The System Alerts/News pane is where new messages are created and you can view previous messages. When the message is sent, the system displays a hyperlinked announcement of a new message at the top of the window. Click the hyperlink to display the Messages window, from which you can view the message. This pane contains the following columns:

• Alert: When this check box is selected, the message is sent as soon as a recipient is added to the Target Users pane and saved.
  
  • The message will appear in a pop-up window on the recipient's computer after the amount of time set by the Alerts Checking Int. parameter (which is found in the System Parameters window). The message will also be available in the Messages window until it is marked as read.
  • If the user is not logged on when the alert is sent, the system will display the message when he or she logs on.

  Note: You do not need to set an Effective Date or Expiration Date for alerts because the system sends the message immediately and will continue to send it until the recipient marks it as read. However, if you do set these fields, then the system will only send the message within the time period set by the fields.

• Effective Date: This is when the message will be sent. After saving the new message, when this date and time is reached (and allowing for the alert polling interval set in the System Parameters window by the Alerts Checking Int. parameter), the message is sent to all users listed in the Target Users pane. If you click the down arrow in the field, the system displays a calendar pop-up window with a time field. Set the time before selecting the date because when you click a date the calendar pop-up window closes.
• Expiration Date: This is when the message expires. After this date and time, if a user has not read the message, the system will remove the announcement of the message and the message will not be shown in the user's Messages window.
• Text: This is the message.
• Title: This is the title of the message.