Customizing on-screen messages
Many of the messages that are shown as part of the registration, booking or payment process can be customized or replaced by your own messages. Almost all messages can contain so-called “auto-text”, which are “magic words” that are automatically replaced by some dynamic value when the message is generated. Email notifications and reminders can be similarly customized but with a slightly different syntax, see the section on Customizing notifications and reminders.
Custom on-screen messages
Messages at both the account and schedule levels can be replaced by your own custom messages. At the account level you can modify the messages that are shown when users enter your webshop (see Payment Setup) or request help (see Layout Settings). The messages that can be modified at the schedule level, via Configure > Layout, include those shown on the login and checkout screens, as well as the one shown in the white space above the schedule. Furthermore, you may also modify the message that is shown when access to your schedule is (temporarily) blocked or when you have blocked the user in question.
You can style your messages using the formatting toolbar at the top of each message box. This toolbar also allows you to include links and (web-based) images in your message; note that, apart from your logo, you cannot upload images to SuperSaaS. Images have to be accessible online via the URL provided as its source.
Alternatively, you can style messages using HTML formatting, which is available via the button in the toolbar. This option can also be used to insert JavaScript scripts into the page where these messages are shown.
<input onclick="window.open('//static.supersaas.net/img/demo_room.jpg', 'Popup', 'width=400,height=300')" type="button" value="Pop-up" />
This functionality can also be used to add tracking code for Google Analytics to your schedule. This service can provide you with extensive statistics on where your visitors come from.
Dynamic messages using auto-text
You can use so-called “auto-text” to make your messages dynamic. Auto-text are “magic words” that are automatically replaced by some dynamic value when the message is generated. This allows you, for example, to address users by name or make the message language-dependent. An auto-text word is simply a word preceded by a $, i.e. $name. In the table below you find the auto-text strings that can be used in messages shown on the website.
| The word… | …will be replaced with |
|---|---|
$login | Writes out the login name of the person currently logged in |
$name | Writes out the full name of the person currently logged in, if available |
$credit | Writes out the amount of credit for the person currently logged in |
$shop | Creates a link to your shop, for example you could write: “Please buy credits in the $shop before booking” |
$agenda | Creates a link to a page that shows appointments across all schedules in the account, only works when logged in as a user |
$auto | Normally the default text is replaced with your own, but $auto re-inserts it. This is useful for the default text above the schedule that changes depending on whether someone is allowed to book or not |
$su | Writes out the supervisor field for the current user, if available. You can use this to show a message to a specific person when he logs in |
$id | Writes out the ID of the current object. Only available on the checkout screen and the “Thank you” screen for submitted forms. You can use this to give customers a unique reference number |
$now | Writes the current time as displayed on the calendar. Use “$now $zone” to display the time zone as well. |
$total | Writes the total price including discounts, or the payable deposit. Only available on the checkout screen |
$if condition {message} | If the condition is true, the message between the curly brackets will be displayed. See below for possible conditions. The message can span multiple lines and can contain other magic words, except for another $if statement |
$else {message} | The $else clause can only follow an $if clause. The message will be displayed if the preceding $if condition is not true. |
$if statement can be used. The table below shows the various conditions that can be used.
| Condition | Applies if… |
|---|---|
$if user {message} | The message displays if a user is logged in |
$if out {message} | The message displays if a user is not logged in |
$if shared {message} | The message displays if a user is logged in with a shared password |
$if admin {message} | The message displays if a user is logged in as administrator or superuser |
$if XX {message} | The message displays if the currently selected language has an ISO language code of XX |
$if paid {message} | The message displays after the customer successfully completes a payment. It can only be added to the “Checkout screen” message |
$if mobile {message} | The message displays only when presenting the mobile version of the site |
$if desktop {message} | The message displays only when presenting the desktop version of the site |
$if calendar {message} | The message displays only when viewing the day, week, or month calendar |
$if view {message} | The message displays only when displaying this particular (default) view. The view can be set to free, agenda, day, week or month |
A common use of dynamic messages is to allow for language-dependent messages for different people. The condition in the $if XX {message} statement can be a two-character language code such as EN, DE or ES. This could be used as follows:
$if EN {Good morning $login}
$if DE {Guten Morgen $login}
Another use of the $if statement is to display a different message depending on whether the visitor has signed in or not:
$if out {Please sign in first or create an account if you don't have one}
$if user {Welcome back $login!}
Note that (conditional) auto-text statements can also be used in HTML mode. This allows you to, for example, conditionally include a tracking code to your checkout page.
$if paid {Thanks for your business, $name <script>…</script>}