Sending Messages
  • 09 Oct 2023
  • 5 Minutes to read
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Sending Messages

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Article summary

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)

Message Length
For messages longer than 160 characters, the user will be prompted whether they would like to continue sending out the message. Messages are billed per message segment, so if a message is longer than 160 characters, the message will be billed as more than 1 sms message.

Example: If a message is 180, the message will need to be split into 2 parts. When sent, this message will billed as 2 sms messages for each number it is sent to. 
Hebrew Wording in messages
  • If there is any Hebrew in a message, there is a 70 character limit. 
  • Hebrew will not work with the text to Voice Message.

NOTE: Hebrew Letters or any non-GSM characters may cause the text to come out illegible on some phones.

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.
Messaging Service
When loading the page, the default may show as 'Use Messaging Service'. If this is your option, leave it as such.
If this is not your default service, contact your Consultant to discuss setting this up.

Messaging Service is an optimal way to send out text message because their smart encoding detects Unicode characters and replaces them with GSM encoded characters which will save you money. 

Scheduling an SMS Message to Send Later

Advisor Setup
Please note that scheduling works through Advisor. Make sure your Advisor is set up prior to using this feature. If you need assistance, please reach out to your Admire Consultant. 
  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.
Updating Delivery Schedule
After scheduling a message, changes can be made in the Automated Report Services.
To get to the Automated Report Services:
  1. Navigate to Tools -> Administration -> Automated Report Services
     
  2. Click 'Load List' -> Select the row you would like to edit and click 'Edit'.
    (The beginning of the row will look similar to this.)


  3. Now you can make your changes in the Automated Report Editor. 


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
'FROM' Number

When sending a recording, you can change the 'FROM' number, provided it is verified by Admire. Speak to your Consultant about setting this up.

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. 

Scheduling Voice Calls
Only calls that are ‘Text to Voice’ or regular text messages can be scheduled; recordings cannot be scheduled.



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