Overview
Announcements in Genius can be used to share important information with users when they log in. This feature is a helpful way to communicate time-sensitive updates such as upcoming holidays, testing dates, school closures, system outages, and other important notices.
The resource below provides guidance on creating and managing announcements in Genius.
Instructions
- Select the Administration tab on the top navigation menu.
- Under System Setup on the left navigation menu, select “Announcements”.
- On the resulting page, select “Add New Announcement” at the top.
- Enter announcement details. Review the fields below for details.
Announcement Fields
Start Date: The first date the announcement will be visible to users.
End Date: Last date the announcement will be visible to users.
Subject: Title of the announcement.
Dismissible: This option allows users to dismiss the announcement so that it no longer appears in subsequent logins.
Show as Popup: This will make the announcement appear as a pop-up. The user will have to exit out of the announcement to continue to Genius. This is beneficial for urgent announcements.
Pin to Top: This option makes the announcement a permanent fixture at the top of the user dashboard for the duration of the announcement.
IMPORTANT FIELDS – Please review notes carefully.
Affiliation: Make sure to select YOUR affiliation from the dropdown.
NOTE: If you do not complete this step, the announcement will appear for ALL districts in the system.
Roles: Select which roles you’d like to receive the announcement.
NOTE: ADMIN is the CAOLA HELPDESK – do not select this.
Resources
Creating Announcements in Genius
Need Help?
If you have questions or need clarification, reach out to your CAOLA Account Manager!
Revised 8/12/2026