BrightView Overview - An Introductory Guide

If you are new to using BrightArrow or need a refresher, this article will help you to get started with sending messages. Use the links throughout the document to access additional step-by-step information regarding each respective topic.

We offer free training sessions on a monthly basis. If you would like to sign up to join a training session, click here. 

We provide 24/7 customer support to assist you. Email us at gettechsupport@brightarrow.com, call us at +1 425-558-2100, or submit a ticket through the user interface by clicking the question mark (?) icon in the upper right of your BrightArrow screen then choosing "submit ticket."

User Interface

The current user interface for the web version of BrightArrow is called BrightView. BrightView is our newest user interface, containing more functionality and additional features compared to our previous user interfaces. Additional features are being added to BrightView regularly, and we are always open to new ideas for added functionality. 

The current mobile app for BrightArrow is called BrightArrow ParentHub. ParentHub is our all-new app design. All BrightArrow users can download ParentHub app on their mobile device to create and send BrightArrow messages. Additional features are being added to ParentHub regularly, and we are always open to new ideas for added functionality and usability. 

User Types

In BrightArrow, user permissions are based on what type of user they are. 

• SuperAdmin (primary group login): This is the primary administrator account. This account type holds all the controls for other user accounts. All of your organization's users, lists, and reports of messages can be seen through this login. This login is reserved for only those who should have access to all data for your entire organization. 
• Admin Users (group login): Secondary-level administrator who has access to all lists and reports of messages for the user group they are assigned to. These users consist of anyone who should have access to all contact information for those within your specific campus or building. 
• Individual Users (individual login): In most cases, these are users who should have access to only a select group of contacts, such as teachers, coaches, sponsors, drivers, and account executives. 
• Contacts (message recipients): These are all your constituents that you are sending messages to. They do not have access to the BrightView user interface, but they are technically users if they receive messages in the ParentHub app. 

Logging In

You will login to BrightArrow using the credentials that were provided to you from your organization. Some users have a single-sign-on (SSO) through their student information system, Google, or other various systems. 

Regardless of whether your organization has SSO set up, all BrightArrow users can login through our website or through the ParentHub app. Note that your BrightArrow login credentials are the same in the web version and in the app, so changing your username or password in the web version will also change it in the app and vice versa. 

Login via the website

• Target Login - login directly through our website
  • BrightView user interface: BrightArrow users can login directly through our website, www.brightarrow.com > Logins >Sender Login, or by going to https://target.brightarrow.com/. 
  • Your organization should provide you with your login credentials. 
• ParentHub Login - login to ParentHub on the web
  • ParentHub web version: App users can login to ParentHub on the web. Administrators, staff, and faculty will use the same login credentials used to login to BrightView. Non-staff constituents like students, families, and clients should use the "sign up" link to create their login credentials.
  • This login can be used by organizations and their constituents who want to use the app but do not have the app on their mobile device. 
  • For organizations who have subscriptions for two-way chatting, your constituents must use the app to respond within chat conversations. If any of those constituents do not have a mobile device or do not want to download the ParentHub app, they can login on the web to view and join the conversation. 
• SSO Login - login through Google SSO or a SIS that BrightArrow is integrated with 
  • If your organization uses Google SSO or a SIS that we partner with like PowerSchool or Blackbaud, you may have a single-sign-on set up to integrate with BrightArrow. 
  • SSO login also works for logging in to ParentHub. 
  • If for any reason your SSO is not working, all users can login through our website, www.brightarrow.com > Logins >Sender Login. Your login credentials may be different than the credentials used for your SSO. You can find your login name in BrightView by going to Menu > User Settings. The organization's primary administrator will be able to find all their user's logins in the User Settings/User Accounts. Non-administrators will only have access to their own. 

Login via the ParentHub app

• Staff - Administrators, staff, and faculty members should use the "Staff / Faculty" option to login. 
  • Login to ParentHub using your BrightArrow user login credentials that can be found in BrightView > Menu > User Settings. Your password will be hidden. If you don't know your password, you can change it from the User Accounts page or use the 'forgot password' option to reset it. 
  • Staff/Faculty members who are also parents: Use the Staff / Faculty login option as per above. Follow these instructions to link your personal contact information to have your "personal" messages show in your app's Feed. 
• Constituents - Contacts who are not employees of your organization should use the "sign up" link in the ParentHub app to create an account. 
  • Use the phone number or email address that the organization has on file. 
  • Follow these instructions to add additional phone numbers/email addresses if the organization has multiple contact methods on file for you. 

My Lists

Before you can send messages through BrightArrow, you should understand your lists, how they are created, how they are updated, and how to view them. Start by navigating to the My Lists page.  

Types of lists

There are multiple types of lists in BrightArrow, and most types are indicated on the My Lists page with a word in parentheses at the end of the list's name. See here for more details about the various list types. 

• Sync lists - Sync lists are the main lists that we set up for you with your initial installation if you are using another platform to store your contact's information. For example, you may see a list titled "All Staff (sync)." In this case, (sync) is indicating that this is one of your organization's primary lists and it syncs to your information system or a Google spreadsheet that you shared with us. With synced lists, you enter contact information into your SIS or spreadsheet and we sync to it each night. Any changes entered in your system will update overnight in your BrightArrow synced lists as well. Other lists should be derived from the (sync) lists whenever possible.  
• Linked lists - Linked lists are lists that are linked to another BrightArrow list. This may be a copy of a list, a subset list, or a superset list. Linked lists that are derived from sync lists will update automatically nightly. 
• Superset lists - Superset lists are lists that are built by combining data from more than one list. For example, you may have an "All School (superset linked)" list which contains staff, parent, and student contacts, which was created by combining the "All Staff," "All Parents," and "All Students" lists. See here for more details about how to see which lists have been used to build your superset list and how to edit it. 
• Subset lists - The majority of your lists are likely subset lists. Subset lists are lists that are derived from a portion of the data that is contained in a different list. For example, if you want an "All Staff" list for just one building in your organization, you would create a subset list to filter out all of your staff members that work in other buildings. 
  • There are two ways to create subset lists: 
    • You can make a copy of a list, then manually select only the individuals you want in the new list. The individuals you selected manually will remain selected in the new list. Contact information for copied subset lists will update nightly if they are copied from a list that syncs. 
    • You can also create subset lists by filtering data. BrightArrow uses fields to filter data. Each organization will have "standard" fields in place that can be used. If you need additional fields added, contact us.
• Basic lists - In many cases, your lists will sync with your SIS or Google Spreadsheet every night and update automatically, but with basic lists, they will not. These are lists that you create and add contacts to manually. You will need to update contact information within these lists manually as well. If you'd like to import a spreadsheet of contact information, see here. 

Sharing Lists

BrightArrow admin users can share lists to any group or individual user that they have access to. 

• If you want to share a specific list with a specific individual or group, you can do that through the List Settings. 
• If you want to share a group of lists, the primary BrightArrow administrator will need to create a group to share the lists. If the group is already created, see here. 

Favoriting Lists

BrightArrow allows you to create as many lists as you'd like. You can "favorite" your lists as well so that they're easier to find in the future.

Sending Messages

As a messaging platform, BrightArrow offers multiple ways to reach your constituents. Messages can be sent via email, text, voice, social media posts, and two-way chats. Note that all these messaging types may not be available to you depending on how your organization is configured. 

Messages can be created and sent through the web interface or through the ParentHub app. 

Sending messages through the web interface

This article reviews how to send any of the three main message types, email, text, and voice, using the BrightView web interface. 

This article reviews how to initiate and send chat conversations using the BrightView web interface. 

Sending messages through the app

This article reviews how to send any of the three main message types, email, text, and voice, using the ParentHub app.

This article reviews how to initiate and send chat conversations using the ParentHub app. 

Viewing the Message Reports

Once a message has been sent, a delivery report of the message can be found on the Reports page. Here you will see all the details about the message that went out, including delivery status and recipients.