Learn how message templates allow you to automatically send confirmations, reminders, and follow-up messages for your appointments.
Message templates allow you to automatically send SMS messages for appointments.
Each template defines:
Once a template is set up, you simply activate the reminder and the system automatically schedules all messages.
Message templates let you pre-program how messages are sent to your customers.
With a template, you can configure:
You can use any combination of these message types depending on your needs.
Message timing is based on the start and end times of the appointment in your calendar.
Confirmation messages are sent when you activate a reminder.
You can configure them to send:
If you change the date or time of an appointment, a new confirmation message will automatically be sent to notify the customer.
Reminder messages are sent before the appointment start time.
For example:
Reminder timing is calculated using the start time of the appointment in your calendar.
Note: All-day appointments are assumed to start at midnight.
Follow-up messages are sent after the appointment ends.
This timing is based on the end time of the appointment in your calendar.
For example:
Follow-ups are often used for:
Here is an example of a template using all three message types.
When you activate the reminder, the recipient will automatically receive:
You can create multiple templates to suit different types of appointments.
Each template can include:
For example, you could create templates for:
You can also create templates that only send reminders, without confirmations or follow-ups.
Templates can be used in several ways:
You can set a template as the default for all appointments.
You can link templates to specific Google Calendars, allowing different calendars to use different default templates.
You can manually change the template for individual appointments.
You can customize the message for a specific appointment without using a template.
Once configured, message templates help automate communication with your customers while keeping your reminders consistent and organized.
Most businesses see the best results with one reminder 24 hours before the appointment and a second reminder on the same day.
Yes. SMS reminders are one of the most effective ways to reduce no-shows because text messages are seen quickly and are harder to overlook than email.
A common best practice is to send one reminder 24 hours before the appointment and another 2 to 3 hours before the scheduled time.
SMS is generally more effective for appointment reminders because it is immediate, visible, and more likely to be opened quickly.
A good appointment reminder should include the client’s name, appointment date, appointment time, location or meeting link, and a simple way to confirm or reschedule.