Connect

Overview

Connect allows users to generate chats.

This can be a great tool for staff to use to confirm or query info with each other. It can also be handy for students and/or parents to touch base with staff.

Schools can determine which user types have access and can also provide specific staff with broader availability to students/parents.

Permissions

To administrate access to Connect for the different user types, the 'Configure' permission will be required to access the 'Configure Connect' page within Administration Tools.

There are some Connect permission available for staff:

ConnectUser	Staff with this permission are able to use the Connect feature and chat with other staff. They can also chat with students they teach or have taught and parents associated with those students if Parent and Student Connect access is enabled.
ConnectPower	Staff with this permission are able to use the Connect feature to chat with other staff. They can also chat with any student or parent across the school if Parent and Student Connect access is enabled.
ConnectAdmin	Staff with this permission are able to use the Connect feature to chat with other staff. They can also chat with any student or parent across the school if Parent and Student Connect access is enabled. This permission also allows staff to manage which staff have the ConnectPower permission.

Please note that students will not have access to start chats with Staff regardless of permission level.

For information on assigning permissions within Compass, please refer to the 'Permissions' article from the Knowledge Base.

Bulk Enabling User Access

Connect is available for three different user types, Staff, Students and Parents.

To view which user types are enabled with Connect access, go to 'Administration Tools' under the cog menu icon. Click the 'Configure Connect' option.

Here you will see which user groups are enabled for you school. Any with a tick are currently enabled.

To disable access to Connect for any of the groups, click the associated box to remove the tick and click 'Save' to update your changes.

Disable Individual Users

Access to Connect is able to be disabled for specific individual users. This may be because a user does not require access to this feature or has not followed school guidelines for its use.

To do so, go to 'Administration Tools' under the cog menu icon. Click the 'Configure Connect' option. Click to the 'Manage User Access' tab. Here you can add/remove the applicable users as required.

How to Connect - One on One Chat

To use Connect, users will need to click the Connect icon (speech bubble) at the top of their Compass screen.

On the left will show any existing Connect chats. Users can click into these to continue the chat. They can also use the search option to locate a specific chat with another user.

To start a new Connect chat, click 'New Chat'.

Users can search for the person they want to chat with or scroll through the options. The available options will depend on the user type, their permission level and the type of groups enabled by the school.

Staff	When Connect is enabled for staff, staff can chat with any staff member. When Connect is also enabled for students, staff can chat with students they are teaching or have taught as a Lead Teacher. Staff with the ConnectPower permission can also chat with with any student or parent across the school (if Parent and Student Connect access is enabled). Staff with the ConnectAdmin permission can also chat with any student or parent across the school (if Parent and Student Connect access is enabled). When Connect is enabled for parents, staff can chat with parents/guardians associated with any of the students they teach or have taught as a Lead Teacher.
Student	When Connect is enabled for students, staff can start a chat with any student they are teaching or have taught as a Lead Teacher. Staff with CompassPower or CompassAdmin permission can also chat to students. Please note that students will not have access to start chats with Staff regardless of permission level.
Parent	When Connect is enabled for parents, parents/guardians can chat with any teacher teaching students associated with them or who has taught them as Lead Teacher. Parents/guardians can also chat with staff with the CompassPower or CompassAdmin permission.

When they have selected the user, click 'Create chat' and the user will be added to the left hand section and be highlighted. A message can then be typed into the 'Type your message' field. Click 'enter' will send the chat to that user.

Message content can be text, images or files.

There is also the option to react to a message.

When a user receives a chat or a reply to a chat, a notification will show on the Connect icon at the top of their Compass screen.

How to Connect in App

Staff Users

Staff can click the menu icon and then select 'Connect' to respond to or initiate chats. When the tick icon under a message turns blue, it indicates the message has been read by the recipient.

Parent and/or Student Users

Parents and/or students can click the Connect icon within the App to access chats.

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Holding on a response will expand further options.

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Please note: If a parent or a student sends a message to a school staff outside of the normal school hours (8.30 am - 3.30 pm), they will see a warning message to remind them that the staff member might not respond till later. Please note that this does not block them from sending a message.

Group Chat

Staff can also have the option to create group based chats.

When clicking 'New Chat' in the pop up they can search and select multiple users to generate a chat. A name for the group chat can also be added.

Alternatively, click the 'Add by Group' option to add users via the available options.

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Please Note: Parent/Student users are unable to create Group Chats.

Within the app, staff can select multiple users to create a Group chat or click the group button to add users based on the available group options.