Introduction

Gingr sends a variety of system-generated SMS to your customers, each of which can be turned on or off by your business, and have customizable templates. These communications can include reservation and appointment communications, receipts, and report cards. This article will cover how to configure your app to send system-generated SMS.

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is another name for a text message.

Helpful Hints

• System SMS is currently limited to customers within the United States and Canada. If you reside outside of North America, you could consider looking into a third-party company called Esendex. For more information on this topic, please see our article Configure International SMS Options.
   
• Our messaging provider, Twilio, requires all phone numbers be verified before sending text messages. This helps to ensure phone numbers are tied to valid businesses and helps prevent fraud. If your number is unverified, you will see a banner at the top of the 2-way SMS slideout and on the Admin » System SMS page. Without this verification, you will be unable to send messages through Gingr.

Important:  It is extremely important that you review every SMS template in your app and understand all settings before turning on your Global SMS settings. Gingr is not liable for any erroneous information in your templates or unintended sending of SMS due to improperly configured settings. If you are unsure of what any SMS template does, please reach out to our support team.

• Only users in the Admin user group can configure System SMS settings and templates. It is not possible to create additional System SMS templates.
   
• You must configure your permissions to allow users in your app to send certain SMS:
  • Navigate to Left-hand Navigation Menu: Reports & More » Groups.
     
  • For users to send manually triggered SMS (such as Ready for Pickup and Report Cards), the "Can Send SMS" user permission must be turned on for the user group they are in.
     
  • If you have 2-way SMS enabled, for users to receive in-app notifications for incoming text messages, the user must have the "Notification: Incoming SMS" user permission turned on.
     
• You can use the Owner's Communications tab to review all SMS communications with a select customer. Navigate to the Owner's profile, click the Communications tab, and optionally filter or sort the results to find what you need. For more information please see our overview of the Owner Communications Tab.
   
• In some cases, variables such as {action_url} may not populate when viewed in the SMS Slideout or in the Communications log. Unique URLs are generated at the time of sending and will display correctly in the message received by the customer.

Important: Our messaging provider, Twilio, enforces strict SMS content guidelines. Messages containing prohibited terms - such as CBD, Cannabis, or Kratom - will be automatically censored with asterisks (*) in the app and for the recipient. Repeated violations may result in your SMS number being blocked entirely. Refer to Twilio's Acceptable Use Policy and Forbidden Message Categories for more details. Additionally, If you’re noticing issues with SMS delivery - Twilio’s official guide offers valuable recommendations for improving message deliverability and reducing the chance of filtering or blocking: Twilio Filtering Guide.

 Notice: To comply with updated SMS regulations from our phone provider, Twilio, Gingr has made changes that limit how businesses can edit customer communication preferences. These updates ensure that customers have full control over opting in to receive messages, which is now required for message deliverability and regulatory compliance. For more information, see our article: SMS Opt-in and Opt-out

Topics

• SMS Template Types Reference
• Configure System-Wide SMS Settings How-To
• System-Wide SMS Settings Reference
• Customize SMS Template Types How-To
• SMS Variables Reference
• Set Up Reminder SMS How-To
• Configure International SMS Options How-To