SMS Messaging — Sending SMS Messages

SMS - Text Messages

SMS Messaging — Sending SMS Messages

SMS Knowledge Base Series

  1. Overview
  2. Account Setup & Billing
  3. Sending SMS Messages (this article)
  4. Incoming SMS & Replies

This article covers everything you need to know about composing and sending text messages to your contacts, from choosing recipients to reviewing delivery results.

Where to Find It

To send a new SMS, go to Mail → Send SMS from the main menu. This opens the SMS compose page with a two-panel layout:

Left Panel Recipients & Filters Member Categories Select categories... Family Categories Select categories... Limit / Exclude options AND / OR logic Right Panel Compose Your Message Hi {FirstName}, don't forget... 145 characters · 1 segment Merge Fields | Character Counter Balance & Cost Estimate Recipient List Preview

Choosing Recipients

Category Filters

Select who should receive your message using category filters:

  • Member Categories — filter by categories assigned to individual members
  • Family Categories — filter by categories assigned to families

You can combine both types of categories to narrow your audience.

Filter Options

Option What It Does
Limit Only include members who match the selected categories
Exclude Remove members who match the selected categories
AND Members must match all selected categories
OR Members must match any of the selected categories
Messages are always sent to individual members, not to families as a whole. Only members with a mobile phone number on file will be included. Members who have opted out of SMS (NoSMS) are automatically excluded.

Composing Your Message

Writing the Message

Type your message in the text area on the right panel. Messages are plain text — no formatting, images, or attachments (those features are planned for a future update).

Merge Fields

Personalize your message by inserting merge fields. These are placeholders that are automatically replaced with each recipient's actual information when the message is sent.

Available merge fields:

Merge Field Replaced With
{FirstName} The recipient's first name
{LastName} The recipient's last name

To insert a merge field, place your cursor where you want it in the message and select the field from the dropdown. It will be inserted at the cursor position.

Character & Segment Counter

As you type, the compose area shows a real-time counter displaying:

  • Character count — how many characters you have used
  • Segment count — how many message segments your text will require
  • Encoding type — standard (160 chars/segment) or Unicode (70 chars/segment)
If your message contains emojis or special characters, the counter will switch to Unicode mode and display a warning. Unicode messages have a lower character limit per segment, which increases costs.

Opt-Out Notice

Every message automatically includes an opt-out line at the end (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe"). This is required by law and cannot be removed. The opt-out text is included in the character and segment count, so you can see the true cost of your message.

Cost Estimate & Balance

Before sending, the compose page shows:

  • Your current balance — how much you have available
  • Estimated cost — the total cost based on recipient count and segment count
  • A link to Add Funds if your balance is insufficient
If your balance is too low to cover the estimated cost, the Send button will be disabled and you will need to add funds before proceeding.

Preview & Confirm

When you click Send, a confirmation screen appears before anything is actually sent. This gives you a final chance to review everything:

Confirmation Summary Recipients: 247 members Segments per message: 2 segments Estimated cost: $12.35 Your balance: $50.00 Sample messages: "Hi Sarah, don't forget our event this Sunday!..."

The confirmation includes:

  • Recipient count — exactly how many people will receive the message
  • Segment count — segments per message
  • Estimated total cost — what will be deducted from your balance
  • Sample messages — a few examples showing what the message looks like with merge fields filled in
  • Recipient list — you can review the full list of recipients
Click Confirm & Send to start sending, or Cancel to go back and make changes.

Test Send

Send a Test Message First

Before sending to your full audience, you can send a test message to any phone number. This lets you see exactly what the message will look like on an actual phone, including merge fields (filled with sample data) and the opt-out notice.

To send a test: click the Test Send button, enter a phone number, and click Send Test.

While Messages Are Sending

Once you confirm, messages are sent in the background — you can continue using CMS normally while the send is in progress.

Progress Indicator

While messages are being sent:

  • A blue progress bar appears in the top header showing how many messages have been sent.
  • You can navigate to any other page in CMS — the progress bar stays visible.
  • When all messages are sent, a toast notification confirms completion.
Do not close your browser while a send is in progress. Messages are sent from the server, but the progress indicator requires an active session.

After Sending

Batch Report

After a send completes, you can view a detailed report showing:

  • Total messages sent
  • Successful deliveries
  • Failed messages with reasons (e.g., invalid number, phone off)
  • Total cost deducted

SMS History

All sent messages are logged in Mail → SMS History. You can filter and search your history by:

  • Date range
  • Delivery status (delivered, failed, pending)
  • Recipient

Tips for Effective SMS

Keep It Short

Aim to keep your message under 160 characters (1 segment) when possible. Shorter messages cost less and are more likely to be read in full.

Avoid Special Characters

Emojis and non-English characters switch the message to Unicode encoding, which reduces the per-segment limit from 160 to 70 characters. If cost is a concern, stick to standard characters.

Use Merge Fields

A personalized message ("Hi Sarah") feels more personal than a generic one ("Hi everyone"). Use {FirstName} to address each person by name.

Always Preview

Use the test send feature to see your message on an actual phone before sending to everyone. This helps catch typos, awkward line breaks, and segment overflows.

Article ID: 3812, , Modified: Today at 1:32 AM

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