Send Text Messages

How to enable and use text messaging in Procare. Important: These steps are not needed if using Procare Messaging Service.

Overview

You can send text messages to any person such as a Payer, Authorized Pickup, Emergency Contact, Child, Employee, Vendor contact, or Procare User. You may also send bulk messages to groups of Payers, Employees or Vendor Contacts.

Before You Begin

1. Before you send text or email through Procare you must Set Up Email Options.
2. You must also Download or manually configure a List of Text Messaging Networks (phone companies).

Set Up and Text an Individual Person

You’ll need to know the phone number and network carrier, like Verizon, AT&T, etc. each person uses to receive text messages. This information is saved separately from the phone numbers used for basic contact information.

1. Go to the Person Information screen for someone you wish text.
2. Click the Text Message button (lower left).

3. If the person has a single cell phone number recorded in their person information screen, it will automatically populate the number field. If no number appears, manually type in the number.
   Optional: If they have multiple cell phone numbers, the Select button will appear. Click Select to toggle between them and choose one for text messages.

Select a Network from the list then click Save. If you don’t wish to send a text right now just Exit.
Note: if the Network is not in the list, you may add the Text Messaging Network.

4. Fill in the bottom section with your Text Message (up to 140 characters) and click Send. A record of the message should appear in your email “Sent” folder with a blank subject line. Note: If using Procare Messaging, it is recommended to include the center name in the greeting so recipients can quickly identify the sender. For example: Begin the message with, “Hello from ABC Childcare!”.

Send Text to a Group of People (Bulk Messaging)

Before Sending a Group Text
To send messages to multiple people you must first set up the phone and network carrier for each person you want to include in the bulk message list. See: Set Up & Text Individual Person

Send a Group Text Message
The steps below are for sending a text message to a group of families (payers), however the process is nearly identical to text employees or vendor contact people.

1. Optional: Use the Select Filter to display only families you wish to include for texting, such as those with children in a particular classroom. Only people shown as Payers on the accounts will be included on the text message list. You’ll be able to choose individual people from the list before sending the text message. See also: Filter Employees, Filter Vendors
2. From the main screen of Family Data & Accounting go to Functions > Family Data > Bulk Text Messaging.

Note: From Employee Data go to Functions > Bulk Text Messaging. From Expenses & Ledger go to Functions > Bulk Text Messaging.

3. Type in your Text Message (up to 140 characters).

4. Select the people you wish to include in this text. For families you may select the Primary and/or Secondary Payers (usually mom and dad). Check the box at the top of the column to select everyone in that column.

Names in Red: Texting is not set up for people whose names are shown in red, so they cannot be selected. See: Set Up & Text Individual Person
Hint: To reveal the address to which a text message will be sent hold you mouse pointer over the far left hand side of any line with eligible recipients.

5. Click Send.

Note: A record of the message should appear in your email “Sent” folder with a blank “Subject” line. The message is sent as a Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) so people receiving the text cannot see anyone else to whom it was sent and just one email appears in your “Sent” folder.