Messaging Defaults

Organization Settings

Use the links below to jump to the setup area you need.

The Messaging tab defines how your Organization sends email and SMS communications in Activity Messenger. These settings control default send methods, reply handling, SMS behavior, and internal notifications when clients respond.

Open Messaging Defaults

From the top navigation bar:

1. Click the cogwheel beside your Organization name.
2. Select Modify Organization Settings.
3. Open the Messaging tab.

Access may depend on your user permissions.

Messaging settings apply globally and serve as the default behavior for all communications sent from the platform, including messages triggered by forms, invoices, automations, and manual sends. Most options can be overridden at the time a message is sent.

Proper configuration of the Messaging tab ensures clear replies, compliant messaging, and efficient internal follow-up across all communication channels.

⚠️ Important
Changes made in this section affect all outgoing communications. Review updates carefully and click Update to save your changes.

Covered in this guide

Use this section to quickly find the messaging setting you need.

Default Message Settings
Reply Handling (Email & SMS)
SMS Configuration
Mobile Number Used for SMS
Internal Notifications
Best Practices

1. Default Message Settings

Default type of message

Select the default channel used when sending messages.

Available options:

Email
SMS (text message)
Both email and SMS

This setting determines the preselected channel when creating new messages or automations.

You can still override the channel at send time.

⚠️ Important — SMS Usage Recommendation

By default, we strongly recommend using Email only as your default message type.

SMS messages are billed per message and can become very costly if used unintentionally for large-scale communications—such as marketing campaigns or bulk announcements.

Best practice:

Use Email as the default channel
Enable SMS selectively for time-sensitive, high-value messages (reminders, last-minute updates, or critical notifications)
Always double-check the message channel before sending large distributions

This approach helps control costs while ensuring SMS is reserved for communications where it provides the most value.

Default type of communication

The default communication type controls whether new messages are categorized as Marketing or Non-marketing.

Understanding communication types

Activity Messenger classifies messages into two categories:

Marketing
- Example: Marketing – Program information
Non-marketing
- Examples: Reminders, cancellations, waivers

This distinction is critical for compliance. For example, contacts who have unsubscribed from marketing messages can still receive non-marketing communications such as class reminders or cancellations.

Communication types are used for:

Compliance with messaging regulations
Managing unsubscribe behavior
Reporting and audit purposes

⚠️ Important
Always verify the communication type before sending to ensure regulatory compliance.

2. Reply Handling

Reply-to email

The default email address that receives replies when a client responds to an email.

By default, this will be the email address configured in your Organization's Information tab
Used unless overridden at send time
Should point to a monitored inbox to ensure timely follow-up

Reply-to mobile (optional)

An optional phone number used for SMS replies.

Incoming SMS replies can be forwarded to this number
Commonly used when replies should reach a shared or monitored mobile device

3. SMS Configuration

SMS reply preference

Defines what happens when a client replies to an SMS message. This setting applies Organization-wide.

Available options:

Forward the message to the Organization’s “reply-to mobile” phone
SMS replies are forwarded to the number defined in Reply-to mobile.
Forward the message to the sender’s mobile phone
Replies are forwarded to the mobile number of the staff member who sent the message.
Respond with an auto-reply message
Activity Messenger sends the predefined SMS auto-reply and does not forward the reply.
Do nothing
No action is taken when a client replies.

SMS auto-reply message

A short automatic response sent to clients when they reply by SMS.

Maximum length: 135 characters
Used to acknowledge receipt of a message

Example:

“Thanks for your message, we will be right with you.”

Note
To activate this message, select Respond with an auto-reply message in SMS reply preference.

SMS cost control

Remove character limit on long SMS

When enabled:

Allows messages longer than the maximum default limit of 350 characters
May result in higher SMS costs

Use this option carefully if cost control is important.

4. Mobile Number Used for SMS

Your mobile number

Displays the phone number used by Activity Messenger to send SMS messages.

Managed by Activity Messenger
Used for outbound SMS and inbound replies

To request a different number or local area code, contact
support@activitymessenger.com

5. Internal Notifications

Notify admins by email upon reception of an SMS

Select one or more internal users to be notified by email when a client replies by SMS.