Get tips from your users and visitors

You can't be everywhere. Encourage parents, community members, students, and teachers to keep you informed with insider tips. Find out what staff are doing right, possible bullying issues, and any other situations students or staff want to anonymously post.

Set up a Tip Line. You can do this three ways.

  • Add the Tip Line feature to your district and school mobile app.
  • Add a Tip Line widget on your websites.
  • Request a tip line number users can call or text on Behind the Blackboard.

When you include the Tip Line feature, you will have access to the Tip Manager report.

You can set the Tip Line phone number, who receives the messages, whether or not tips can be anonymous, different categories for tips, and the text that appears when users send a tip.

Set up Tip Line for your app

When you add the Tip Line feature to your app, a Tip Line option appears on the app screen. Users with the app can select Tip Line to send you a tip.

District administrators can set up the Tip Line feature. School administrators can update some of the content and notifications.

  1. From the Blackboard Communications HQ interface menu, select Settings.
  2. Select the district organization Name to update the information.
  3. Select the Tip Line option from the Settings section.
  4. Set the tip line phone/text preferences:
    • Type the phone/SMS number in the Tip Line Settings box.

      If you don't have a number you want to use, you can request a tip line phone/SMS number from Blackboard.

    • To disguise a caller's voice, select Disguise recorded voice.
  5. Select Enable Tip Line to set the feature for the mobile app.
  6. Set the Alert Dialog (school administrators can update text for their school):
    • Choose whether an alert message will show or not by selecting/clearing the Show Alert Dialog box.
    • In the text box type the message to appear in the app when a user adds a tip.
  7. Set the Placeholder Text (school administrators can update text for their school):
    • In the text box under Default text that shows in input box, type the placeholder information.
  8. Set the Anonymous feature:
    • Clear the Force Identity Inclusion box to allow anonymous tips. Check this option if you want users to always include their contact information with their tip.
    • Check Tips are anonymous by default so that that users can choose whether to submit their contact information or not. Tips will default to anonymous.
  9. Check Show organization selection to allow users to select the school.
  10. Add or delete tip Categories for users to select a category for their particular tip. Categories can help to organize tips, as well as assigning specific people to receive those tips.
    • To add a category, type the name of the category in the text box and select Add.
    • To delete a category, select the Delete icon.
  11. Set the Notification for the person to receive the tips:
    • Type the Email Addresses and SMS Numbers and select Add.
    • Continue for each person to notify.
    • To attach an email address and SMS number to a category, select one of the addresses or sms numbers, and select the individual categories to assign to the contact. Select Done when finished.
  12. Set the Summary Email to send a summary of all the tips that were received for given periods.
    • Type the email address to send the report, and select Add.
  13. Edit the Receipt Message to appear to the user that submits a tip (school administrators can update text for their school):
    • Type what you want the receipt of a tip to state.
  14. Select Save when finished.

Copy the Tip Line widget code to your website

Included with the Tip Line feature is the code to place the tip line widget on your district or school website. This widget allows users on these sites to submit tips using the tip line system. The information submitted with this widget is directed straight into the system.

  1. From the Blackboard Communications HQ interface menu, select Settings.
  2. Select the district organization Name to update the information.
  3. Select the Tip Line option from the Settings section.
  4. Copy the code in the Widget box.

    Select Preview Widget to see how the widget will appear in your website.

  5. Paste the code to your district or school website.

Request a Blackboard Tip Line number

Tip Line numbers from Blackboard allow people to call in or text tips. If you want a Blackboard Tip Line number, go to Behind the Blackboard and request it.

  1. Submit a case on Behind the Blackboard (available in English only).
  2. From the Community Engagement Product menu, select BbComms.
  3. Request a Tip Line number.
  4. Submit the case.