 3C Engine Run Control ID search page displays.
  2. If you have run this process or report in the past, select the Find an Existing Value tab to enter an existing Run Control ID and select the Search button. If this is the first time running this process or report, select the Add a New Value tab to create a new Run Control ID and select the Add button. 
  3. NOTE: It is important to note that Run Control IDs cannot be deleted. Do not include spaces in your Run Control. We encourage the Run Control ID to have the same process naming convention but unique to the step; because of this, including your institution code and a short process description in the Run Control ID is recommended--e.g., WA220_BATCH_COMMENTS.
3C Engine Parameters Tab

Process 3Cs

  1. On the 3C Engine Parameters tab, select one of the Process 3C's parameters:
  2. Population Selection - A query, external file, or equation can be used to identify students.
  3. Trigger Table - This selection requires the user to set up a 3C Engine Trigger. Visit the QRG 3C Engine -Trigger Definitions for more information.
  4. Mass Change - This selection requires the setup of a Mass Change definition.

Process Join Records

  1. ctcLink Campus Solutions enables you to communicate jointly with individuals at a shared address rather than producing separate communications for each individual. For example, you can invite a married couple or two roommates to an event by sending a single invitation to their joint address.
    • No - Select this option if you do not want to apply joint communication rules to this process.
    • All Joint IDs - Select this option to apply joint communication rules and include all communications set to enable joint communications.
    • If a match exists - Select this option to apply joint communication rules and include joint communications only when dates in the variable data fields match.

Event Selection

3C Events tell the 3C Engine what it should do when it runs. 3C Events identify which 3C Engine should assign 3C item(s) and connect multiple 3C items to be assigned simultaneously. For comments, 3C Events can be used to batch-assign comments (alone or with other 3C items) or update the status of a previously assigned checklist. For more information on 3C Events, visit the following QRGs:

  1. Enter or look up the Academic Institution.
  2. Enter the correct Administrative Function.
  3. Enter or look up the Event ID for the appropriate communication.
    1. Note: Once the Event ID populates, the Comment Category will appear in the Event Selection section.

Population Selection

  1. Selection Tool. Select Equation Engine, External File, or PS Query.
    1. External File:
      1. Upload a Microsoft Excel file in the .csv format with the required columns.
      2. Institution is required. Ensure Student ID's are included.
      3. Select the Upload File button.
      4. Create File Mapping.  After the Excel .csv file is uploaded, use the lookup tool to enter a File Mapping value (if you have already created a file mapping for Batch Update a Checklist) or use the Create File Mapping link to create a new option.
      5. Select Preview Selection Results.
      6. Select Return.
    2. PS Query:
      1. Query Name: find the corresponding query for your desired checklist item.
      2. Colleges may request additional population selection queries for their local business process.
      3. Select the Edit Prompts link (to the right of the Selection Tool field) to populate fields with the appropriate information. 
      4. Select Preview Selection Results.
      5. Select Return. 
Manage Duplicate Assignment Tab

The Manage Duplicate Assignment tab prevents duplicate checklists and communications from being assigned. This setup looks at all of the students in your population selection query/ file AND looks to see if they have been assigned a communication with matching variable data. If they have not been assigned a communication with matching variable data, the 3C Engine will assign it when it runs.

This is the recommended setup for almost all 3C Engine processes because it makes it easier to assign communications only to students without communication without managing complicated population selection queries/files. Additionally, it prevents unwanted duplicate communication assignments.

This will not work if you’re communication uses the GEN administrative function. GEN does not have any variable data. If you’re using GEN, use a population selection query/ file that only lists the students who need your communication.

  1. The Manage Duplicate Assignments tab appears. Select the Check Duplicate Assignment checkbox in the Duplicate Checklist Check group box. By performing this step, you ensure you are not duplicating this checklist if applicable.
  2. If applicable, select Match from the drop-down list under the Variable Data row in the Additional Conditions to Prevent Duplicate Checklist group box. As a result of this step, the system will check for any checklists that have already been assigned to a group of students.
  3. Select Run. Visit the QRG Process Scheduling for more information.
  4. Process complete.

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

View Tutorial Via Panopto

View the external link to Comments Run 3C Engine. This link will open in a new tab/window.

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