Sending broadcasts to groups, services, and locations

Before you begin

When you create broadcasts, you select a group of recipients. User groups can be set up as an LDAP group or an Action Request System group. These groups become available when the LDAP or the Group pluggable providers are enabled and configured. For more information, seeCreating and managing access control groups.

To create a broadcast for groups, services, and locations

1. Log in to the Admin console and select Broadcasts > New broadcast.
   The New broadcast window displays four steps for creating a new broadcast.

2.  Complete the steps specified in the following table by clicking Next:

   Step	Description
   Create	Title—Enter the message that end users will see in their feed. This field is required. (Optional) Turn the title into a URL—Include a site link to expanded details about the subject of the broadcast. This link will be available in the in-app notification. Broadcast type—Enter the urgency level of the message. Depending on the different types, broadcast messages in the user's feed and the megaphone icon in the in-app notifications appear in different colors: Information (default) Success Warning Critical For examples of different broadcast types, see Broadcasts. See this image of the interface for creating a new broadcast.
   Additional information	(Optional) Learn more—Enable this toggle key to give users additional information about the broadcast message. You can customize the additional text with fonts, colors, adjustment types, lists, and links. See the image showing the interface for including additional information.
   Schedule	Send to— Select user groups, services, or locations as the audience. Select from the menu.  See this image showing the options for selecting the audience.
   	Sending broadcasts to user groups In the Send to section, select User groups. Selecting User groups displays a picker window to search and select the user groups that will receive the broadcast message. As an administrator, you can search for groups created in BMC Helix ITSM only if you are a member of those groups.  As a result, your ability to send broadcasts to all groups might be restricted. However, you can search for and send broadcasts to all groups if you have any of the following roles: AR System Administrator, AR Definition Administrator, or User Administrator. You can enter any part of the company name or support group name (at least three characters) in the search field. The list displays the Long Group Name of user groups created in BMC Helix ITSM along with their Group Name.  Important: Broadcasts are sent to all users in the group irrespective of the company.
   	Sending broadcasts to services or locations Select Services or Locations. With BMC Helix Digital Workplace Advanced license entitlements, you can also send broadcasts to users based on the following options: Services The broadcast is sent to end users who follow a particular service in My Stuff → Service Health. Locations The broadcast is sent to end users who have a particular location as a home location. The administrator cannot combine several target categories, but can select multiple recipients within each category. For example, the administrator cannot send one broadcast to groups and services simultaneously, but can send to several people in a group. To send the same broadcast to multiple locations, duplicate the existing one and change the recipient to locations.
   	Schedule—Determine the period when users will receive the broadcast message. Select one of the following options: Send now to make the broadcast live immediately. Optionally, you can select an end date for a broadcast. By default, the expiration date is one week from the current date. Date range to make the broadcast live at a future time. See this image showing interface for scheduling a broadcast. Schedule a broadcast and click Next.

3. Review the details of the broadcast and click Schedule. 
   

The broadcast is scheduled to be sent to the selected audience. 

To duplicate a broadcast for groups, services, and locations

1. Log in to the Admin console and select Broadcasts.
2. On the Broadcast page, locate the existing broadcast that you want to duplicate and click Actions in front of that broadcast.
3. Select Duplicate.
   

4. Modify the intended details and schedule the broadcast, repeating the same procedure for creating a broadcast.
   The Send to window displays the list of groups that were selected before. You can view and edit the selected list of groups while duplicating a broadcast.

   See the image showing the window to modify the selected list of groups.

   

Results

An interactive panel under the Broadcast section shows the list of broadcasts that you have created. The panel displays the broadcasts' details in real-time mode, which helps you keep track of the broadcasts' statuses.

The following image displays details of four broadcasts:

The Broadcast page collates parameters that are set up for a broadcast at the time of its creation: 

• Title—Displays the broadcast's name. 
• Sent to—Shows recipients of the broadcast. 
• Schedule (local time)—Shows the period when the broadcast is effective.
• Status—Shows the broadcast's status:
  • Active—Users are receiving the broadcast at this moment.
  • Scheduled—Users will start receiving the broadcast at the scheduled time.
  • Starting soon—The broadcast will be live within 24 hours.
  • Inactive—The scheduled time for the broadcast ended; users do not see the broadcast anymore.
• Actions—Enables additional options for broadcasts:
  • Details—See the broadcast modal window in a read-only mode.
  • Duplicate—Create a new broadcast by using the existing broadcast.
  • Remove—Remove the broadcast from the list. Users stop receiving the broadcast.

Where to go from here