Getting Started

Download the latest version of Schoolcomms.

Logging in Via the Desktop

You can access the Desktop version of Schoolcomms either via the Desktop Icon or if your SIMS is hosted, you would access Schoolcomms via the focus menus in SIMS.

The multi-user at the school can reset a Schoolcomms user’s Memorable Data and Password, unlock a user, and edit the email connected to the account.

This would be actioned in Manage Users via the Web version.
Click on the user then click on edit and edit as required.

Logging in via the Web

You can access Schoolcomms from home or school by going to www.schoolcomms.com and clicking on the login button and then school login. You will be prompted to enter your Schoolcomms username, memorable data, and password.

The multi-user at the school can reset a Schoolcomms user’s Memorable Data and Password, unlock a user, and edit the email connected to the account.

This would be actioned in User Management via the Web version.
Click on the user then click on edit and edit as required.

Ahead of your Go Live date it’s advisable to inform your parents of a change in school systems, so that they can sign up for School Gateway here and install the App on to their phones. Click here to access our School Gateway Success Guide, which includes an email and letter template to help you advertise the new system to your parents.

Your import settings determine the contacts and data that are imported from SIMS.

To review your Schoolcomms Import Settings go to Management > Import Management > Edit settings.

Select the Pre-admissions tick box if you wish to send messages to students who are due to join your school.

Choose whether you wish to import All groups or just Active groups (faster).

Select to import contact details from SIMS and whose contact details you wish to import. By default, the import is set to include Priority 1 parents and all are flagged as prime. If you wish to include other priorities and/or parental responsibility and set another choice for prime/non-prime, click on Change.

Select whether you wish to import email address and/or mobile numbers.

Tick the Send a text/ email to each new or changed number/address if you do wish to notify each new contact. We advise that the ‘Send a Text message to each new or changed number?’ option is left un-ticked for your first import as this will send a text to each new  contact you import and will use a large amount of your text credits.

Finally, opt out any children whose parents don’t want Schoolcomms to have any access to their data using the Manage Exceptions sections.

Once you are happy with your chosen settings to import members, groups and contact details into Schoolcomms from SIMS you will need to run an import from SIMS, by clicking Run at the bottom of the Edit Settings screen.

This data needs to be refreshed regularly to ensure it is up to date, so we advise you run an import every morning when you log in to Schoolcomms.

Some licence types are able to have Unlimited Schoolcomms Logins. You can create new Schoolcomms users if you are the schools Multi-User Administrator from Management – Dashboard – User Accounts

Add a New Schoolcomms user

To add a user select Add New User Account and then fill in the details.

You will need to select a permission group, these groups decide what this user is able to see/do in Schoolcomms.

Once you are happy with the details press save on the top right-hand corner.

Hint: In this window there is a check box that reads “Use this email address as the reply to address sent from the compose email screen by this user”. If you tick this, then any replies to any email this user sends out in Schoolcomms will be delivered to their own email address provided on this screen.

Memorable data will then appear for the user you have created, please write this down so you can pass this on to the user.

The users’ password will be emailed to them using the email you provided.

School Gateway Links allows you to link to other internet pages, such a homework products, school calendars and school social media pages via School Gateway. This allows you to make School Gateway your central hub for parents to access all Schoolcomms products used within school.

To access School Gateway Links please follow the steps below;

1. Within Schoolcomms click the Dashboard tab.
2. Once the Dashboard internet window opens click the School Gateway logo on the left hand side of your screen.
3. Here you will see several options you can customise with links to external internet pages.
4. Click on the section you would like to add a link for, and paste the required web address in to the Link box. You can then test this link by using the Link Icon next to this box
5. Type a description in to the Description box, if needed, and decide if you would like this link to be available to Students, Parents or Staff
6. If the page you would like to link to is not listed as an option, click Create Custom Link and add another.
7. Once happy, click Save.