Create, send, version, and track Applicant Acknowledgement Packages for invited applicants.
1. What is the Applicant Acknowledgment Package?
The Applicant Acknowledgement Package lets programs share required materials with applicants and collect electronic confirmation that those materials were received and reviewed. Use this feature to centralize compliance materials, ensure applicants acknowledge receipt, and track submission status — all in one place.
Who can manage and view this feature?
| Role | Permission |
| Institution Manager Program Administrator Program Coordinator Program Director | FULL ACCESS
|
| Program Interviewer | LIMITED VIEW ACCESS
|
| Program Resident Program Fellow | LIMITED VIEW ACCESS
|
2. Before starting
Review the following before creating or sending a package:
- Supported file types: PDF, Word, and PNG.
- Only invited applicants can receive a package. Applicants must be invited before a package can be sent.
- Applicants in a withdrawn state will be skipped when sending.
- Only one acknowledgement package can be active at a time.
- Creating and saving a package does not send it. Sending is a separate action.
3. Create a package
- Select Compliance.
- Add instructions and acknowledgement language in the relevant text fields:
- Instructions: Use the default language provided or customize with program-specific instructions. Applicants are provided general feature instructions on their end separately.
- Acknowledgement: Use the default language provided or customize the statement applicants will acknowledge.
- Add the documents and/or links the program wants applicants to review. A custom title is required for each document or link under Add Title. This title is what applicants will see in the notification email and the package itself.
- Upload any files to be included.
- Click Save.
Important: Saving creates or updates the package but does not send it. Changes made to a saved package cannot be undone. |
Preview the package before sending
After creating a package, the completed package and notification email can be reviewed before sending. Click Preview and select one of the following:
- Applicant email — view the email template that will be sent to the applicant.
- Applicant acknowledgement — view the current saved package as the applicant will see it.
| Note: The email template is not customizable. The applicant's name will be populated automatically when the package is sent, similar to invite emails. |
4. Send a package
- Navigate to the Applicants section.
- Select the applicants to receive the package.
- Select Actions > Send Package.
| Note: Packages can be sent in bulk with no send limit. The notification email is templated and cannot be edited. Test emails are not available, but the email template can be previewed before sending. Packages cannot be scheduled for a future send date. |
Understanding the send confirmation modal
Before confirming the send, a confirmation modal will appear summarizing how the package will be handled based on each selected applicant's current acknowledgement status. Program users should review this summary before selecting Send.
The modal groups selected applicants into the following categories:
| Recipient category | What happens |
|---|---|
| New recipients | Applicants who have not previously received an acknowledgement. They will be sent the package. |
| Pending signature | Applicants who have already received this version of the package but have not yet submitted. They will not be notified or sent the package again. |
| Updated recipients | Applicants who previously received a different version of the package and have not yet submitted. They will be notified and sent the updated package. |
| Previously signed | Applicants who have already submitted an acknowledgement. They will be notified of the updated package and must submit a new acknowledgement and electronic signature. |
| Note: Only applicants who need to review new or updated information will receive the package. The modal displays a count and name list for each category before the send is confirmed. |
5. Update and resend a package
Packages can be updated at any time, before or after sending. Updates may include adding or removing documents and links, or revising the instructions or acknowledgement statement.
| Important: Only one package can exist at a time. Saving changes creates a new version of the package. This cannot be undone. |
What happens when a package is updated and resaved
- A new version of the package is created.
- If the program wants applicants to review and acknowledge the updated version, the package must be resent using the same process as the original send.
- If an applicant already completed an earlier version, that submission remains on record. Sending the updated package creates a new request for the new version only.
What happens when an updated package is resent
- Applicants who have not yet submitted will automatically receive the newest version and a new email notification.
- Applicants who have already submitted will be assigned the updated package, receive a new email notification, and must review and submit a new acknowledgement and electronic signature.
| Note: All previous applicant submissions are retained and remain available for the program to view. |
6. View and track acknowledgement status
Navigate to Reports and select the Applicant Acknowledgement Package Report to track acknowledgement activity. Reports are filterable by event date or status, and exportable as Excel or CSV files.
Status definitions
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unassigned | A package has not been sent to the applicant. |
| Pending | A package was sent, but the applicant has not yet submitted it. |
| Signed | The applicant has reviewed and submitted their acknowledgement. |
Export the report
- Select one or more applicants.
- Click Export.
- Select the preferred file type (Excel or CSV).
The export includes the following fields: applicant name, AAMC ID, email, status, interview date, assigned date, and received date.
View an acknowledgement certificate
Once an applicant has submitted an acknowledgement, the certificate can be viewed by clicking the pen icon in the Signature column. The certificate includes submission details, timestamps, and the applicant's electronic signature.
| Note: Acknowledgement certificates cannot be exported at this time. |
7. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can an acknowledgement assignment be undone? | No. Once a package is assigned, it remains for tracking and audit purposes and cannot be retracted. |
| Can send timing be tracked? | Yes. Send timing is recorded and available in the report. |
| What happens if the same version of a package is sent to an applicant more than once? | The applicant will not receive an additional notification if the same version is sent again. |
| Is this feature accessible after season rollover? | Yes. The most recent version remains viewable in archive mode, and the email log and report remain available for viewing and exporting. |
| What is included in the export? | The export includes applicant name, AAMC ID, email, status, interview date, assigned date, and received date. The acknowledgement certificate can be viewed from the report but cannot be exported at this time. |
| What are the current limitations? | Acknowledgements cannot be retracted after sending. Offline or in-person signatures cannot be marked as complete in Thalamus. |
8. Coming Soon
The following enhancements are planned for a future release. These capabilities are not yet available but are actively being considered as part of ongoing development.
Sending an acknowledgement package alongside an interview invite is not currently supported as a combined action, but this is planned as a future enhancement to streamline the workflow for program users.
The applicant notification email is currently templated and cannot be customized by the program. The ability to edit the email content directly is planned as a future enhancement. In the meantime, the email template can be previewed using the Preview option before sending.
Test emails are not available at this time. Until this is supported, the Preview option can be used to review the email template and applicant-facing package before any send action is taken.
Acknowledgement certificates can currently be viewed from the report but cannot be exported. Certificate export functionality is planned for a future release.