To begin, log into Reach using your ETSU credentials and select Media Library on the left side menu. This will display all of the assets in the Media Library that have been uploaded.
Pictures, announcements, documents, and more can be added here. Click on a file in the Media Library, to view details about that individual asset, which will be displayed on the right side. Add assets by selecting Add Assets and choosing one of the following options: Upload Files, Create Announcement, & Create Canva Design.
Upload
To upload an asset, select Upload Files from the Add Assets menu. Choose the desired file or drag and drop it into the box to upload to the Media Library. There is a list of accepted file types and options to use YouTube or Vimeo links. Once the file has been selected, the status will be updated until it reaches 100% and it has finished uploading. Select OK to proceed.
The asset should now appear in the Media Library.
Create Announcement
To create an announcement, select Create Announcement from the Add Assets menu.
A window will open with several template options. Under the Category menu, there are several template options to choose from. Click on a design to select it, and then give the announcement a Name. Select OK to proceed.
There are a several options here to explore such as adding shapes, images, and text.
On the right, the Item List box will list the layers of the design. Select each layer and update the text or add/replace with images from the Media Library. Adjust the layers using the move up, move down, move top, and move back options in the Geometry box. When an object is selected, it will be highlighted in the Item List box with a red dashed selection box on the canvas.
Animations can be added to an object by selecting that object and then selecting the No Animations menu for options. Additionally, objects can be locked or deleted using the Lock button/icon or Delete button. Once the design is completed, view it using the Preview button.
If everything looks good, select Save to add the announcement to the Media Library.
Create Canva Design
To create a design through Canva, log into Canva in another browser window or tab before logging into Reach. Once logged in to Canva, navigate to Reach and select Create Canva Design from the Add Assets menu.
A window will appear asking for Design Type & Dimensions. For digital signage, it is recommended to select Announcement with the dimensions set to 1920x1080. Announcement will provide a canvas to work on. Select OK to proceed.
Please note that in order to use video backgrounds & animations within Reach, use Canva outside of the Reach system, download the mp4, and import those in. Canva in Reach will only export designs as PNG.
There are lots of options. Explore different elements, text, integrations, and templates to get new ideas for designs. Be aware that some items are only available with a Canva Pro subscription and will be noted with a crown icon. Start with a background by selecting the Elements tab and either searching for Background or selecting Background from the recommended options.
Be sure to follow the best practices to ensure the information is legible and accessible when using these various backgrounds. Explore other options like Crop, Flip, and Transparency to adjust the background. Remember, animations will not appear when using Canva in Reach.
Select graphics, shapes, photos, frames, charts, and other assets from the Elements tab. Place text on the background to get the necessary information out to the audience. Select the Text tab. Add headings, subheadings and body text. Canva also provides suggested font combinations.
Once the text has been added, select the text and choose Effects above the canvas to see different options for the selected text.
Images can be uploaded and added to the design. Select the Uploads tab and choose the Upload an image button. Find the desired image and upload. Click on the image once it has been added and resize as needed to fit it on the canvas.
Once the announcement design is finished, click Save to Media Library. This will upload the image into the Reach Media Library.
The image can also be edited once it has been saved to the Reach Media Library by selecting the wrench icon next to the design to open the tools menu. Select Edit Canva Design to open Canva and make any necessary changes. Be sure to select Save to Media Library once complete.
