Email notification of new events

[jonejam2]

There is a check box selection asking if you want to send out an email notifying people of the event - with the options of "Now" or "Later". I did NOT select this option, but I created an event yesterday, and an email was STILL sent out notifying ward members that a new event was placed on the calendar. I know this email was only sent to members who want to be notified of events in this particular calendar, but some members have not figured out how to change these options yet.

What is the Default selection for a ward member who creates a new account - all calendars selected or all calendars un-selected?

Is there a way to create a calendar event and NOT send an email at all?

Thanks
Jim Jones

[russellhltn]

What is the Default selection for a ward member who creates a new account - all calendars selected or all calendars un-selected?

Subscribed to all calendars, but I'm not sure about the notification setting.

[aebrown]

There is a check box selection asking if you want to send out an email notifying people of the event - with the options of "Now" or "Later". I did NOT select this option, but I created an event yesterday, and an email was STILL sent out notifying ward members that a new event was placed on the calendar. I know this email was only sent to members who want to be notified of events in this particular calendar, but some members have not figured out how to change these options yet.

I can't explain how this came to happen for you. I have never experienced this, and I am constantly adding and updating events. A message is sent only when I ask for it to be sent.

Notification is controlled by user-selectable options (all under Options > Select Subscriptions), and by the choice made by the calendar editor who adds or updates the event.

For calendar creation:

• The "Automatically subscribe to new calendars" option for each user controls whether they will be subscribed to a calendar that is added. This is on by default, but each user can choose to turn it off or back on.
• The "Notify me by e-mail when a new calendar is available" option controls whether an email message will be sent when a new calendar is created. This is particularly helpful if a user has turned off auto-subscription.

For event creation and updates:

• The "Allow calendar editors to send me e-mail reminders about events" option controls for all calendars whether messages will be received. This is on by default; if it is turned off, then that user will not receive any messages about new or updated events.
• If the preceding option is turned on, the user will see an "Allow reminders" checkbox by each subscribed calendar. This is on by default, but a user may choose not to get reminders for a particular calendar.
• Even if notification is turned on with the above options, a user will receive an email message only if the calendar editor who is adding or updating the event explicitly chooses to send an email. That can be either "Now" (at the time of update) or "Later" (a specified time before the event)

What is the Default selection for a ward member who creates a new account - all calendars selected or all calendars un-selected?

Auto subscription to newly added calendars is controlled by an option, which users can change under Options > Select Subscriptions. As mentioned above, auto subscription is on by default.

Is there a way to create a calendar event and NOT send an email at all?

Yes, and this is the default. As I said above, I create and update events all the time without selecting the option to send email, and indeed no email message is sent.

So this is how it is supposed to work (and indeed does work for me). But you experienced something different. I would ask some followup questions:

1. Is this the first event you have created, or have you created others?
2. Assuming you have created other events, have you unintentionally sent emails for those events, or was this an isolated event?
3. Is there any chance you checked the "Send an e-mail about this event" check box? It is right above the "Save" button (after you have checked for conflicts). It's conceivable that with somewhat careless clicking you might check the box right before clicking Save.

NOTE: I moved this topic to a new thread in the Calendar forum, since it clearly relates to the new Calendar, not to LUWS (which is where it was originally posted).

[jonejam2]

So this is how it is supposed to work (and indeed does work for me). But you experienced something different. I would ask some followup questions:

1. Is this the first event you have created, or have you created others?
2. Assuming you have created other events, have you unintentionally sent emails for those events, or was this an isolated event?
3. Is there any chance you checked the "Send an e-mail about this event" check box? It is right above the "Save" button (after you have checked for conflicts). It's conceivable that with somewhat careless clicking you might check the box right before clicking Save.

NOTE: I moved this topic to a new thread in the Calendar forum, since it clearly relates to the new Calendar, not to LUWS (which is where it was originally posted).

Thank you for moving to a new thread. I appreciate it.

This is not my first calendar event. I have set up probably 20 with some recurring over long periods of time. This is the 1st time an email was sent out to the entire ward. Having said that, it is entirely possible that I checked the box to send a notification. I am pretty sure I didn't but it is possible. I will create another event and see what happens in the next few days. Here is what was stated in the email notification:

"Optional Notification
You received this e-mail because you signed up for update notifications from your ward or stake calendar. To change your e-mail address, log in to the directory (http://www.lds.org/directory), click My Family, and then click Edit Profile. Update the e-mail address next to your name. (Youth may need their parents or ward clerks to log into the directory to edit their profiles.) To unsubscribe from calendar notifications, log in to the calendar (http://www.lds.org/church-calendar) and go to Options > Select Subscriptions. Update your notification options for each calendar."

I didn't want ANY notification to be sent out even to those who WANT calendar notifications. Shouldn't it only send notifications if I ask it to? I will retest in a couple of days and update this thread.

Thanks for your help
Jim Jones

[aebrown]

I didn't want ANY notification to be sent out even to those who WANT calendar notifications. Shouldn't it only send notifications if I ask it to?

You're correct -- the Calendar system should only send notifications if you ask it to as you create or update an event (and then only those who are subscribed to the calendar and have requested notification will get an email). Since you have created multiple events in the past with no notification, I think the most likely scenario is that you inadvertently checked the box this one time.

I will retest in a couple of days and update this thread.

Thanks -- when something a bit mysterious has happened, it's always helpful to have a follow-up report.

[aljaperkins96]

I am able to send notifications out if I select "now", but if I select 2 days notice or similar it sends out the notification 5 minutes before the event or 5 minutes after the event started..any ideas? And is there any idea of when or if it will be possible to send out notifications by text versus email.

[joshua_campbell]

I am able to send notifications out if I select "now", but if I select 2 days notice or similar it sends out the notification 5 minutes before the event or 5 minutes after the event started..any ideas?

I am experienceing the same problem where the notice is sent out a few minutes before the event even though I have selected 2 days before. Please let me know what I'm doing wrong.