Use Messages → Inbox for one-to-one and group conversations with support workers, teams, houses and families, and Messages → Broadcasts to tell a whole house, branch, region or all staff at once. Read receipts show who has seen each message.
Before you begin
- Your role includes messaging (comms.messages.send); broadcasts need comms.broadcasts.send and SMS nudges comms.broadcasts.send_sms.
- Support workers have the app installed to receive push messages, or a mobile number for SMS.
Start a conversation
- Go to Messages → Inbox and select New message.
- In To, search for a person, a team, a house or a family member. Results are grouped under People, Teams, Houses and Family and nominees.
- Type your Message and select Send. You see “Message sent to …” and the conversation opens.
- Reply in the box at the bottom of the conversation and press Send.
Messages → Inbox with a team conversation open and the New message drawer
Conversations about a participant show Logged on participant record: they are kept on that person’s record for continuity and audit.
Check who has read a message
- Under one of your messages, select Read by … of ….
- Read the line that appears: delivered to how many and how many have not read it yet.
- Select Send SMS nudge to text the people who have not read it. People without a mobile number or who opted out are skipped and counted in the confirmation.
Find a conversation
- Type in Search conversations… to search titles and the latest message.
- Use the chips to filter: All, Direct, Team, House, Participant, Family and Broadcast.
Send a broadcast
- Go to Messages → Broadcasts.
- Under Send to, choose SIL house, Branch, Region or All staff, then pick the house, branch or region.
- Choose Channels: Push, SMS and/or Email.
- Enter a Title and Message (up to 2,000 characters; SMS splits after 160 characters). Do not include personal details.
- Select Preview audience to see who gets it on which channel, anyone who cannot be reached, and the estimated SMS cost.
- Select Send broadcast. For a large audience you may see Check before sending; read it and select Send anyway or Back.
Messages → Broadcasts with the new broadcast form filled in and the Audience preview listing recipients and channels
Follow up a broadcast
- In History, select a broadcast.
- Read Sent, Delivered and Read, and the Not yet read list.
- Select Nudge unread by SMS to remind people who have not opened it.
- For a scheduled broadcast, select Edit to change the text or Send at time, or Cancel broadcast before it goes.
Tips
- Every message and notification about a participant also appears in Messages → Communication log, where you can add a phone call or letter with Log a contact.
- Support workers read and reply to messages in the app.
If something goes wrong
“Replies are off for this conversation.”
The owner turned replies off (common for broadcasts). Start a direct message with the sender instead.
A family member is not in the To list
Messaging families needs the setting Workers can message participants’ families (for workers) and a contact with a mobile or email on the participant’s record.
“SMS allowance used” when sending
Your monthly SMS allowance is used up and your organisation blocks extra texts. See SMS bundles and delivery logs.