InformaCast is another product offered through Singlewire Software that helps our customers manage their mass communications and stay prepared for any incident. Integrations are available for customers who own both InformaCast and Visitor Aware products. Below we will go through the steps to enable this integration.


How to enable the Visitor Aware and InformaCast integration


  1. Contact Singlewire sales to request access to enable the integration.
  2. Once you've received confirmation from the Singlewire team log into Visitor Aware.
  3. In the lefthand navigation, go to System Settings > Integration Management > InformaCast Settings. 
  4. Click the Singlewire InformaCast button to launch the login screen for InformaCast Fusion.
  5. Log into the InformaCast Fusion provider to which you want to connect.



Manage InformaCast Configuration


Once the InformaCast Provider and Visitor Aware connection is established, you'll see a screen similar to what is shown below. The configurations shown on this screen vary depending on what Visitor Aware products have been purchased.



InformaCast Scenarios


There are four configurations located on the InformaCast Integration page and one integration option that must be added to a scenario directly within your InformaCast Provder:

  • InformaCast visitor distribution list
  • Security scenario
  • Incident scenario
  • Drill scenario
  • Family Reunification (InformaCast Incident Plan option)

Note: The above options are a complete list of the Visitor Aware integration capabilities with InformaCast Fusion. Depending on what products have been purchased, some of these options may not be available on your account.



InformaCast Visitor Distribution List


This integration provides a way for guests and visitors to opt-in to receive location specific alerts during the check-in process. Visitors will be subscribed to location specific alerts while they're checked in. Once the visitor checks out, they are removed from receiving location specific alerts. Instructions for setting up this feature are located in our Integrate with InformaCast: Visitors Receive Notifications article.



Security Scenario


This scenario, once configured, allows everyone included in the assigned distribution list to receive notifications when a flagged visitor is identified during the check-in process. There are several reasons why a visitor may get flagged during the screening process if enabled:

  • Sex offender match
  • FBI or Interpol watch list match
  • Active court order (access denied and access allowed)
  • Explicit ban

Instructions for setting up this feature are located in our Integration: Flagged Check-in Triggers an InformaCast Scenario Notification article.


Incident Scenario


The incident scenario integration links the incident button within Visitor Aware admin portal to an InformaCast scenario. To setup this integration, start by locating the Incident Scenario section towards the lower part of the InformaCast Settings page:

  1. Select the distribution list that should receive notifications when the incident button is activated.
  2. Click Create Scenario
  3. Locate and click the link next to where it says Scenario Link
  4. Follow the login prompts to gain access to the associated InformaCast Provider
  5. Once logged in, configure the Incident Scenario to meet your needs


Optionally, it is possible to setup the incident button on a count down timer. This way, when the Incident button is clicked, the associated InformaCast scenario will be set in motion automatically after a 10 second duration has passed without the incident being canceled. Find this setting by following these steps:

  1. Within the lefthand navigation menu, find System Settings
  2. Next, click Security Settings and then General
  3. Scroll down to find Enable incident button in check-in kiosks?
  4. To set the Incident button on a 10 second timer, click Yes
  5. Scroll down and click Save



Drill Scenario


The drill scenario integration links planned drills within Safety Drill Manager to an InformaCast scenario. To setup this integration, start by locating the Drill Scenario section towards the lower part of the InformaCast Settings page:

  1. Select the distribution list that should receive notifications when a drill is started
  2. Click Create Scenario
  3. Locate and click the link next to where it says Scenario Link
  4. Follow the login prompts to gain access to the associated InformaCast Provider
  5. Once logged in, configure the Drill Scenario to meet your needs

Note: Any user assigned the Safety Drill Manager role can choose to include the Drill Scenario for any drill set. The associated message template will update for the associated drill once the start button is clicked. For example, if a the start drill button is pressed for a Hold drill, all notifications and messaging will state that a Hold drill has begun.


Optionally, an Incident Plan can be enabled within the Drill Scenario. By assigning an Incident Plan to the Drill Scenario, Visitor Aware's Family Reunification process can automatically begin when a drill is started within Safety Drill Manager. By including the Family Reunification process within the Drill Scenario, all users assigned to the location running the drill can practice accounting for the students in their care to stay prepared for any incident.



Family Reunification Integration


When a customer has purchased both the InformaCast Fusion and Safety Manager products within Visitor Aware, they will have the option to include the Family Reunification process within any of their InformaCast scenarios. The Family Reunification process is comprised of both accounting for students and making sure they're reunified with their authorized guardian upon conclusion of the incident.


In order to assign Family Reunification to an InformaCast scenario, an Incident Plan will need to be created for this purpose:

  1. Log into the InformaCast Provider account that has been integrated with Visitor Aware
  2. Click into the search field located at the top of the lefthand navigation menu and type in Incident Plan
  3. Click the Incident Plan link located further down in the navigation menu
  4. Click Create Incident Plan
  5. Fill in the name field (Example: VA Family Reunification)
  6. Fill in the description field with any relevant information
  7. Click Save
  8. Click Roll Call
  9. Within the Roll Call section that appears, click Family Reunification
  10. Click Save


To include Visitor Aware's Family Reunification process within an InformaCast scenario:

  1. If needed, log into the InformaCast Provider account that has been integrated with Visitor Aware
  2. Click into the search field located at the top of the lefthand navigation menu and type in Scenarios
  3. Click the Scenarios link located further down in the navigation menu
  4. Within List Scenarios, search for the scenario requiring Family Reunification
  5. Click into the associated scenario
  6. Locate the Scenario Setup section
  7. Scroll down to Which scenario elements would you like to include in this scenario (optional)?
  8. Click the Incident Plan tile
  9. Scroll down and locate the Incident Plan section
  10. Click the drop down menu and select the Incident Plan name that was previously created (Example: VA Family Reunification)
  11. Click Save



Important Considerations


After clicking the "Create Scenario" button located on the InformaCast Settings page, the associated scenario is created within the InformaCast Provider that was selected during the initial integration setup process. This is how the link gets established between Visitor Aware and the associated scenario. Configure this scenario for its respective purpose. 


If the scenario is ever disabled from the InformaCast Settings screen, a new scenario will need to be created to establish the link between Visitor Aware and InformaCast. Look for this new scenario within the associated InformaCast Provider to configure the scenario for its intended purpose.


Note: There is no way to reestablish the connection to the InformaCast scenario once the scenario has been disabled. A new scenario must be created by clicking Create Scenario within the Visitor Aware InformaCast Settings section.


For more information on InformaCast scenarios, please access the Support Community.