Read and answer family texts in Messages

When families text your school's number, each conversation lands in Messages. You reply right there, and your reply goes out by text from the same number.

Before you start

Your school needs a texting number. See Your school's texting number.

Steps

1. Go to Front office, then Messages. The button shows how many texts are unread.
2. Under Inbox, click a conversation.
3. Type in Reply by text and click Send text.
4. When it is handled, click Mark resolved. It moves to Resolved.

A text that needs a name

A text from a number that is not on file, or that more than one family shares, shows under Needs a name.

1. Pick the family under Which family, or type their email on file.
2. Click Move to inbox.
3. Not sure who it is? Type in Text [number] back and click Send text to ask.

Good to know

• Each reply shows "delivered" or, in red, "not delivered". If a text did not land, reach the family another way.
• A resolved conversation reopens on its own when the family texts again.
• Owners and admins get an email about a new text, at most once an hour per conversation.
• Replies go by text only, up to 600 characters. Each text costs 3 credits per 160 characters.
• Turn on Unread family text in Workflows to get a task when a text sits unread.