There are two types of communications you can send partners: email and Zift123 home page/Message Center messages.

• Email messages are sent to all active and test partner contacts. See About Partner View.
• Zift123 homepage messages are either viewable as a modal window when a partner logs into Zift123 or once dismissed, in the Zift123 Message Center. 

Zift Solutions recommends using both methods when sharing information, but it is also acceptable to use one or the other. If you decide to use both methods of communications, you will need to create two separate communication instances, one for each type. Regardless of the method used, all content that is viewable by partners can be written and sent in-language.

Please note: If you make changes to your Partner settings, allow 24 hours for system processing for the changes to be reflected.

How to Create Zift123 Message Center Communication 

1. From Partners > select To Partner Communications.
2. Select New Communication.
3. Add a short descriptive Name. This is a name used externally that partners will see and will appear as the title of the communication.
4. Email Subject: This field is not needed for a Zift123 Message Center communication.
5. Add a Communication Title. The Communication Title should be the same as the Name. It will be used as the title in the modal window.
6. Add Communication Sub-title. The sub-title is not used.
7. Add From Address. The From Address is where any reply to the email will be sent. This provides suppliers with the flexibility to configure unique reply to addresses for each To Partner Communication email as needed.
8. Select communication Type, Zift123 Only.
9. Select a Status. The status option descriptions are below:
1. Not Published: Consider this the draft mode for your communication. Leave your communication in this status until you want partners to see the communication.
2. Published: Change the status to Published when you are ready to send the communication to partners.
3. Completed: This status indicates the communication is completed.
4. Archived: This status indicates the communication is no longer active.
10. Effective Date Begin: You must select a begin date for Zift123 Message Center communications. Click on the calendar icon to select a date and time (using the slider bar) for when the communication is to be sent to partners. Alternatively, you can also select, Now, and the communication will be sent once you select Published and Apply. Note: The schedule time defaults to the user's time zone. The time zones can be verified in the User Profile.
11. Effective Date End: You must select an Effective Date End. Enter a date and time for when the message should no longer be viewed in the Zift123 Message Center.
12. Partner Filters: If the communication goes to all partners, no change is needed. Use Edit to segment who the communication should go to. Popular filters include region, language, and specific partners. You can also use the have/have not, not sent/activated X program to cross-promote available campaigns in Zift123.  Note that the system will pull records only for the selected choice/s using an AND statement. Here is an example. If you choose Theater and Country, the system will pull records that have both Theater and Country. If you select data points within the two options (Theater and Country) the system considers it an Or statement and will pull data for all the situations that meet the data points. Note: Any partners added after the time the filter is set up will NOT receive the communication. Only the partners that are in the filter at the time it is created will be included. A new communication will need to be created to include new partners.
13. Communication Text: Add the text for your message using the editor or select Source to use HTML. If you are using images or banners, use the largest, closely cropped, version available as it will render to fit the size of the screen display.
14. Select Show Preview or Save Preview: Once all of your content is in, or at any time in the creation process, to preview the communication, select Show Preview in the upper right of the communication. If you see Save Preview, select it to see the preview. It simply means that the preview is out of sync with any changes you made; you need to soft save it first. When in preview mode, Show Preview will read Edit Message. Select Edit Message to go back to the editable view.
15. Test Zift123: Always view a  Test communication to view the communication as your partners will see it in Zift123. Make sure to verify that your hyperlinks link to the content you desire.
16. Select Apply. This saves the communication but does not publish the communication. You must change the status to Published, and click Apply to actually make the communication live to partners as you determined when scheduling. Scheduling is based on the user's local time. Note: Clicking Apply is the final step in the process. No changes or additions can be made to the communication after it is selected. To make a change or add a partner, create a new communication.
17. Delete: You can delete your communication at any time by clicking on Delete.