SMS Templates

See also: Selecting or creating an SMS template | SMS messages | Configuring SMS Replies

To view, edit or create templates to use with SMS messages

Select Configure > SMS Templates.

The View SMS Templates window will open:

This shows the templates currently available to use for SMS messages to patients, and also (at the bottom of the window) the number of SMS credits remaining with Software of Excellence. Any templates for Flash SMS messages will be indicated by a Y in the "Flash" column.

To Create a new SMS Template

1. Click the button at the bottom of the screen.
   A window similar to the following example will open:

   

2. In the Code field, enter appropriate text to identify the new template.
3. Enter a brief description of the template's function in the Description field.
4. If the template is for an SMS Flash message, click the Flash checkbox.
   (On some phones a Flash message will appear on the screen immediately upon arrival, without the need to press any buttons on the phone.)
5. In the main entry box, type the text to appear in the SMS message.

   The total character count, and the number of SMS messages it represents, will appear below the box.

6. To add merge fields to the message, click the button; this will open the Merge Fields window.
   To insert a merge field, click on the field to select it, then click the button.
   Right-click in the message at the point where you want the merge field to be inserted, and select "Paste" from the drop-down menu, or press .

   NOTE: Due to the variable length of text inserted by a merge field, the character count will not accurately indicate the total character count, but provides only an indication of message size.
   If the character count is approaching 160 characters, and there are merge fields included, you may wish to either edit the message to make it shorter, remove one or more merge fields, or select another option from the "Truncate To" drop-down, so that the message is sent in its entirety.

7. The 'Truncate To' field controls the maximum length of SMS messages to be created, and how many SMS credits you are charged for each one, based on its length.
   If you accept the default, or if SOE is not your SMS provider only one message of no more than 160 characters will be created.
   Any characters after the limit will be truncated and will not be sent.
   
   However, if SOE is your SMS provider, you can choose any length up to a maximum of the equivalent of nine (9) messages. Only one message will be sent, but it will use the number of credits equivalent to the number of 160-character messages it represents.(Note that because of the way messages are handled by the SMS gateway, where some characters are used by the system, the number of SMS's corresponds to dividing the total message character count by 153).
   If you wish to send a message of more than 160 characters, click the drop-down button to choose the maximum number of messages to send. For instance, if your message is close to the 160-character limit, and has merge fields included, then select 2 SMS's from the drop-down. This means if the message does happen to go over 160 characters in length, the recipient will still be sent the full message, unless it exceeds 306 characters, in which case it will be truncated.
   When you have finished editing the template, click the button to save it and close the window.

To Edit an SMS Template

1. Select "SMS Templates" from the Configure menu.
2. Click on the template you wish to edit.
3. Click on the button to open the selected template in the "Edit SMS Template" window.
4. Edit the template as required, then click the button to save it and close the window.

To Delete an SMS Template

1. Select "SMS Templates" from the Configure menu.
2. Click on the template you wish to delete.
3. Click on the button to delete the selected template.
4. Click the button to confirm that you wish to permanently delete the template.