To send a Batch Message with Accurx, you'll need to create a CSV file with a list of patients.
Below is a step-by-step guide to creating this file using Vision 👇
Generating the file from Vision using Vision+ 📁
Batch Messaging will require a .csv, .txt, or .tsv file to search for the CHI number/NHS number in Vision and pull the mobile number in the record
You can download CSV files on Vision+. You'll just need to ensure that you have the CHI number/NHS number in the output report, as not all groups have that as default.
1. Open Vision+ group
2. Download the patient group as a CSV file
3. Open the CSV file in Excel
4. Remove all columns, except for the CHI number/NHS number column
5. Select all CHI numbers/NHS numbers within the column (excluding the heading)
6. Right-click on the highlighted and select 'Format cells'
7. Select 'Custom' and click '0'
8. Enter 10 zeros into the box under 'Type', as shown here 👇 and then select 'Ok' to apply the change (This step is to ensure that Excel don't remove the 0 at the beginning of CHI numbers)
9. Save the file as a 'Text delimited' file and then close the file (please select 'Yes', 'Replace', etc when prompted)
Ad-Hoc searches (Alternate way of exporting the patient list)
Ad-Hoc searches (Alternate way of exporting the patient list)
This guide is for using the ad-hoc search function within Vision to pull your patient list.
Batch Messaging will require a .csv, .txt, or .tsv file to search for the CHI number/NHS number in Vision and pull the mobile number in the record.
If you have experience pulling files from Vision, then please just jump to the next section.
If you need a hand, here is a suggested step-by-step to create a file.
1. Open Vision and navigate to the 'Reporting' tab, then select 'Search and Reports'.
2. Click on 'Reports' on the top left and select 'New Ad-hoc Search'.
3. Under 'Search Input', select the patient group you would like to send the Batch Message to.
4. Once the patient group is selected, you will need to include the required data fields.
Click on 'Add Entity' next to 'Report Details', expand the 'Additional Patient Data' folder and add both 'Communication numbers' and 'Other identifiers'.
5. Select the correct output format by clicking on the dropdown next to 'Record Output' and choose 'Export Data (Tab Separated)'. This will generate a .tsv (tab-separated values) or .txt file.
If you are confident your CSV file correctly includes NHS numbers and does not remove leading zeros from CHI numbers, you can use a .csv format instead.
6. Click on 'Run' and select the folder you want to export your file to. Please ensure you select a folder you're able to locate.
Ensuring the file meets Accurx Batch Message requirements 🔎
Accurx must have an NHS/CHI Number as this is what we search via Vision in order to pull the mobile number.
If you attach a mobile number in the column of the .csv, .text, .tsv, we will use the mobile number provided.
You can also include an 'Email' column if that’s also a preferred contact method. In this case, an email will be sent instead of an SMS message.
NHS number/CHI number
Optional - Contact Number - if the number on the patient's records is different to the contact number for the Batch Message
Optional - Email address - if you’d like the message to be sent via email
Important Notes 🚨
CSV files might not work: If you experience issues with NHS numbers or CHI numbers missing leading zeros (this means we won’t be able to look up the CHI number), then we recommend using a .tsv or .txt file instead of .csv
The file must not contain duplicate NHS/CHI numbers
The information listed above is all you need in your CSV file. Extra columns may cause errors, so please remove any unnecessary data before uploading. As Accurx is a data processor, not a data controller, we’re unable to edit CSV files for you under our data processing agreement.
Sending the Batch Message 📫
You now have your list of patients to send a Batch Message to. Follow the steps in this article to send the Batch Message
If you still have any questions or concerns, feel free to chat with us using the green message bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this page 👉