Text Templates: Create & Use

Purpose: Text templates let you save reusable SMS messages with personalization fields that auto-fill contact details. Use them for appointment reminders, quick check-ins, follow-ups, or any text you send repeatedly.

Before You Begin

All users can create text templates. Templates can be kept private or shared with the team.

Accessing Text Templates

1. Click Settings in the left navigation.
2. Under Communication, select Text Templates.
3. You'll see all existing templates displayed as cards. Use the Search, Category, and Visibility filters to find specific templates.

Creating a Text Template

1. Click + New Template (top right).
2. Enter a Template Name (required).
3. Type your message in the Message field (required). You'll see a live character count and SMS segment count in the top right corner of the field.
4. Select a Category from the dropdown (optional).
5. Check Share with team if you want others to use this template. Leave unchecked to keep it private.
6. Click Create Template.

Using Merge Fields

Merge fields automatically insert contact-specific information when the text is sent.

Below the message field, you'll see Available Merge Fields (Click to Copy) organized by category:

• Contact/Person — First name, last name, email, phone, stage
• Lead — Source, created date
• Property — Address, price
• Assigned User — Assigned agent's name, email, phone
• Sender — Your name, email, phone
• Organization — Team name, phone
• Appointment — Date, time
• Contract — Name, value, property address, closing dates
• Person Details — Lead source, timeframe, tags
• System — Today's date, tomorrow, current time, opt-out link
• Custom Fields — Any custom fields you've created

Click any merge field to copy it, then paste it into your message.

SMS Segment Limits

Standard SMS messages are limited to 160 characters per segment. Messages longer than 160 characters are split into multiple segments of 153 characters each.

Most carriers recommend keeping messages under 3 segments (459 characters) for optimal delivery.

The template editor shows your character count and segment count in real-time as you type.

Template Cards

After creating a template, it appears as a card showing:

• Template name and category
• Preview of the message content
• Character count and SMS segment count
• Usage count, sharing status, and author

Each card has three actions:

• Preview — See the full message with merge fields listed
• Edit — Modify the template
• Delete (trash icon) — Remove the template

Previewing a Template

Click Preview on any template card to see:

• Total character count and SMS segments
• The full message with merge fields replaced by sample data
• A list of merge fields used in the template
• SMS segment info reminder

Editing a Template

1. Find the template and click Edit.
2. Make your changes.
3. Click Save (or use Cmd/Ctrl + Enter).

Tips

• Keep it short. Aim for under 3 SMS segments (459 characters) for best deliverability.
• Front-load the important info. Put the key message at the beginning in case the text gets truncated.
• Use merge fields sparingly. A first name is usually enough personalization for a text.
• Test with Preview. Always preview to see how merge fields render and check your segment count.

What's Next

Tags: Setup & Use →