Once the required decision components, such as decision codes, letters, and reply forms, have been established, it is necessary to create rules that automate the assignment of these elements to the relevant sections of the applicant's record. These rules will consistently and efficiently ensure that the decision components are added to the appropriate location, such as the application tab of the person record or the applicant status page. Automated rules streamline the decision-management process, reducing the potential for manual errors, optimizing the decision process, and ensuring that applicant decisions are managed effectively and efficiently.

A reply form is used to solicit a response from an applicant regarding a decision or offer related to their admission status. This rule will automate the display of this form on the applicant's status page.

Add Reply Form

This rule adds the Reply to Offer of Admission Form to the forms section of the checklist when an admit decision is released.

1. Click Database in the top navigation bar and select Rules Editor.

2. Click  New Rule.

3. Enter the following Rule configurations in the popup window:

   • Name - Reply to Offer of Admission

   • Base - Select population of Applications.

   • Type - Select type of Checklist.

   • Folder - Make a new folder for Reply Form rules.

   • Status - Set the status to 'Preview'.

Configure the appropriate filters:

• Decision (Confirmed with dates) - Returns applications that have had the selected decision assigned within the specified time frame.
  Do not add a Decision (Released) filter as this will interfere with your Req. Released Decision configuration in the Action section.

  Decision (Confirmed with dates) Decision IN Admit

• Application Period Active - Returns applications that are in an active or inactive period.

  Application Period Active = Active

Configure the appropriate action:

• Checklist - Select Form.

• Form - Select the Reply to Offer of Admission form.

• Req. Released Decision - If this decision has not been released, the form will not be added to the applicant status page.

• Required/Optional - Select Required.

• Effective Type - Relative to Release Date will add the form to the checklist for students with a released Admit decision, but it will not appear until the released date has passed. This setting is also used to make the form appear on a specific date.

• Effective X Days After Release - Set the form to appear a number of days (e.g., “5”) after the decision has been released. (This is a useful setting if you do not release your decisions online.)

• Expires Type - Use this setting to remove the form from the applicant status page on a specific date.

• Expires X Days After Release - Use this setting to remove the form from the status page a number of days after the decision has been released (e.g., “5”).

• Editable - Use this setting to determine if the form response can be edited or not after submission.

• Action - Select 'Add New'.

If using a custom status page, be sure to include a Form Checklist widget. The Admit Reply form will only show up in that section. The standard checklist widget displays checklists with the scope of material.

What About a Waitlist?

Make a separate rule to add your Waitlist Reply form for applicants with a confirmed Waitlist decision.

Reply Form Expiration

In addition to setting an expiration date on the Decision, it is also possible to select a dynamic expiration date for a reply form itself using a rule. Using a rule's built-in expiration date function, you can consolidate the logic for this expiration functionality at the rule level/point of form assignment. For students with ___ decision code and a ___ decision reason, you can automate the expiration date for the reply form to # days relative to the release date.  Using these settings, you can define the expiration date on the checklist item (through the rule that adds the checklist item) as well as on the form itself:

When there is an expiration date on the checklist item, you can administratively extend it on the record: