Recommendation Link Expiration?

Jess Moxsky
Jess Moxsky
Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant
in Blackbaud Enrollment Management System™

Hello!

Two questions related to online recommendations:

  1. How long do recommenders have to complete online rec forms? I know the KB says that they can open the link, start the rec, close the page, reopen the link, and continue the recommendation another day. Does anyone know exactly how long those links will work once they're sent?
  2. Is it possible for folks who fill out and submit recommendation forms online to access their recommendation once it has been submitted?

Thank you!

Comments

  • Troy Burki
    Troy Burki
    Fifth Anniversary Kudos 2 Name Dropper Participant

    @Jess Moxsky I'm not sure about a specific timeframe but I do know that I have to direct families to re-send the request link (or more accurately, I impersonate and re-send for them). Originally, I was concerned if a recommendation had already been started and the request was re-sent that it would erase what had already been entered but that hasn't happened in my experience.

    In terms of the recommender viewing what they wrote, they either need to take a screenshot or you have to send them a pdf from the candidate checklist.

  • Bryan Lorenzo
    Bryan Lorenzo Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    Hi @Jess Moxsky - the recommender cannot see the recommendation once it is submitted.

    If a user receives an “Error: Unauthorized Access” when attempting to fill out a recommendation form for a Candidate. This can occur for multiple reasons.

    • The recommendation was already submitted by the user.
    • The recommendation was sent out to another user.
    • The recommendation was sent to the same user multiple times and the link became invalid. Currently, only the latest link remains active.
  • Bryna Gleich
    Bryna Gleich Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 3 Name Dropper Participant

    @Jess Moxsky
    The request is valid for 60 days (for the old version of recommendation letters).

    We have a help topic that you can share with candidates or parents (or you can copy info from it to make school-specific instructions).

    It includes the literal steps for the user interface, but also things like to ask before you send the request, to thank them after they submit it, and to let the requestor know if you got in or not. (As a former teacher myself, I know how I was asked sometimes made a big difference in whether I wrote a letter and what I wrote about in the letter. I also remember how nice it was when students told me if they got in or not after the application was processed.)

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