Appointment Reminders and Notification Templates
Notification templates send an SMS confirmation and up to three appointment reminders. Learn to build templates, use tags, choose timings, load messages into an appointment, edit them and skip individual reminders.
What notification templates do
A notification template is the set of SMS messages sent automatically around each appointment — a confirmation when it is booked, and up to three reminders before it happens.
This is the single most effective thing you can set up against no-shows, and once it is built it runs without anyone remembering to send anything.
Open it from the left sidebar: expand Settings and click Notification Templates.
What you already have
The list shows each template with the calendar it applies to and its timings: Instant, First reminder, Second reminder and Third reminder, plus when it was created.
Create a template
- Click New Notification Template.
- Give it a Template name.
- Choose the Calendar it applies to, or All Business Calendars.
- Write the Instant notification — the SMS confirmation sent immediately after the appointment is scheduled.
- Click Add First Reminder, set Time before in hours or days, and write that message.
- Repeat with Add Second Reminder and Add Third Reminder if you want them.
- Click Create Notification.
Load a template into an appointment
- Open Calendar, click New Event and stay on Calendar Appointment.
- Turn on Notify Client.
- Choose an Appointment Notifications Template and click Load Template.
- Review the Now confirmation and every scheduled reminder. Each reminder shows how many days or hours before the appointment it will be sent.
- Review or adjust the text in any message box before saving.
- Use Skip beside any reminder you do not want to schedule for this appointment.
- Click Save Appointment. The messages use the calendar’s default SMS number.
Personalising the message
Each message box offers tags that are filled in automatically when the SMS goes out:
- [Client Name]
- [Company] — taken from the Company Name on the calendar's settings.
- [Appointment Date and Time]
- [Appointment Time]
- [Reminder Timing] — available on reminders.
A counter shows 0 / 160 (1 SMS) as you type. Staying inside 160 characters keeps each message to one SMS — worth doing, since tags expand when they are filled in and a message that looks short in the box can arrive as two.
Choosing your timings
- Instant — confirms you have the right number and gives them something to keep.
- Days before — far enough out that they can still rearrange rather than simply not turn up.
- Hours before — the one that actually reduces no-shows, because it reaches them on the day.
Three reminders for a routine appointment is usually too many. A confirmation, one a few days ahead and one on the day covers most businesses without becoming a nuisance.
Writing reminders people act on
- Lead with your business name so the message is recognisable.
- Include the date and time using the tags rather than typing them.
- Say what you want them to do — confirm, or call to rearrange.
- Keep it to one message.
FAQ
Q: Which number do reminders come from?
A: The default SMS number set on the calendar.
Q: Can one template cover several calendars?
A: Yes. Choose All Business Calendars.
Q: Are reminders required?
A: No, but they are the main defence against no-shows.
Q: Do these apply to bookings customers make themselves?
A: A booking page can apply a reminder template to every booking it takes.
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