Texting - Getting Started
Once Text Messaging has been enabled for your Messaging List, there are 2 ways to send a text message to the list:
- Create a Text Message in eAdventist
- Send a text message to your List's SMS number. If your phone is selected in the "Replies to" setting, eAdventist will forward the message to the entire list
Create a Text Message
SMS messages are limited to 2 "segments" (320 characters), so eAdventist shows you the length of your message as you type. While they are designed to save characters, use of a URL shortener (e.g. Bit.ly, tinyurl.com) should be avoided. The mobile phone carriers have begun blocking messages containing shortened links due to their use in spam, fraud and scam messages. eAdventist does not support images in text messages.
What's a "segment"? In an SMS message, a "segment" is 160 characters. Including emojis or some accented characters (e.g. á, í, ú) will require special encoding and reduce each "segment" to 70 characters.
If you'd like to preview the message before sending, use the "Test phone number" and click "Send test". When you're ready, just click the "Send" button.
When a recipient replies to the message, eAdventist will automatically forward the reply to each of the List Admins. Replies will also be displayed on this Text page.
Send a Text Message to your List's SMS number
To make sending text messages to your List even easier. add the SMS number to the Contacts on your phone (e.g. "Rock Solid SDA List"). If you are a List Admin, you can simply create a text message on your phone and send it to the List's SMS number. When eAdventist receives your message and sees that you are a List Admin, it will create the message in eAdventist and send it to your entire List.
TIP: When a member replies to one of your text messages, eAdventist will forward it to you (e.g. "PETER: Thanks, I'll be there"). Resist the temptation to reply to the member from your phone. Your reply will be sent to the entire List.
NOTE: Text messages sent to your SMS number will always go to the entire List. If you want to use Tags to send to a portion of your List, be sure to the create the text message in eAdventist.