Announcements in OnBoard allow administrators to share important updates with members in one central place. You can use announcements instead of mass emails to communicate things like:

• Event updates
• Fundraiser reminders
• Member or board highlights
• Organizational news

Admins can also send notifications so users receive alerts via email or mobile apps. Members can always find announcements on the Homepage.

Adding Announcement Panels

How Do I Add an Announcements Panel to the Homepage?

To add an Announcements panel, follow these steps:

1. Select Home from the navigation panel to open the Homepage.

2. Look under the "For Your Organization" section.
3. If no Announcements panel exists:
   • Click Configure to the right of "For Your Organization."

4. In the Dashboard Panels fly-out:
   • Select Add Panel
   • Choose Announcements from the dropdown

Can I Rearrange or Add Multiple Announcement Panels?

Yes, you can customize panel layout and create multiple announcement sections:

• Drag and drop panels to reorder them

• Add multiple Announcement panels for different purposes (e.g., events, board updates)

Configuring Announcement Panels

How Do I Configure an Announcements Panel?

To configure a panel:

1. Open the Dashboard Panels fly-out.
2. Click the three-dot menu or select Configure directly on the panel.

3. Update the following settings:
   • Panel Display Name (rename the panel)
   • Number of Announcements displayed before users must click "Load More"

Creating and Sending Announcements

How Do I Create a New Announcement?

To create an announcement:

1. Go to the Announcements panel
2. Select Add New

3. Enter the following details:
   • Announcement Title
   • Announcement Body/Text
   • Link URL (optional hyperlink)
   • Link Display Name (text users click)

How Does the Expiration Date Work?

The expiration date determines when the announcement is automatically removed.

• Set a date and time for expiration
• Once reached, the announcement is automatically deleted from the panel

How Do I Prioritize Important Announcements?

Announcements will be listed in the order they were created. To keep important messages visible:

• Check "Pin this Announcement to Top"
• Pinned announcements appear above others regardless of creation date

How Do I Add an Image to an Announcement?

You can attach an image in two ways:

• Drag and drop into the "Drop file here" box
• Click Add Image to upload manually

Who Can See an Announcement?

By default, all members can view announcements.

To limit visibility:

• Select specific groups
• Only those groups will:
  • See the announcement
  • Receive notifications

How Do I Save or Publish an Announcement?

Save as Draft:

• Click Save Changes to store without publishing

Publish the Announcement:

1. Change status from Draft → Published
2. Click Save Changes

How Do Notifications Work?

After publishing, you will see a notification prompt:

• Select Notify → Sends email and/or mobile notifications
• Select Don't Notify → Posts without alerting users

How Do I Edit or Delete an Announcement?

To make changes:

1. Click Edit on the announcement
2. You can:
   • Switch from Published → Draft
   • Update content
   • Delete the announcement

OnBoard Group Trainings:

If you are interested, we do offer further education. You can find the calendar and register for OnBoard Admin group training sessions by clicking here. 

FAQs

Can I have multiple types of announcements?

• Yes. You can create multiple Announcement panels (e.g., “Events,” “Board Updates”) to organize content.

Do users have to log in to see announcements?

• No. If notifications are enabled, users receive alerts via email or mobile apps. They can also log in anytime to view announcements on the Homepage. 

What happens if I don’t set an expiration date?

• The announcement will remain on the panel until it is manually deleted.

Can I send notifications later?

• No. Notifications are triggered at the time of publishing. If you skip notifying, users will not receive alerts for that post.

How many announcements display at once?

• You can configure how many announcements appear in the panel settings.

Can I restrict announcements to specific teams or groups?

• Yes. You can select specific groups so only those members can see and receive notifications for the announcement.

Can I edit a published announcement?

• Yes. Change the status back to Draft, make edits, and republish if needed.