Sending Messages

SMS Texting/Voice Calls Service Manual

This service allows you to communicate via texting or voice calls to any number from Admire. Below, you'll find comprehensive instructions on how to use this service effectively.

Getting Started

1. Navigate to the Communication tab.
2. Select "SMS Voice" and choose "Send Messages."

Upon entering the screen, you'll find the center of the screen empty. Once you choose the lookup to use, you will see the available accounts and individuals for communication.

Selecting Recipients

1. Select the lookup type. 
   1. For most use cases, the ‘Telephone Lookup for Texting’ should be used. However, if other fields are needed for the merge, than other lookups are available. 
   2. Make sure to filter properly to avoid duplicate numbers.
   3. There are other lookups that have been created for specific use case:
      1. Missing Forms Lookup - This will only include parents for students who are missing forms for the selected term. Texting Missing Forms Information to Parents
      2. Texting Bus Routes - This will only include Parents in the school. Texting Bus Information to Parents
2. Filter for the recipients who should receive the message and the telephone type. 
   Avoid Duplicated People

   These lookups will by default pull up an individual 1x for each phone number. Filter for the desired phone types to avoid this duplication. 
3. Click the 'Search' button to load the recipients
4. Check off which numbers the message should go to or you can click 'Select All' (only the numbers that are selected will have the message send to them)

Setting Up the Message

The area on the right side of the screen is where the user sets up what type of message and information should go out. There are 2 types of messages:

1. SMS (texting)
2. Voice Call

SMS (texting)

Sending an SMS Message Immediately

1. Open the ‘Send Now’ tab
2. Type the message in the 'Message' box area. 
   1. Personalized fields can be included in the text. To do this, double-click the desired field in the 'Fields' area to insert them into the message.
      
      
      
3. Select whether you would like to record a contact log to each account that the message will be sent to.
   1. To set up the contact log type, choose from an existing option in the dropdown or type in what the contact log should be.
   2. The message will go into the contact log notes field on each account.
4. Select the number that the message should be sent from.
   1. The 'From' number MUST be a number that was given to your account originally. Hammering down the number will save it for the future.
5. As soon as the message is clicked on to send, a processing pop-up will show until the message is sent.

Scheduling an SMS Message to Send Later

1. Select a Template or create a new one in the 'Templates' area. A template must be selected to schedule a message.
   1. To create a new message 
      1. Click the down arrow to the right of the 'Edit' option
         
         
      2. Select 'New' and the message box should show up.
         
         
         
      3. Type the message and save.
   2. Set the time the message should go out. 
      1. Delay - This option should be used to set up a one time message for the future. 
      2. Set a Schedule - This will open up a new screen where recurring schedule could be set.

Message Confirmations

There are options to send an email notification when messages go through successfully. This should be used to know whether messages went out successfully without any extra steps.

1. Email Notification - this option is available for any message being scheduled for the future. You will see a checkbox with a field to insert an email address where this is available.
   
2. Insert contact log - This option allows you to select an existing contact log text or type in your own to insert onto the account when the message goes out.
   

Make a Call

In addition to being able to send out an SMS message, users can also set up automated recorded calls to send out messages to their Accounts. There are two types of calls: 

1. Text to voice
2. Play a recording

Text to Voice

Text to voice is pretty similar to sending a regular message (see above on how to send) but comes as a call with a robotic voice.

Play Recording

1. Record an audio file in either .mp3 or .wav format on your computer or another device. 
2. Upload the recording to Dropbox and create a shareable link.
   1. You can create a Dropbox account for free online
   2. Upload the recording
   3. Click on the recording
   4. Press share -> create link -> copy link. 
3. The link will look something like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9yh2c5l0iz5ahce/Voice_200421.mp3?dl=0
   1. Replace the www.dropbox.com with dl.dropboxusercontent.com
   2. Delete '?dl=0' from the end.
      1. It should now it should look like this: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9yh2c5l0iz5ahce/Voice_200421.mp3
   3. Paste the modified link into your browser. If it plays automatically, you have done it correctly.
      

Schedule

Scheduling Voice calls  is set up the same way as scheduling SMS messages (see above on how to send). Calls can either be scheduled or sent right away.