Create a Program in Reach

Create a Program

How to create a new program inside a Category Group in Reach, what settings to configure, and what comes next.

Overview

A Program is the main container for a notification effort inside Reach. It holds one or more Notification Types, each of which has its own templates. You need a program before you can create notification types and before you can launch campaigns. This article walks through creating one.

Prerequisite

You need a Category Group to create a program inside. If you have not created one yet, see create Category Group first.

What You'll Need

• Reach Administrator or Department Administrator access.
• An existing Category Group to place the program in.
• A program name and a sequence number.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Program

Step 1: Navigate to Campaigns Configuration

1. Click Campaigns in the sidebar, then the Configuration sub-tab.
2. Select the correct Department from the dropdown if you are a Reach Administrator.

Step 2: Select your Category Group

1. In the left-hand tree, expand the Notifications folder by clicking the arrow next to it.
2. Click on the Category Group you want to create the program inside.
3. A form appears on the right with fields for Program Name and Sequence Number.

Step 3: Name the program and assign a sequence number

1. Enter a Program Name. Use a name that reflects the type of notifications this program will send, such as 'Water Main Break Alerts' or 'Monthly Bill Reminders'.
2. Enter a Sequence Number. This is a numeric identifier for internal organization. See Understanding Sequence Numbers for guidance on choosing numbers.
3. Click Add Program.

Naming tip

The program name should describe what the notifications are about, not who receives them. 'Outage Notifications' is clearer than 'Group A Messages'.

Step 4: Confirm creation

1. A confirmation message appears and the page refreshes.
2. The new program appears inside your selected Category Group in the left-hand tree.
3. Click the program name to open it. From here you can configure channels, quiet hours, hold status, and add notification types.

What You Can Configure at the Program Level

Setting	What it does
Channels	Toggle Email, Voice, and Push on or off for this program. Only channels toggled on will be available for templates.
Quiet Hours	Set a time window during which notifications from this program will not be sent. Any campaign that hits quiet hours is held until the window ends.
Notification status	Set to Sending (active) or Held (paused). Held programs do not send any notifications until switched back to Sending.
Managed Account Coordinators	Optional email addresses that receive admin notifications about this program.
Default Preference	Controls subscriber channel preference behavior for this program.
From Email	The reply-to email address used for email notifications from this program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I change the program name after creating it?

A: Yes. Click the program name in the tree to open its settings and edit the name field.

Q: What happens if I duplicate a sequence number?

A: Reach allows duplicate sequence numbers, but it makes auditing harder. Using unique numbers per program is a good practice. See Understanding Sequence Numbers.

Q: Can I move a program from one Category Group to another?

A: Programs cannot be moved between Category Groups in the portal. You would need to recreate the program in the new group. Contact Convey support if you need help with a migration.

Q: Do I need to create separate programs for each channel?

A: No. One program can handle SMS, Email, Voice, and Push. Channels are configured at the program level and templates are created per channel inside each Notification Type.

Need More Help?

For your convenience, please find the relevant articles listed below.

• Understanding Sequence Numbers How to choose and manage sequence numbers.
• Create Notification Types Next step after creating a program.
• How Channels Work How to configure SMS, Email, Voice, and Push at the program level.