Dashboard_message.properties

The dashboard_message.properties file can be used to display custom messages on the various system dashboards by user role.

Note: this functionality is enabled by creating the necessary entries in the dashboard_message.properties file, which resides in your system's config directory. You cannot manage this functionality via the user interface.

This file can be viewed/edited with any standard text editor.

This file is not required.

The following items can be accomplished via dashboard_message.properties entries:

Display Custom Messages -- Administrators can use this feature to display messages on the various dashboards. Each message can be targeted to one or many dashboards as well as visible by specified user roles.

Note that you can include html tags within these messages for formatting or even include a link as in the example below:
<a href=”http://www.unanet.com” target=”_blank”>Unanet</a>

Note that on the properties that allow for the inclusion of HTML tags to provide formatting, here are a few basic tags that you might find useful.

For example, the following text included in a property...

This is red

This is bold

This is italic

This is red, bold and italic

...would yield this output:

Notes:

If you want line breaks, you can use tags (no closing tag required).
Remember to close each tag in the order you open them.
Most other html tags are valid (, <div>, <table>, etc.), but you might want to keep it as simple as necessary to avoid the need for debugging.
Remember that this will not work in the messages that appear in pop up windows (the three submit confirmation pop ups) as these are not html.

You may also be interested in:

link.xml -- this file can be used to add a custom link (to an internal or external destination) onto a dashboard as well as to suppress the display of other left and right dashboard column entries.

Example dashboard_message.properties file

The syntax necessary to create entries is defined in the example below (which is also available in the default dashboard_message.properties file included with the system).

##############################################################################
# This file will control dashboard messages in your Unanet system.
# Each message should be grouped by a unique id (e.g., msg1, msg2, etc.) and
# comment lines should begin with a pound sign (#). Also, there should be
# no carriage return/line feeds (new lines) for entries. For example, do
# not copy and paste the roles example below -- the line feeds are added
# for readability only and would not be appropriate in an actual entry.
# Remember to restart your servlet engine after modifying this file.
#
# The following describes each attribute that you can set for a message:
#
# title
#   Optional. This will control the text in the title of the dashboard
#   message. If not present, the default value is "System Message".
#
# message
#   Required. This is the actual message to display. Keep in mind that you
#   can use html to format this value (see examples below).
#
# dashboards
# Optional. Controls which dashboard(s) the message will appear

# on. If not present, the message will show on all dashboards.

# If multiple dashboards are desired, separate them with a pipe

# symbol (|).

# Note: The "billing" value in the example below controls the

# Invoicing & Posting Dashboard. Possible values are:

# roles

# Optional. Controls which type of user will see the message. If not

# present, all roles will see this message. If multiple roles are

# desired, separate them with a pipe symbol (|). The following is a

# complete list of valid values. Remember, the tilde (~) at the end

# of a role signifies an alternate for the listed role.

# costRateManager|costRateManager~|billRateManager|billRateManager~|

# HRAdministrator|projectLead|projectLead~|projectApprover|

# projectApprover~|projectController|prAdministrator|arAdmin|

# glAdmin|glPoster|glUser|glViewer|glBudgetManager
#
# order
#   Optional. Controls the order of messages (if multiple messages are
#   displayed). This value should be only numeric numbers greater than
#   zero. Any other values will be ignored. Keep in mind that the system
#   may add warning or error messages above any of your custom ones.
#
##############################################################################
# Example message for all users and all dashboards
#msg1.title=All-Employee Notices
#msg1.message=The system will be down on Friday for maintenance.
#msg1.order=1

# Example message for all administrators on the home and admin dashboards
#msg2.title=Administrative Notices
#msg2.message=Administrators are great...
#msg2.dashboards=home|admin
#msg2.roles=administrator|HRAdministrator
#msg2.order=2

# Example message for alternate managers only on the People dashboard.
#msg3.title=Alternate Manager Notice!
#msg3.message=All alternate managers, please only approve for the primary manager if her or she is unable to do so
#msg3.dashboards=people
#msg3.roles=manager~
#msg3.order=3