Enabling User-Initiated Requests

Allowing students and scholars to create records online begins at the program level. This description applies to the F/M Visa, J Visa, and Program Enrollment program types.

To enable users to self-initiate a request:

• Go to Programs > List All.
• Select the correct Program Type. F/M Visa, J Visa, and Program Enrollment all contain different programs.
• Select the correct program group, if needed.
• Locate the program representing the request for which you would like to enable self-initiation.
• Click the program's yellow edit pencil on the right side of the screen to access the program builder.

 

• In the Program builder, click the Settings tab.
• Scroll down to Access URL and Generate HTML for Apply Now Button:

• Access URL: When users click this link, they are directed to the Program Brochure page for the specific program.
  
  Admins may copy and paste this URL where they wish, such as on a Terra Dotta site, an external institutional website, or an email to allow their users to self-initiate a record.

• Generate HTML for Apply Now button lets you create a button to embed in an existing Terra Dotta site or an external institutional website which, when clicked by a user, will redirect them to log in and initiate a record.

Admins can change the text of the button they wish to generate by deleting the Apply Now text and entering different text (such as Apply for OPT), then clicking Generate HTML.

HTML code will be generated for Admins to embed into the source code of a homepage or link, or on an external institutional page. Source code is accessible in the Terra Dotta platform by clicking the   button tool bar of any WYSIWYG editor.
 

TD SUPPORT NOTE ABOUT RELATIVE VS ABSOLUTE LINKS If you wish to embed a button on any site that is not the Terra Dotta site on which it was generated, you will have to add your Terra Dotta site's domain name to the front of the relative link in order for it to work. "Apply Now" Button with Relative URL (Use if embedding button on Terra Dotta site.  The record will open in a new window.) <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary" onclick="window.open('index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=22866')">Apply for OPT</button> "Apply Now" Button with Absolute URL (Use if embedding button on non-Terra Dotta site. The record will open in a new window.) <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary" onclick="window.open('http://yourinstitutionname.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=22866')">Apply for OPT</button>

How Users Initiate Requests/Records

Users initiate records by:

1. Clicking the Access URL or button created for a specific request.
   Note: If the user is not already logged in to Terra Dotta, they will be prompted to log in.
2. Selecting the term and year for the request and clicking Next. ( NOTE: This step does not apply to programs configured as OneStep). 
3. Complete requirements for the program.
   Note: If the Submit button has been activated for this program, the users must click the Submit button.