> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/assistance/change-communication/announcements.md).

# Announcements

How to write an in-app message, target it to an audience, schedule it, and pin it in the Assistant.

Announcements are in-app messages delivered to end users through the Assistant[^1]. When someone opens the application, the announcement appears as an automatic prompt; it also stays available in the Assistant's **Messages** tab afterward. Use announcements for feature launches, reminders, policy updates, or any other information that needs to reach people inside the application rather than by email.

An announcement carries a title, a body text, and a category badge. You can also attach an image, link to a guide[^2] or an external URL, target it to a specific audience, and schedule it for a defined window of time.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FP7J57cWrhqugY3O2wxtP%2FAnnouncements.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2ce45ab9-9108-4264-818d-62ef94633548" alt="An announcement shown to an end user inside the application"><figcaption><p>An announcement as end users see it.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## Create and publish an announcement

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Create and name the announcement

In the portal sidebar, select **Announcements** under **Assistance**, then select **Create Announcement**. Enter an **Announcement Name** at the top of the form. The name is internal and visible only in the portal; end users see the title, not the name.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Write the content

Under **Define your text**, select a language if the application has more than one, then fill in the **Title** and **Text** fields. Choose a category from the **Announcement Category** dropdown. To draft text with AI, select **Generate Text**; to adjust existing text, select **Refine**.

Optionally, attach an image (jpg, png, or gif, max 8 MB) or choose one from the library. To add a call to action, select **To a website or email** for an external link, or **To a Guide** to link a guide that starts directly from the announcement.

If the application has multiple languages, add translations by switching the language dropdown, or select the auto-translate button to translate all configured languages at once. The **Fallback solution** setting under **Publish your Announcement** controls what users see when no translation exists for their language.

<div align="left" data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FTqDlJD1jx78RvjtcCE8J%2Fannouncements%202.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f58d57bb-9aa5-47b3-95e2-541f5f9fd416" alt="The announcement text form with title, text, category, and image fields" width="563"><figcaption><p>Writing the announcement text.</p></figcaption></figure></div>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Target, schedule, and publish

Expand **Choose your Audience** to set who sees the announcement (default: **Everyone**) and which pages it appears on (default: **Everywhere**).

Expand **Schedule your Announcement** to set a start date and, optionally, an end date and repeat frequency. The announcement is only visible during this window.

To keep an announcement visible as a floating button in the Assistant, even after users dismiss the automatic prompt, pin it during creation or from the three-dot menu in the overview. Only one announcement can be pinned at a time; pinning a new one unpins the previous one. Keep pinning for critical communications that should stay accessible.

When everything is ready, expand **Publish your Announcement** and set it to **Public**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/msLcBEUrbA35YGwlU0Rx" %}
[Announcements: write, target, and schedule them](/best-practices/announcements-write-target-and-schedule-them.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/BkK6BtMQAoCXdpgXSBa5" %}
[Targeting](/assistance/content-operations/targeting.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/CIerDK8LXMzMPa8Zey5u" %}
[Languages](/assistance/content-operations/languages.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/L1pTwQHW0TmAMoPDFhLR" %}
[Creating Contextual Actions](/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-contextual-actions.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/YQr5VKi5bSxWYT6o6dOi" %}
[Export Guides, Guide progress, and Announcement data via API](/developer-reference/export-guides-guide-progress-and-announcement-data-via-api.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>Can a dismissed announcement be shown again to the same user?</summary>

No. Once the automatic prompt has been shown to a user, it cannot be triggered again for that user. The announcement stays in the **Messages** tab for the user to revisit, but the prompt does not reappear. To reach users who have already seen an announcement, create a new one.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the difference between linking a guide and linking a URL?</summary>

Linking a guide adds a call-to-action button that starts the guide directly from the announcement. Users who do not match the guide's audience see the announcement without the button. Linking a URL opens the target in a new tab when the user selects the button.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can announcements repeat on a schedule?</summary>

Yes. The schedule section includes a repeat frequency option, and the announcement reactivates on that cadence. The automatic prompt still fires only once per user; the repeat controls the visibility window, not per-user retriggering.

</details>

[^1]: The Assistant is the floating in-app panel that end users interact with. It provides access to guides, announcements, surveys, search, and connected knowledge sources.

[^2]: A guide is a step-by-step walkthrough that leads users through a process inside the application. See [Creating guides](/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-guides.md).


---

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