# Notices and messages to parents

> Publish school notices to every family's app for free, send them on WhatsApp when needed, and see who has read each one.

Source: https://pathshala.mjxtechnologies.com/docs/school/communication/

Notices are how your institution tells families things. In Pathshala you write a notice once and every family it is meant for reads it in the parent app — no message cost, and it stays there. When something cannot wait, the same notice can also go out on WhatsApp, and you can see who has seen it.

## Where to find it

> [!PATH] Apps › School & Academics › Notices

![Notices page with the Write a notice button marked](media/school/communication-1.jpg "Apps › School & Academics › Notices › Write a notice")

![New notice form with the Publish button marked, beside Save as draft](media/school/communication-2.jpg "Notices › Write a notice › Publish")

Notices need the Communication module. It is included in MJX ONE and in MJX Academic plans.

## Steps to write and publish a notice

1. Press [[Write a notice]].
2. Fill in the **New notice** form:

| Field | What to put |
|---|---|
| Title | A short heading, such as "School closed on Monday" |
| Notice | Plain text. Families read it exactly as you type it. |
| Attach a file (optional) | Pick a file from your Documents, or press [[Add a file]] to upload one there first |
| Who is it for | **Everybody**, **One class** or **One section**, then choose which |
| Show from (optional) | Leave empty to show it as soon as it is published |
| Show until (optional) | Shown through the end of that day |
| Keep it at the top | Pins it to the top of the families' list |

3. Press [[Publish]], or [[Save as draft]] to finish later.

> [!SUCCESS]
> The notice is under **Live**. Families of that class or section see it in the [MJX Parent app](apps/parent-app) and the parent web page.

## Find, edit and take down notices

The list has tabs **All**, **Live**, **Drafts** and **Archived**, each with a count. On a notice you can:

| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Edit | Opens **Edit notice** |
| Who has seen it | Lists who has seen it and who has not yet |
| [[Send on WhatsApp]] / [[Send again on WhatsApp]] | Sends it as a WhatsApp message |
| [[Take down]] | Stops showing it; it moves to Archived |
| Delete | Removes it |

## How to send a notice on WhatsApp

1. Open a live notice and press [[Send on WhatsApp]].
2. Pathshala tells you how many families it will reach and shows the message.
3. Confirm. The notice shows **Sending now**, then **Sent on WhatsApp** with the date.

Good to know:

- A long notice is shortened to fit a WhatsApp template; the message tells families the full text is in the app.
- The attached file is not sent on WhatsApp. Families open it in the app, and that opening is recorded too.
- Families with no mobile number on file are listed as **no mobile on file**.
- Sending needs an approved notice template on your own WhatsApp number. If it is missing, press [[Create it on my number]] to submit it to Meta. Approval usually takes about a day.

## Other messages that reach families

| Message | Where it is sent from |
|---|---|
| Absent and late alerts, shortage alerts | [Student attendance](school/student-attendance) |
| Fee reminders and receipts | [Fees](fees/index) |
| Datesheets and results | [Exams and marks](academy/exams-and-marks) |
| Certificates | [Certificates](school/documents-and-certificates) |
| Holidays and events (no message, on the app's calendar) | [Calendar](school/events-and-albums) |
| Replies, broadcasts, templates and the inbox | [WhatsApp](whatsapp/index) |

Nothing on these screens sends by itself — a person always presses Send.

## Who can do what?

| Action | Default roles |
|---|---|
| Open the Notices screen | Owner, Admin, Staff |
| Write, publish, edit, take down, send on WhatsApp | Owner, Admin |

## Tips

- Use **One section** for class-level news, so other families' apps stay quiet.
- Put the PDF of a circular in Documents once and attach it to the notice.
- Check **Who has seen it** the next morning and call only those who have not.

## Troubleshooting

| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Only the owner or an admin can write or publish a notice." | Your role can read notices only. |
| "No classes set up yet, so a notice can only go to everybody." | Add classes first if you want to aim notices. |
| "Nobody in this notice's audience has a WhatsApp number on file" | Add phone numbers on the students' records. |
| "This cannot be sent on WhatsApp yet." | No WhatsApp number is connected, or the template is not approved. |
| "The file this notice pointed at is no longer in your Documents." | Re-upload the file and attach it again. |

## Related

- [Calendar and photo albums](school/events-and-albums)
- [Parent app](apps/parent-app)
- [WhatsApp](whatsapp/index)

## Questions people ask

### Does publishing a notice cost anything?

No. A published notice appears in the families' app at no message cost. Only sending it on WhatsApp is billed, as WhatsApp usage.

### Can I send a notice to one class only?

Yes. Under "Who is it for" choose Everybody, One class or One section.

### How do I know who read it?

Open the notice's "Who has seen it" list. "Seen" means the notice was on that family's screen in the app.

### Can I attach a circular PDF?

Yes. Upload it once under Documents, then pick it in "Attach a file". Families get a link to it under the notice.

### Who can write notices?

The Owner and Admins by default. Staff can open the Notices screen and read it.