Overview: What are we talking about?
Gingr sends a variety of system-generated SMS (text messages) 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.
This article includes:
- 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, but users that possess the Can SMS Customers group permission can send SMS to customers. This permission can be enabled from Left-hand Navigation: Reports and More » Groups.
- It is not possible to create additional System SMS templates.
- Gingr will send SMS to your customers from a custom, toll-free number. This phone number for your SMS can be selected under Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS.
There are a couple of System SMS settings that affect all locations in your app. These settings can be found by navigating to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS.
SMS Number
When a customer receives an SMS (text) from your facility, it will come from a specific phone number. Prior to July 14, 2021, these texts would come from the automated short-code number 629-90. Starting on July 14, 2021, facilities are able to choose a toll-free custom SMS number for each location in their app.
To select your custom toll-free number, navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS. Under the section "SMS Number", use the number search tool to find toll-free numbers that are available. Click the number you would like, then click "Confirm" to confirm this selection.

Once you select a number, the phone number will be automatically configured in your app so you can immediately send and receive SMS in your app to this number. Once selected, the number will display on the System SMS page so that you can easily see your new phone number.

You can learn more about the custom number selection here: Setting Up Your Custom Toll-Free SMS Number.
System-Wide SMS Settings
To change the status of a system-wide setting, click the toggle to move the setting into the desired position. Changing the position of a setting immediately changes the function of the setting.
Setting | Description | Helpful Hint |
Global sms on | The master switch for sending SMS from your app. No SMS will send if this setting is not enabled. | To prevent SMS from leaving your app before configuration is complete, keep this setting disabled until you've customized all SMS templates. |
Send employee schedule publish sms | If enabled, employee users will receive an SMS when an employee schedule is published. | This setting requires that your app utilize Employee Scheduling. Visit this article to learn more. |
SMS Templates
There are several SMS templates that can be sent from Gingr either automatically or at-will by a user with the appropriate group permissions. These templates can be customized by navigating to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS.
Templates that send automatically can be enabled or disabled by changing the template's Status setting. If an automated template is disabled, the template will not be triggered to send to customers. Templates that are sent at-will by a user do not have a Status setting, and require a user to manually send the template to a customer.
Below you will find a field guide which contains all of the System SMS templates, their behavior, and which variables are allowed to be used on the template.
Template | Behavior | Allowed Variables |
New Reservation SMS | Triggered automatically by creating a new reservation or accepting a reservation request. | {animal_name} {start_date} {action_url} |
New Appointment SMS |
Triggered automatically by creating a new appointment. | {start_date} |
Check Out SMS |
Triggered automatically by checking out a reservation. | {animal_name} {start_date} {action_url} |
Reservation Reminder SMS |
Triggered automatically at a set number of minutes before a reservation's start time. This is configured for each reservation type from Admin » Reservation Types and Services Configuration. See more information on setting this up below. | {animal_name} {reservation_type} {start_date} {cancel_url} |
Group Class Enrollment SMS |
Triggered automatically when a pet is enrolled in a group class. | {animal_name} {class_name} {first_class_start} |
Check In SMS |
Triggered automatically when the pet is checked in. | {animal_name} {reservation_type} {start_date} |
Confirmation Request SMS |
Sent at will from the Unconfirmed section of the dashboard to request confirmation from an unconfirmed reservation. | {animal_name} {start_date} {action_url} |
Ready for Pick Up SMS |
Sent at will by clicking the Ready For Pickup SMS button on the dashboard. | {animal_name} |
Report Card SMS |
Sent at will from the Report Cards page. | {animal_name} {report_card_title} {action_url} |
New Wait List SMS | Triggered automatically when a reservation is added to the waitlist. | {animal_name}{start_date} |
Unread Notifications SMS | Triggered automatically if an employee user has unread notifications. | {subject}, {action_url} |
Password Reset SMS | Sent at will when a customer or employee clicks the Forgot Your Password link on the login page. | {action_url} |
Customizing System SMS Templates
System SMS templates can be managed by Admin users to customize the verbiage to your facility. To edit a System SMS template, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS.
- Click the Edit icon to edit the template.
- Customize the template.
Status: This setting determines if the automated SMS will send automatically.
Body: Enter up to 140 characters of text, optionally including placeholder variables that will substitute animal, owner, or reservation specific information. - Save your changes.
SMS Template Variables
The following placeholder variables can be used in System SMS templates. On the Edit view of each template, you will find a list of each variable that can be used on that specific SMS template.
Variable | Translates As | Helpful Hint |
{animal_name} | The animal's name. | |
{start_date} | The start date and start time of the reservation. | If the start date of the appointment is 12:00AM for a slot-based appointment, the start time will not display in this variable. |
{reservation_type} | The name of the reservation type. | |
{action_url} | A link to perform a specific action, this action can be different per SMS Template.
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{cancel_url} | A link that the customer can use to cancel their reservation. | |
{subject} | The subject of the unread notification that the employee user being emailed about. | |
{class_name} | The name of the group class. | |
{first_class_start} | The first class date and start time of the group class. | |
{report_card_title} | Displays the custom name of Report Cards in your app. | This is configured in Admin » Report Card Settings » Display report cards as |
Setting up Reminder SMS
Reminder SMS allows you to remind your customers about an upcoming booking automatically by triggering an SMS message about the booking a certain number of minutes before their reservation is expected to start.
Once you have you Reminder SMS template set up and enabled, you will want to update the settings under the Reservation Types that you would like Gingr to send this for and tell Gingr when you want these messages to send.
Helpful Hint!: You can enable both a Reminder SMS and a Reminder Email for each reservation type if you wish! This allows you to send reminders with two different delivery methods, and at two different times if you would like.
- Navigate to Admin » Reservation Types and Services Configuration.
- Select the applicable Booking Category
- Select the Reservation Type that you would like to enable Reminder SMS for
- Click 'Edit Settings'
- Select the 'Communication Options' Settings
- Enter a number in minutes (greater than 120) prior to the start of the booking where the pet parent should receive an SMS reminder in the "SMS Reminder Minutes Before Start" field.
- Save!
International SMS
It is possible to use the SMS features in Gingr if your facility resides outside of North America by using an integration with a third-party company called Cdyne. This integration does cost, but is not charged through your Gingr subscription. Please visit this page to read more about Cdyne and it's pricing.
If you would like to utilize this integration, follow these steps:
- Visit this page to create a Cdyne account: https://cdyne.com/register?qs=34.
- Once you have received an API Key and Country Code from Cdyne, please submit a ticket with those two pieces of information to our support team for assistance with completing this integration.
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