We have heard your feedback and are happy to introduce some enhancements to the Employer Secure Message (ESM) function within your employer secure account! We gathered suggestions and comments submitted by our employer partners, and a recent software release featured enhancements that many requested.
What is ESM?
For those unfamiliar with ESM, message threads are written communication between the ASRS and the employer, and the threads are either “active” or “completed.” “Active” means the thread is still open, and messages can be added without creating a new one. “Completed” means the inquiry was resolved or the form submitted was received.
Please note that even if a message is marked “Completed,” that may not mean the process requested has been completed. For example, if an employer submits a Health Insurance Premium Benefit Authorization form, the ASRS will acknowledge receipt, and the ESM thread will be marked “completed”; however, that does not mean we have processed the form, but rather that the form was forwarded to the appropriate ASRS business unit for processing.
Archiving Messages: A New ESM Feature
You may have noticed that your Secure Messages inbox now has two tabs: Unarchived and Archived. Employers now have the option of archiving threads marked “completed.” If a thread is still “active” for more than 30 days from its creation but does not require any additional action from the ASRS or the employer, then the employer can end or mark it “completed” by clicking the button labeled “End/Complete Conversation.” Once marked completed, it can be archived, leaving your “active” threads in the “Unarchived” tab. You can also return your archived threads to the “Unarchived” tab. Please note that if you archive a thread addressed to a group (those with whom you share the same application role), the thread will be archived for the whole group.
Message Categories
In this update, when creating a new thread, you must now select a category before the message can be sent. This new feature will allow for easier sorting and searching by category. A list of categories and an explanation of each is listed below.
Other Enhancements
Other enhancements include searching archived and unarchived threads by subject, content, category, or all three fields. The width of the Subject column of the inbox was increased to show more of the thread subject, and the Date Modified field now shows the date that the thread was last modified rather than the number of days since the last modification.
We prioritized the most requested upgrades, but additional enhancements are still in the works. We want to ensure the tools we provide to our employers serve them well, so if you have any other suggestions or requests to improve your ASRS secure account experience, please feel free to share your thoughts by ESM.
Written by Genevieve McBride, Employer Relations
Published February 2024
