Prepare and send an SMS
Choose the intended recipients, write a clear next action, review the finished message and confirm the send.
Checked on 29 October 2026
Overview
Choose the intended recipients, write a clear next action, review the finished message and confirm the send.
Get to know the screen
Practice example: all names, records and amounts are fictional. Options vary with your school’s curriculum, currency and access.
Phone example
Interface labels are shown in English. Follow the translated steps below to find each control. Follow the sequence, review the recorded information and choose the next step.
Who can use this feature
Use your own account in the correct school workspace. The school Parents directory needs an authorised leadership role. Class teachers can manage parent links for their assigned class. SMS pages require an owner, co-owner or administrator role. Families use their own linked account.
Before you start
You need authorised SMS access, valid guardian phones or a checked recipient list, sufficient SMS units and any team allowance. Class headcount is not the number of reachable guardians. Confirm contacts and communication preferences first.
Required and optional fields
| Field | Requirement | Format or example | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience and eligible contacts | Required in this form | Choose a source with at least one valid recipient: selected classes, a saved list or checked phone numbers. Use full international numbers outside the supported local format. Opted-out contacts are skipped. | Current school, permissions, academic year and saved learner/contact records. |
| Message text and personalisation | Required in this form | Message text is required, up to 1,000 characters. Resolve missing merge values or remove the fields. Choosing a template is optional; review the finished text and units. | Current school, permissions, academic year and saved learner/contact records. |
| Schedule, due date and team | Required when applicable | A future date/time is required for Schedule. A due date is required when its merge field is used. Team is optional where available, but the chosen allowance must cover the send. | Current school, permissions, academic year and saved learner/contact records. |
Picklist prerequisites
Guardian classes come from saved cohorts; reachable contacts need linked valid phones and the audience preview. Staff choices come from saved broadcast lists, templates from saved templates and teams from school allowances. Merge values depend on each contact’s source record.
Desktop walkthrough
Check the school, person and current record.
Screen walkthrough · 0:45Download GIF ↓- Open SMS → New SMS. Choose Guardians and the intended classes, Staff and a saved list, or Phone numbers. For guardians, review All guardians or Primary contact only and the resolved recipient count. Check missing, invalid and opted-out contacts.
- Write a brief message in the families’ language, or review a saved template. State the preparation, action, date and contact route. For example, ask families to bring counters for an activity. Read every translated or aiDE-assisted draft before sending.
- If using personalisation chips, review the finished preview for different recipients. Missing source values block sending; correct the record or remove the field. A due-date chip needs a chosen due date. Check message parts and units after all text and names are inserted.
- Review the sender, eligible numbers, units, estimate, team and timing. Schedule needs a future date and time. Quiet hours may hold a message until morning; read the displayed send time. Test to my phone uses real SMS units.
- On desktop, choose Review and send. Read the final audience, parts, units and timing, then Send or Send for approval as appropriate. Wait for confirmation and open the delivery report. A draft awaiting approval is not a sent message.
Mobile walkthrough
On a phone, recipients, message, preview and summary stack vertically. Review each section and any schedule fields. The current app’s bottom navigation can cover the fixed Review button; when that happens, complete final confirmation on a computer. The phone walkthrough shows preparation and preview; the desktop walkthrough includes sending and confirmation.
Check the school, person and current record.
Screen walkthrough · 0:45Download GIF ↓Save and verify
Open the intended campaign in Messages. Check its text, audience, status and scheduled time before any retry. A queued or scheduled campaign has not finished delivery, and a delivery status does not establish understanding.
Troubleshooting
No recipients, missing personalisation or sending blocked?
Check guardian links and valid phones, the selected class/list and opt-outs. Clear unused merge fields or fill the correct source information. Check units, team allowance, future schedule and required approval. If Review is covered on a phone, use a computer for the final step.
If saving or sending fails, keep the draft and read the error. Reopen the same record or campaign before retrying. Check what was saved or queued first to avoid duplicate invitations or messages.
