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Staff Reference

Messaging - SMS Templates

SMS Templates and Triggers are a powerful part of the OwnerRez messaging system that automates messaging, based on events or scheduled times, while also giving users the ability to maintain a personalized and branded look and feel. 

Create an SMS Template

Creating an SMS Template is very similar to creating an Email Template as the instructions are essentially the same.

Users can navigate to Settings > Messaging > Templates.

Messaging Templates

In the SMS tab, users can select the type of SMS Template that they want to create from the Create SMS Template drop-down list.

Users should note that if they want their email template to be automatically sent by a trigger, they MUST create a Booking email template as triggers are based on booking criteria only

Create SMS Template

In the SMS template editor, users can select Field codes to customize their SMS message template for each property and each booking/guest by clicking on the field code icon Field Code Icon or Insert Field, depending on the section of the booking SMS template.

Create Text Template

Click on the Insert button Insert Field Code Button to add the field code to your booking email template and the selected field code will be added to your booking SMS template.

Insert Custom Fields

When users want to see how their SMS template will appear to guests, they can click on Save, then choose Preview at the top of the screen.

Preview SMS Template

Be sure to click on Save and Preview your changes.

Users can adjust and edit their booking SMS template and then preview it until their booking SMS template appears as desired.

Once you've written your SMS Template, users can use the Trigger feature to determine when it will be sent.

Customized SMS message templates created by OwnerRez users will only be sent automatically if the email message template has a corresponding trigger set.

Send SMS Messages to Guests

There are two ways to send SMS messages to a guest.

  • From within their individual booking. Once in the booking, look at the top right under the Booking # and click on the “Conversation” menu item. This will take you to a page where you can type the message. If this is an Airbnb guest, you will have the choice of sending the message via the Airbnb messenger or through the OR SMS messaging feature. If you choose the SMS, you will notice the guest’s phone number is automatically selected. (If this is not an Airbnb guest, that option will be grayed out and is not available.) Just type your message and hit send. You can also attach a photo or other file (only 1 per message).

Guest Conversation

  1. Through the CRM tab. If this is the FIRST time you’ve sent an SMS message to this specific guest, go to CRM and select “Contacts.” From the list displayed, find the guest you wish to message and click on the “Pencil" icon to the left of the guest’s name. On the next screen, from the left hand menu, choose “Conversation.” If there is a phone number associated with that guest record, you will be taken to the screen where you can type your message.

View SMS Message Conversations

You can find all your SMS Messages, Incoming and Outgoing, under CRM > Inbox in the Main OwnerRez menu. This is in addition to seeing messages within a booking under the “Conversation” menu item.

How Do I Know If Someone Sent Me a Message?

1. You can watch the CRM > Inbox counters on the menu which will light up when new messages have arrived. This is the case for Airbnb, Vrbo and SMS messages.  We know that we need more alerts for seeing new messages, and it's at the top of our list.  It's the first thing every user has pointed out.

2. There is a system alert for SMS Messages that will fire off an email anytime one comes in.  This email will be sent to the main email address on your account.  It will include the message itself and where it came from.

Note that you cannot reply to the SMS message by replying to the email - instead, you'll need to click on the included link to go to the OwnerRez inbox, and you can reply from there.

Where Can I See Messages Exchanged With Someone?

Within a specific Booking, go to the “Conversation” menu item in the upper, right, under the Booking #. In addition, you can use the CRM tab from the main OwnerRez menu (CRM > Inbox) to see folks you’ve messaged with – both SMS Messages and ones sent through Airbnb.