What is a scheduled message?
A scheduled message is a text you write now that sends itself at a time you pick. It's useful for a follow up you don't want to forget, a reminder the morning of a meeting, or a reply you're writing at 10pm that should land at a reasonable hour.
You schedule from the same place you send: the message box in any conversation. It works for one to one conversations and for group conversations.
How do I schedule a message on the web?
Step 1. Write your message
Open the conversation and type your message as usual. Add any photos or files you want to include.
Step 2. Open the scheduler
Click the clock button next to Send. You can also press Cmd+L on a Mac or Ctrl+L on Windows once you've typed something.
Step 3. Type when it should send
The scheduler understands plain language. Type something like "8 am", "3 days", or "aug 7" and pick from the suggestions. If you don't type anything you'll see common choices like "in 1 hour", "tomorrow morning", and "next monday".
Step 4. Decide what happens if they reply first
Turn on if no reply if the message should only go out when the client hasn't texted you in the meantime. See below for how that works.
Step 5. Confirm
Pick the time. You'll see "Message scheduled" along with when it's going out.
Tip: For a quick follow up, click the arrow next to Send and look under Schedule and close. One click schedules the message for tomorrow, Monday, or one week out at 9:15am, and closes the conversation for you.
What time zone does it use?
Yours. Times are read in your computer's local time. When we know where your client is, the scheduler also shows what that time will be for them, so you don't send a 9am text that arrives at 6am.
If you leave off a time and just type a day, the message goes out at 9:15am.
What does "if no reply" do?
It turns your scheduled message into a follow up that only sends if it's still needed. If the client texts you before the send time, the message is cancelled instead of sent. In the conversation you'll see "Will be canceled if they message before send time" on that message.
It's the difference between a nudge and an awkward double text. Use it for things like "Just checking you saw my last message" and leave it off for anything that should go out regardless, like a meeting reminder.
How do I schedule from the mobile app?
Step 1. Write your message
Open the conversation and type your message.
Step 2. Tap the clock
Tap the clock in the message box to open Schedule Message.
Step 3. Pick a time
Choose a preset like Tomorrow Morning or Next Week, or tap Custom to pick an exact date and time.
Step 4. Schedule it
Tap Schedule.
Two things work a little differently on mobile. Times are in 15 minute steps and have to be at least 30 minutes from now. And Cancel if they message me first is turned on by default, so switch it off if the message should send no matter what.
Where do I see what's scheduled?
In the conversation. A banner at the top shows how many messages are scheduled and when the next one goes out. Click Edit to manage them.
All in one place on the web. Go to Scheduled Messages under Outreach in the sidebar. Messages are grouped by when they'll send, like an agenda. Use the filters to switch between Scheduled, Sent, Failed, and All. Your dashboard also shows the next few that are coming up.
On mobile. Tap the clock at the top of the dashboard to open your scheduled messages, or look at Upcoming scheduled on the dashboard.
How do I change or cancel one?
Open the message from the scheduled list or from the conversation.
Edit lets you change the wording and the send time, and turn if no reply on or off. Attachments can't be changed once a message is scheduled. If you need different attachments, delete the message and schedule a new one.
Send now sends it right away instead of waiting. This is on the web only. If the client has replied since you scheduled it and if no reply was on, the message is cancelled rather than sent, and we'll tell you.
Delete cancels the message for good. On the web list you can tick several messages and delete them together.
Only messages that haven't gone out yet can be edited, sent early, or deleted.
How do I know it sent?
Once it goes out, the message appears in the conversation marked Sent by schedule, and its status in the scheduled list changes to Sent. If something went wrong it shows as Failed with a warning icon, so it's worth a glance at the Failed filter now and then.
The message sends from the phone number you were using when you scheduled it.
Can I schedule a message that repeats?
Not from the message box. A scheduled message sends once. For texts that repeat, like birthday wishes or an annual review reminder, use Automations under Outreach. Automations queue up real scheduled messages ahead of time, and you'll see them in your scheduled list marked with the automation they came from, so you can still review or edit each one before it goes out.
To text many clients at once at a set time, schedule a broadcast instead. For replies that go out automatically when you're closed, see auto-replies.