If a client got a text for an appointment they don't have — or the wrong client got the reminder — don't worry. Your system isn't broken, and your texts aren't going out at random. This almost always happens when an old calendar event is copied or reused for a new appointment, and it's quick to fix.
What you might be seeing
A client got a reminder for an appointment they don't have.
A client got a reminder with the wrong date or the wrong time.
One client got another client's reminder, and the right client got nothing.
It feels like the system is "sending the wrong text messages" or "messing up my schedule."
If any of these sound familiar, read on.
Fix it now (the quickest fix)
For each affected appointment:
In Google Calendar, delete the event that was copied or edited.
Create a brand-new event for the correct client, with the right date and time.
Open the new event in SMS Reminder and check the phone number shown for the reminder. Make sure it's the right client's number.
Turn the reminder on.
That's it. The new event has the correct number saved, so the right client gets the right reminder.
Tip: If the wrong client already got a text, you may want to send them a quick note to say it was sent by mistake.
Why this happens
When you turn on a reminder for a calendar event, SMS Reminder saves the client's phone number to that specific event.
If you later copy, duplicate, or reuse that event for someone else — and only change the name, date, or time — the event still holds the original client's phone number. So:
The reminder goes to the old client's number…
…but shows the new appointment's date and time.
That's why one client gets a text that doesn't make sense to them, and the client who actually booked hears nothing.
Why the text might arrive suddenly
The reminder was turned on late. If you turn on a reminder after its normal send time has already passed (for example, less than 24 hours before the appointment, when your reminder is set to go 24 hours before), it sends right away. A pop-up will show in the web-app with a disclaimer that the reminder will be sent immediately, in these instances.
The date or time was changed. When an appointment's date or time changes, a new confirmation message may be sent automatically — to the number saved on that event.
Recurring appointments
The phone number is saved for the whole series. If a recurring appointment now belongs to a different client, create a new event for that client instead of changing the name on the existing series.
How to prevent it
Always create a new calendar event for each new appointment. Don't copy, duplicate, or overwrite a past client's event.
Share this with your team. If several people book appointments, make sure everyone knows to start with a fresh event.
FAQ: what do these statuses mean?
You might spot these labels while you're looking into what happened.
What does "Pending" mean?
You have Appointment Confirmation turned on. The reminder was sent, and the client hasn't replied or tapped the link to confirm or cancel yet. In Google Calendar, the event turns yellow and starts with "Pending:". Once the client responds, it changes to Confirmed or Cancelled.
Don't want this? Go to Settings → Other Settings and set Appointment Confirmation to Disabled. See Appointment Confirmations: know your clients will show up.
What does "Inactive" mean?
The reminder isn't turned on for that event. You may see it on past appointments that were edited. It doesn't mean your texts are blocked or that something is wrong with your account.
How do I check when a reminder was actually sent?
Hover over the Sent status on the appointment in your dashboard to see the exact date and time. See How can I confirm if a reminder was sent?
Related
Still stuck?
Start a chat with us using the Messenger in the bottom-right corner. Let us know the appointment date and the phone number that got the wrong text, and we'll take a look.