SMS communication

This page outlines the process of managing SMS communications associated with the records in Brevity.

These are the topics on this page:

Introduction

The SMS communication panel allows you to initiate and store SMS communications against any record that is identified with a mobile number. Generally this is limited to the employee, client, service provider and quotation modules.

Navigating the SMS Communication Panel

The fields, panels and buttons that comprise the SMS communication page are outlined as follows

Type: Brevity will automatically set the communication type as SMS.
Direction: Set the communication direction as outgoing, incoming or internal. Outgoing is communication from your organisation to an external party, Incoming is communication from and external party to your organisation and Internal is communication within your organisation.
Communication Party: Brevity will automatically set the record to which the SMS communication record relates.
Recipient Phone/ Email: Brevity will automatically set the phone number if this value is available, otherwise the field will be blank. This field allows you to input an email address.
Completed: This field allows you to to specify whether the meeting has been completed. Setting this field to YES will make the SMS record non-editable.
Due Date: This field is used to specify the completion date of the SMS communication. The date can be specified as free text or by using the calendar picker.
Reminder Date: This field is used to specify a follow up date in relation to the SMS communication. The date can be specified as free text or by using the calendar picker.
Subject: This field is used to specify the subject of the SMS communication.
Body: This field is used to specify the body of the SMS communication.
Save: This button is used to save the SMS details.
Attachments: This field lists the attachments that have been added to the SMS communication. You have to first save the record before adding the attachment.
Send: This button is used to send the SMS communication.

Creating an SMS Communication

To create an SMS communication record observe the follow below steps:

Select the Communications icon in the ribbon to open the communication panel.
Select the New SMS icon to open the SMS panel.
Within the direction field the default is outgoing. To change the default select the the direction of communication from the dropdown list.
Within the Communication Party field either you can accept default record that that the communication relates with, depending upon the record type or you make the appropriate selection from the dropdown list. As an example for the client record you can select the communication party as either the client name, client contact name or client service provider name.
Within the Recipient Email/Phone field input the phone number of the recipient if the field has not automatically updated with that information.
Within the Completed field select whether the communication is completed or not. Selecting Yes and saving the form will not allow to make any further changes in the communication record.
Within the Due date field specify the expected date for the completion of sending the SMS. Specify the date as free text input or selected from the date picker
Within the Reminder date field specify a reminder date of sending the SMS. Specify the date as free text input or selected from the date picker.
To apply a template against the SMS communication select the TEMPLATES button.
Refer to the templates topic for additional information.
Where a template is being used skip to step 12.
Within the Subject field enter the subject of SMS communication.
Within the Body field enter the actual content of the message.
Save the SMS communication record using save button.

Templates

To assign a template to the SMS communication select the Templates button (1) located at the top right of the communications panel to present a listing of templates within the Select Templates page. Select the template tile (2) that is to be used within the email and click the Select Template button (3) to update the email subject and body with the template particulars. As required refine the SMS body.

Editing an SMS communication

To edit an SMS communication record observe below steps:

Open the record against which the SMS communication was registered against.
Select the Communications icon in the ribbon bar to open the communication panel.
Search for the SMS record using the horizontal scroll.
Click on view link to open the SMS record.
Edit the particulars of the SMS detail which can include as follows:
Adjusting the due date or reminder date
Updating the recipient phone/email, subject, body or communication party
Upload an attachment
Updating the status to completed
Once done, click on the Save button to update the SMS details.

Delete an SMS communication

To delete an SMS communication record observe below steps:

Observe steps 1 - 4 as outlined under the topic editing an SMS communication.
Click on the Delete button located within the ribbon bar.
Select the OK button on the screen prompt to confirm deletion of the communication record.