Goals/Scope
For a range of user-controlled SMS and email communications to be handled and tracked within OpenLMIS.
Status in eLMIS: Some automated email in use, other features (e.g., user-pushed communications) in eLMIS but not in use
Status in OpenLMIS: Automated email feature in OpenLMIS, other features (push reminders, SMS features) not in OpenLMIS
Priority: High priority
Background
An email notification feature is currently in use in eLMIS - this automatically sends emails as follows:
- on authorisation, an email is sent to the approver to ask them to review/approve
- on approval by the first approver, an email is sent to the second level approver (if applicable) to ask them to review/approve
- when all approvals are complete for an R&R, an email is sent to the MSD sales officer for the zone (to remind them to convert the R&R into an order)
This feature can be turned on or off for particular users by the user administrator through a tick box “receive supervisory notification email” on the administration screen for that user. It is often turned off as users find the volume of emails too high, and logging into eLMIS to carry out the above approvals/orders work is part of their routine work.
There are currently no emails sent when R&Rs are rejected (to the facility/district who submitted the R&R), although users have said this might be more useful than the above approval notifications.
See the “communications features” section above which describes the current automated email notifications of R&R authorisations/approvals which are in use in eLMIS in Tanzania. Some users request the user administrator to turn this off because the volume of notifications is too high, and the notifications simply remind them to do tasks which are part of their routine work in any case. Users say that it would be more useful to send automated notifications of R&R rejections to the facility/district who submitted the R&R.
In addition there is an email and SMS feature which is in development in eLMIS but not yet completed or in use. This comprises a link from the “reporting rate” report which leads to an interface where the user can manually push reminders to late reporters.
Assumptions
User Stories
| # | Title | User Story | Label | Importance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMS and email functionality | As a facility I want for a range of user-controlled SMS and email communications to be handled and tracked within OpenLMIS so that functionality can be automated and tracked in the same system. | eLMIS Tanzania | Must have | |
| 2 | Automatic R&R rejection notice via email and SMS | As a facility (or districts who submit R&Rs on behalf of facilities reporting on paper) I want to receive automated SMS and email notification when an R&R I submitted has been rejected so that I can address the issue sooner. | eLMIS Tanzania | Must Have | |
| 3 | Supervisor | As a supervisor, I want to have an interface where I can perform functions so that I can perform regular tasks and push reminders to late reporters. | eLMIS Tanzania | Must Have |
|
| 4 | Log of SMS and emails sent | As a supervisor or administrator I need the system to log SMSes and emails sent so that I have a historical record of the communications sent. | eLMIS Tanzania | Must Have |
Diagrams
Dependencies
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
Open Questions
Below is a list of questions to be addressed as a result of this requirements document:
| # | Question | Outcome | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | For Tanzania user stories: review the users, "so thats" added, review the label, and review the priority level. |