Introduction
The SMS inbox allows offices to easily and quickly communicate with clients via text messages. Messages sent to and from the office will be visible in the SMS inbox. Offices with SKED Pro will also be able to see their conversations with leads on this page. To find this page, open the blue navigation bar and select âSMS Inboxâ in the Messaging section.
Tip: Sometimes youâll see a number in a green box on the SMS Inbox when viewing the blue navigation bar. This indicates that your office has unread messages in the SMS inbox.
View SMS Inbox
Identify Conversation Statuses
New incoming/unread text messages from Clients are indicated by a blue dot next to the conversation contact.
Outgoing Messages: You will see a black arrow next to the clients name when the office has sent them a SMS message that has not been responded to yet, indicating that it is the clients turn to respond.
Note: This black arrow only appears when the office has manually composed an outgoing message from the SMS inbox. Automated and one time messages towards that client will appear in the SMS thread, but the black arrow specifically represents when a custom message was sent to the client through the SMS inbox.
Identify Leads (SKED Pro Offices)
Conversations with leads are marked with a special icon (a magnet) and will appear with the label "New Lead" if the number is not already associated with a client.
Refresh Page
Click the refresh button to display any new results that occurred while you are on the SMS inbox page.
Filter SMS Inbox
The SMS inbox has a top toolbar that includes a few filter options allowing you to curate the inboxâs results to help you easily find a specific message or contact.
Filter by Unread/Archived
By default, the SMS inbox will display all conversations with clients, starting with the most recent interaction. At the top of the page, there is a tab selector that will reorder the results on the page depending on the option you select.
To show only unread messages, click the âunread messagesâ filter
To show only archived messages, click on the "Archive" filter.
Search Contacts
SKEDâs SMS inbox includes a search function to help you locate contacts based on name or phone number. By default, the search function will operate by name, but you can switch to number search by clicking the dropdown menu next to the search button. Once your search method is selected, type the criteria into the search bar.
Filter by Contact Type (Client/Lead)
By default, the SMS inbox will show messages for both clients or leads, but you can click the âFilterâ button from the toolbar to activate a menu where you can specify which type of contact you would like to see results for.
Mark Conversation as Unread
If a user wants to revisit a message later, they can mark it as unread. There are 2 ways to accomplish this.
Method 1
Identify the client and click the box. Then select âMark unreadâ at the top of the SMS inbox. This button only appears after selecting conversations to take an action with. You also can select multiple messages at the same time to mark as unread.
Method 2
In the inbox with a specific client, you can mark the conversation as unread by selecting the âmark unreadâ button to the right of the client's phone number.
If successful, a blue dot will now appear on the messages you marked unread.
Archive Conversation
Some offices like to tidy up their SMS inbox by archiving conversations that are not being used. Archiving is similar to marking a message as complete.
Method 1
Select the message and check the box. Then select âArchive at the top right of the inbox. You can select multiple messages at the same time to mark as unread
Method 2
In the message thread with a specific client, you can archive the conversation by selecting the button on the top right.
Note: Messages can be unarchived by clicking the contact on the archived tab and choosing the unarchive option.
View SMS Thread
Click on a contactâs name in the inbox to open the message thread between your office and that contact. You can view the message history from here and compose new messages to send to the contact.
Warning: If there is an issue delivering a message, it will be indicated by an orange exclamation point underneath the message. If this occurs try resending the message or reach out to the support team if the problem persists.
Compose SMS
Once you have selected a contact, you will be in the message thread between you and that patient. At the bottom of the thread, you can use the message composer box to draft and send the message with the green âsendâ button.
Tip: You can include emojis in your message with the Smiley face icon.
Tip: You can Include Attachments to your message by using the paper clip icon and selecting the file with your computer's file manager.
Warning: Make sure to monitor your credit usage for the message you are composing. The credit count is located next to the paper clip icon and underneath the text box.
FAQs
How to view client message threads?
The message thread with any contact can be viewed as soon as you click their name. If you cannot see the thread, simply zoom out on your browser to activate the full window.
Do SMS inbox messages cost credits?
Yes. Any messages sent through the SMS inbox will cost credits. There is a credit counter on the bottom of the conversation thread so the office can know exactly how much each message costs.
Can I mark messages as unread?
Yes! To mark it as unread, you can check the box next to the patientâs name and then click Mark as Unread or in the conversation thread click Mark as Unread in the top right corner.
Why archive conversations?
Some offices like to archive conversations so they know what has been completed or not, but some offices do not.
Can I unarchive a conversation?
Yes! You can click the âArchivedâ button and then click the check box next to the name and click âUnarchiveâ or in the conversation thread, click âUnarchive Chatâ.
Why don't reminders show in the inbox?
The SMS inbox only shows conversations that have been initiated either by the office or the patient to help offices clearly know who they should reply to. To see deployed reminders and the recipients, you can click Automated Messages > Reminders (or any other messages) > Click on the title of a message > Sent Messages.
Sending messages to multiple recipients?
This is accomplished by using the One-Time Message feature and selecting multiple clients. You can personalize the message by using Placeholders to add their names.
