Setting Up and Responding to Text Notifications

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You can receive text messages about scheduling requests or emails sent to you. Depending on your carrier, you may also be able to respond to text messages to accept or decline requests. However, replies do not go to a team leader. 

Text messages are sent from Services to a special email address created by the cell phone provider, so although they can be convenient, they're not always reliable. If you want to use a different notification system, you can send in-app notifications for iOS and Android devices.

Tip

Want to see other ways to use texting in Planning Center? Check out our Texting Reference Guide!

Edit Text Settings

You can manage your notification settings and mobile information from your profile. You'll receive a text message for each box that's checked. If you don't want to receive texts, you can uncheck the boxes.

Important

If you have Scheduler or higher permissions, you can change another person's settings if you know which mobile carrier the person has.

From the Communications tab, select the types of notifications you want to receive from the Text Notifications section.

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Important

If you have Scheduler permissions or higher, you will see the Scheduling Replies checkbox.

To edit a person's mobile number or provider, click the Edit button.

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Ensure the person has a mobile phone number and carrier listed.

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The following needs to be set up for a person to receive text messages:

  • email address

  • Mobile phone number type

  • mobile carrier

  • a preferred phone number, marked with a star

Notice

Many cell companies provide an SMS Gateway, so you must set the cell carrier correctly for texting to work. This allows Planning Center to send an email, which the cell company converts to a regular text message, making the "text message" free!

My company is not on the mobile carrier list

Many cell companies outside the US, especially in Australia, do not offer SMS Gateways and can't use our text messaging features. If your cell company is not on the mobile carrier list, it is probably not supported.

However, if you find out that your cell company does use a standard SMS gateway and isn't on our list, please email Support with the SMS gateway information, and we can try to verify it with you and add it to our list.

Responding to Text Notifications

There are a few ways to respond to a scheduling request, depending on the mobile carrier that you have.

If your carrier is shown in the list below, you may receive a request to respond by text or a request to respond by short link.

  • AT&T

  • Boost

  • Cricket

  • InlandCellular

  • Ntelos

  • RogersWireless

  • US Cellular

  • Virgin

Respond by Text

Some mobile carriers support replying directly back to the text message to confirm. These notifications will include the date and position you are scheduled for.

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Respond to the message by typing ACCEPT or DECLINE.

Notice

You can also reply STOP to disable any further text notifications.

Respond by Short Link

Some mobile carriers that don't allow text replies will send short links you can click to accept or decline.

The notification will include the date and position you are scheduled for.

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Tap the appropriate link to either accept or decline the position. You will be taken to the Services site in your mobile browser to confirm your response.

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