Sending SMS messages using an Email to SMS service.


From the Once Calendar you can send SMS texts in addition to, or instead of emailed appointment confirmations via an Email to SMS service.  (You need to be running Once Time 1.5.0 or later)


Here are a few companies that offer this service. You must first sign up to one of these services.


The following steps show how to use Text Magic. It will be similar for other services.

  1. Sign up to TextMagic (there is a free trial)

  2. First try their EMAIL to SMS service using your company email so you can see how it works. You will need to setup your sending email as an allowed email with them so they know who is sending the email.


  3. In Once Time/Track open the Edit Company dialog from the Add/Edit company button of the Calendar Settings. 

  4. Enter textmagic.com in the SMS service field. 
    The customer phone will be prefixed to this to create the email e.g. 4471234567890@textmagic.com

  5. You need to copy the displayed SMS sending email to your allowed emails at TextMagic. (Also see Notes 3 below)


  6. In the TextMagic settings for the allowed email, uncheck "Send replies back to this email" (as they won't go anywhere). You will need to use the Text Magic History to see replies.

  7. You may want to add additional Once Time Appointment Types with content more suitable for text messages.

  8. In the TextMagic  Send and Receive settings, set Include in SMS content to Only email body.

  9. You can also add a TextMagic cut-off phrase (see their documentation and https://my.textmagic.com/online/emailtosms/settings ).  This allows you to use the same template for both emails and SMS but the SMS only includes text up to the cut-off phrase. Other services use a text marker such as "##" to set the end of the SMS message.

  10. If you have the SMS service configured, and you have entered a mobile number for the customer, then you will have the option to send SMS appointment confirmations in the same way as email confirmations on the Send Confirmation dialog.

NOTES

  1. You can enter multiple customer phones numbers separated by a comma. The first number will be used for SMS messages
  2. You can also start an SMS message (or phone call) by clicking the SMS or phone icon in the customer phone number field.  This opens the sms/phone app on a mobile device but will also work on a PC if you have setup a link between a mobile phone and your PC.  

    e.g. see Microsoft’s “Phone Link” app 

  3. Sending from your own Email System
    Once Track supports sending email via your own email system instead of via the Once email system.
    See: Send emails via your own email system (using SMTP)
    This will enable the sending email address to be your business email and you can receive replies to this email from the SMS service.