Slate is a CRM system designed for Higher Education by Technolutions. It is particularly popular in the North American market.
Engage
Gecko integrates with Slate with the help of an SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) server. Happily, Slate provides all Slate users with access to such a server. Integration setup time is roughly 15-20 minutes.
Integrating Engage with Slate
Gecko can push data to your Slate SFTP server hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly. Before setting up the integration, be sure you have access to an SFTP server. Additionally, you'll need the following information about your SFTP to hand:
Hostname - the hostname of your SFTP server
Port - the port Gecko should use to access your SFTP server
Username - the username of your SFTP user. This user should have sufficient permissions to create new files
Password - the password for your SFTP user
Destination path - the destination/path Gecko should write any CSV files to
Filename - What Gecko should call the CSV file that we write to the destination path
Integrating forms/scripts
Gecko form or script responses can automatically create/update contacts, create new interactions on the student’s activity timeline, and initiate tasks. Data is pushed from Gecko to Slate via a recurring response export from Gecko → the Slate SFTP server. This export is then imported directly into Slate using a Source Format.
Gecko can push over:
Any details captured on the form
response meta information;
When the response was captured
UTM parameters
Student Geo-IP information
Capture app compatibility
who was logged in when the response was captured
which device was used
The key takeaway is that data from Gecko is hugely malleable; you can use it to create or update records, create interactions on student timelines, and create tasks within Slate. The Slate Source Format allows users to map the same data point to up to three unique areas of the system:
Integrating events
In addition to creating new contacts (or merging into existing ones), Gecko event attendee exports can be used automatically to create an interaction on the student’s activity timeline in Slate. This is done by creating a recurring response export from Gecko to your Slate SFTP server. This export is then imported directly into Slate using a Source Format.
Gecko can push attendee information for all events or hand-picked events as required. Additionally, you can filter the export data so that only certain attendee statuses (i.e., “Attended”) are pushed over.
Integrating emails/texts
Texts or emails sent from Gecko can automatically create an interaction on the student’s activity timeline in Slate. This is done by sending a recurring Messages export from Gecko to your Slate SFTP server. This export is then imported into Slate using a Source Format. This can be a “set-and-forget” type of action!
The data sent over can include:
Any desired Student details
The sender of the text/email (e.g., “Admissions - admissions@gecko-university.edu”)
The subject line of the email
The time/date the email/text was sent
The status of the email/text (i.e., clicked, opened, delivered)
Integrating calls
Calls made to students in Gecko can automatically create an interaction on the student’s activity timeline in Slate. This is done by sending a recurring Calls export from Gecko to your Slate SFTP server. This export is then imported into Slate using a Source Format.
Gecko can push over:
Call data (start time, end time, outcome, caller ID, caller number)
A .mp4 recording of the call
The campaign of the call
Any student details required
Associated script responses
Importing from data Slate into Engage
Importing data from Slate into Gecko is easy to do:
Set up a recurring export from Slate with the data you'd like to pull into Gecko and ensure it sends to your SFTP server
In Gecko, go to Settings > Import Data and pick + New Import
Set up a File Import and tell Gecko that it's a Recurring Import
Enter your SFTP credentials and map your import
Imports into Gecko can be fully automated, with Gecko checking for new files/importing every hour, 3 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, or seven days.
Chat
This section looks at how Chat conversations can be effectively synced to Slate.
Integrating Chat with Slate
Gecko can be configured to push conversation data to your Slate SFTP server daily, weekly, or monthly. Exports are managed by going to Settings > Exports and configuring a Recurring Export.
Integrating conversations
Conversations with students in Gecko can automatically create an interaction on the student’s activity timeline in Slate. Any contact information or metadata captured can be pushed back to Slate to update contact records.
This is done by sending a recurring Conversations export from Gecko to your Slate SFTP server. This export is then imported into Slate using a Source Format.
Gecko can push over:
Student identifiers (Name, Email, and any other data you want to capture)
Conversation metadata;
When the conversation took place
Which channel did the conversation occur on
Which agents/bots (if any) were involved
If using live chat:
The device type the student was using
Which webpage was the conversation started from
Where the student is located (Geo-IP)
Device type-information
A link to the conversation transcript
Any questions? Start a live chat with a support team member, or feel free to explore the rest of our academy. Spotted an error or want to suggest a future article for the academy? Let us know here.