We’re thrilled to unveil several exciting new features and updates in AwardSpring!
Whether you’re configuring essay questions, fine-tuning review group settings, or gearing up for SMS campaigns, these enhancements are designed to make your workflow smoother than ever.
The release is packed with refreshed styling, enhanced accessibility, and powerful new features to help you streamline your scholarship programs even further.
Let’s dive in!
What's new
Fresh Design and Consistent Experience
We’ve revamped the design of the most frequently used pages in AwardSpring to give them a cohesive and modern look.
Plus, we’ve enhanced accessibility by improving the contrast in text fields and dropdown lists. All key inputs now meet the AAA (highest!) standards for accessibility within WCAG 2.0, making our platform more inclusive for everyone.
Minimum Word Count for Essays
We’ve introduced minimum word count requirements for essays, giving you the ability to ensure that submissions are thorough and meet your expectations.
You can set this word count for the General Application essays, Recommendation Letters, or post-award thank-you letters—helping applicants stay focused and meet the requirements you define.
Opt-in Language for SMS notifications:
Configuring SMS opt-in notifications is now quick and easy. Simply navigate to Settings → Appearance → Texting Opt-in, check the “Enable Texting Opt-in” box, and customize your message to explain why consent is being requested.
Alternatively, you can use the default message:
“By providing your phone number, you agree to receive SMS notifications about the application process. You also agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”
Phone numbers on the registration page remain optional. If students do not wish to receive SMS messages, they can leave the phone number field blank during registration.
Rearrangeable Scorecards
Scorecards are now fully rearrangeable! Need to move a newly created card to the top? No problem. Simply visit Review Group Settings -> Scorecards and use the buttons at the bottom right of each card to reorder your scorecards with ease—no need to delete and re-enter them again.
Enhanced Security with Session Timeout
To safeguard your data, we’ve implemented a session timeout feature that automatically logs users out after 60 minutes of inactivity. This ensures the protection of sensitive information and reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your account.