# Create an SMS Template (/how-to/marketing/create-sms-template)



SMS templates work the same way as email templates but are optimized for short text messages. They use the same `{{variable}}` syntax and can be sent through workflows or manual actions.

When to Use This [#when-to-use-this]

* You want to send a quick booking reminder or confirmation via text message.
* Your customers prefer SMS over email for time-sensitive notifications.
* You are building a workflow that needs to send an SMS at a specific step.

Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

SMS sending requires Twilio credentials configured for your company. Contact your Resytech administrator if SMS messages are not being delivered.

Steps [#steps]

1\. Open the Template Editor [#1-open-the-template-editor]

Navigate to **Marketing > Templates** in the dashboard sidebar. Click the **Create Template** button.

2\. Choose the SMS Type [#2-choose-the-sms-type]

Select **SMS** from the two type buttons at the top of the form.

3\. Fill in the Template Details [#3-fill-in-the-template-details]

| Field             | Required | Description                                                                                                                              |
| ----------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Template Name** | Yes      | A descriptive internal name, e.g. "Booking Reminder SMS". Must be unique within your location.                                           |
| **Description**   | No       | A short note about the template's purpose.                                                                                               |
| **Category**      | No       | Same categories as email: Booking Confirmation, Booking Reminder, Booking Cancellation, Payment Receipt, Follow-up, Marketing, or Other. |

4\. Write the Subject Line [#4-write-the-subject-line]

Even for SMS templates, the **Subject Line** field is available. While it is not displayed to the customer in the text message itself, it is used as a label in the communication log and workflow history. Enter something descriptive like "Booking Reminder" or "Confirmation".

5\. Compose the SMS Message [#5-compose-the-sms-message]

The SMS body is a plain-text area (no rich-text formatting). A character counter appears in the top-right corner of the textarea showing **current / 160 characters**.

* A single SMS segment is 160 characters.
* If your message exceeds 160 characters, the counter shows how many segments it will use (e.g., "+1 SMS" for 161-320 characters).
* Variables like `{{customer.name}}` count toward the character limit at their placeholder length. The actual replaced value may be longer or shorter, so leave some margin.

Example SMS body:

```
Hi {{customer.name}}, reminder: your {{activity.name}} booking is on {{booking.date}} at {{booking.startTime}}. See you at {{location.name}}!
```

Use the **Available Variables** panel on the right to click-to-insert variables at your cursor position.

6\. Activate and Save [#6-activate-and-save]

Check or uncheck **Activate template immediately**, then click **Create Template**.

Character Count Tips [#character-count-tips]

* Keep messages under 160 characters when possible to avoid multi-segment charges.
* Variable values vary in length. `{{customer.name}}` might be "Jo" or "Christopher Alexander". Plan for the longer case.
* Waiver links (`{{waiver_link_booking:uuid}}`) generate full URLs that can be 80+ characters. Consider using a link shortener or only including these in email templates.
* Avoid special characters (curly quotes, emojis) that may force the carrier to use UCS-2 encoding, which reduces the segment limit to 70 characters.

How SMS Delivery Works [#how-sms-delivery-works]

When an SMS template is sent (via workflow or manual trigger):

1. The system loads the customer's phone number and country code from their profile.
2. Phone numbers are formatted to E.164 format (e.g., `+15551234567`). US numbers without a country code automatically get `+1` prepended.
3. The message is sent via Twilio using the company's configured account credentials.
4. A record is written to the [Communication Log](/how-to/marketing/view-communication-log) with the recipient, timestamp, and message reference.

Using the Template in a Workflow [#using-the-template-in-a-workflow]

When you add a **Send Template** or **Send SMS** action node in the workflow builder, you can select this template. The recipient is determined by the action configuration:

* **customer** -- sends to the customer's phone number.
* **admin** -- sends to the location's contact phone.
* **custom** -- sends to a phone number you specify.

Related [#related]

* [Create an Email Template](/how-to/marketing/create-email-template)
* [Use Template Variables](/how-to/marketing/use-template-variables)
* [Workflows & Automation](/how-to/workflows)