Course Home | How to personalise messages using Replace Strings

Replace strings are variables with corresponding values that allow to easily personalise standardised messages. They can be used in all tools using the HTML-editor. Add the replace string in the text using braces ({...}) and the reader of the message will see the value that is coupled to it. For example, if an Announcement to students is started with "Dear {FirstName}", they will see their own name in the salutation.Ā 

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Replace strings will not work when sending an emailĀ from Brightspace (eitherĀ via Classlist, via Groups, or via Email tool). Replace strings only work for text within Brightspace!

Replace strings for Content

The replace strings mentioned below can be used in Content.

Kind Replace string Description Example
Organization {OrgId} ID number of the university 1234
{OrgName} Name of the university Wageningen University & Research
Organisational unit (Org Unit) {OrgUnitId} ID number course 5678
{OrgUnitName} Name course Principles of consumer studies
{OrgUnitCode} Code of the course MCB20806-2019
{OrgUnitPath} Path to Manage Files of the course /content/enforced/5678-sb-JanJansen

When you create a file in ContentĀ (Create a file) the replace strings will work differently than in other tools: the HTML-editor deletes the braces when publishing the new file. This means the Replace string will be replaced by a corresponding value and will not be visible anymore. In all other tools, the Replace string stays intact: the accolades will not be removed and the replace string is copied.Ā 

Other Replace strings (not for Content)

The replace strings mentioned below can be used in every Brightspace tool, except for Content. These replace strings can be used in a description of a module/item, or (for example) Announcements.

Kind Replace string Description Example
User {UserName} User name of the user [email protected]
{OrgDefinedID} Student numberĀ  1043861 Ā 
{FirstName} First name of the user Jan
{LastName} Last name of the user Jansen
{Email} E-mail address of the user [email protected]
Role {RoleName} Role of the user in that particular course in Brightspace Student

Replace strings for Intelligent Agents

The replace strings mentioned below are mostly used in Intelligent Agents.

To use for Replace string Description Example
Address bar {InitiatingUser} E-mail address of the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent [email protected]
The subject of the e-mail and content
{OrgUnitID}
ID number of the course in Brightspace
5678
The subject of the e-mail and content
{LastCourseAccessDate}
The date on which the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent, has last accessed the course
January 1, 2019
The subject of the e-mail and content
{LastLoginDate}
The date on which the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent has last logged in to Brightspace
January 1, 2019
Content {OrgName} Name of the university Wageningen University & Research
ContentĀ  {OrgUnitCode} Code of the course
MCB20806-2019
Content {OrgUnitName} Name of the course in Brightspace Principles of consumer studies (PER1)
Content {InitiatingUserFirstName} First name of the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent Jan
Content {InitiatingUserLastName} Last name of the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent Jansen
Content {InitiatingUserUserName} Name of the user that satisfies the criteria of the intelligent agent
janse999
Content {InitiatingUserOrgDefinedID} ID number of the user that satisfied the criteria of the intelligent agent janse999

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You now know how to make messages more personal using replace strings in Brightspace!

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