What is the Message Digest Feature?

Message Digests allow you to consolidate multiple outbound messages of a single type (Acknowledgment Requests, Status Update Requests, and Shipment Information Requests) into a single email sent on a scheduled basis. Instead of suppliers receiving individual emails for each PO, they receive one comprehensive email containing all relevant requests.

How It Works

The digest collects all messages scheduled to send on or before your specified digest time and combines them into one email.

Here's the process:

The system identifies all messages of the selected type that are scheduled to send
Any messages with send dates in the past or scheduled before the digest time are included
All qualifying messages are combined into a single digest email
The digest is sent at your specified time and day(s)
Messages scheduled after the digest time will be included in the next digest cycle

Example Scenario

If you configure a Status Update digest for Tuesdays at 8:00 AM UTC:

All Status Update requests scheduled before Tuesday 8:00 AM are combined into one email
This email is sent Tuesday at 8:00 AM
Any Status Updates scheduled after 8:00 AM Tuesday will be included in the following Tuesday's digest

Configuration Steps

Navigate to Messages > Manage > Configure Digests to set up a new digest:

1. Supplier Selection

Leave blank or select All Suppliers to apply to all suppliers
Select a specific supplier to limit the digest to that vendors only

2. Message Type to Aggregate

Choose one message type per digest configuration:

Acknowledgment
Shipment Information
Status Update

Note: Each message type requires a separate digest configuration

3. Send Digest On Days of the Week

Select which days to send the digest:

Choose any combination of days (Mon-Sun)
The digest will send on each selected day at the specified time

4. Send At (UTC)

Set the time for digest delivery:

Enter time in UTC format (e.g., 12:00 PM)
All qualifying messages up to this time will be included

5. Active

Check the box and click Create to enable the digest
Uncheck to temporarily disable without deleting the configuration

Important Notes

Digests depend on existing message rules configured in the "Configure Rules" tab
Each message type requires its own digest configuration
Messages are only included if they would have been sent based on your existing rules
This will only apply to messages that would have contained a CTA button (Provide Acknowledgement, Provide Status Update, Provide Shipment Info)
The digest time is in UTC - consider your suppliers' time zones when scheduling
Once a message is included in a digest, it won't be sent individually
If a supplier is using its own digest rule, it will not be picked up by one of the same type for "All Suppliers"
PO PDFs will NOT be included as attachments on the email (as this can get quite large if multiple POs are present)

Benefits

Reduced Email Volume: High-volume suppliers receive fewer emails, improving their experience
Better Organization: All requests of the same type are in one place
Flexible Scheduling: Choose frequency and timing that works for your business
Supplier-Specific Options: Apply to all suppliers or customize for specific vendors

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the "roll-up" timing work?

A: The digest includes all messages scheduled to send before the digest time. For example, if your digest is set for Tuesday at 8 AM, it will include all messages scheduled for Monday, Sunday, or any time before Tuesday 8 AM. Messages scheduled after Tuesday 8 AM will wait for the next digest cycle.

Q: What happens when I first enable a digest?

A: The digest will wait until the next scheduled day/time to send. Any messages currently pending will be included in that first digest rather than sending immediately.

Q: Can I have multiple digest configurations?

A: Yes! You can create multiple digests for the same message type with different settings. For example, you could have Status Updates send daily for a critical supplier and weekly for another.

Q: Will the digest still send if there are no messages scheduled?

A: No. Digests only send when there are actual messages to include. If there are no qualifying messages for a scheduled digest time, no email is sent.