Teachers2Parents: Sending Texts

Scope

Steps to create and text messages.

Instructions

1. In Text, click on the Select Message drop-down menu.

2. Select Type your Own to compose the entire contents of the message yourself, or a Message Template to use a pre-existing message. Read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Add, Edit, and Delete Message Templates for Text.
3. Tick Include School Name to show the school name within the body of the message. Read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Change the School Name.
   • Note: This option is only needed if you allow parents to reply to your text messages which uses a mobile number as the sender instead of the school name. Read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Allow Replies from Parents for Text.

4. If using Type your Own or editing the selected Message Template, enter the contents of your message in the text box.
   • Note: The character limit for a single SMS message is 160 characters, but this limit can be increased to 300 characters. Read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Increase the Character Limit.

5. Once you have selected or created your message, click on the Select Contacts drop-down menu.

6. This menu provides you with several options for selecting your contacts:
   • Select Search for Contact to show a search bar where you can type in the name of the intended recipient and click Go to find them automatically.
   • Select All Students to provide a list of all contacts with Contact Type set as Parent. This will not include any contacts set as Staff / Other.
   • Select a Year Group to show all contacts who belong to that year group.
   • Select a Form to show all contacts who belong to that registration group.
   • Select a Group/Class to show all contacts who belong to that manual group/class.

7. Click Add or double-click on the contact to move them to the send list on the right. If you want to include everyone from the contact list, click Add All.

8. Click Send Now.
   • Note: There is also an option to Send Later for scheduling messages to send later. Read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Scheduling Text Messages.
9. The preview will show the number of recipients selected, the number of mobile numbers that will receive the text and the contents of the message. Click OK.

10. You will see a window confirming it has been sent. Click OK.
11. To view the status of the message, read our guide for further information: Teachers2Parents: Checking Text Delivery.