Learn how to efficiently add and edit SMS notifications in Keystone as an admin with this tutorial. Setting up custom notifications ensures timely, clear communication with clients and team members.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of Keystone to access Settings.
Scroll down to Notifications, then click on Custom Notification Recipients.
To set up SMS notifications, you must first create a custom recipient using one of these SMS-specific types:
Employee Role SMS allows you to send messages to employees (like inspectors) based on their role. You can also choose to send only to the employee assigned to the order.
Lead Contact SMS is used to send messages to someone submitting an order through the online scheduler. You can set this to send only to the person submitting the lead.
Order Contact SMS is for sending messages to any contact on the order (buyer, buyer’s agent, listing agent, etc.). You can also apply filters such as “new on order” or “marked as signing & paying.”
To create a new recipient, click on “New Recipient,” fill in the required details, then click Save Notification Recipient.
Next, scroll back to Notifications and click on Custom Notifications.
Click “New Notification” in the upper right-hand corner.
Enter a Rule Name (for internal use) and select the Event that should trigger the SMS notification (such as order scheduled or agreement signed). Each event includes optional sub-event filters and service filters for more control.
You can choose to send the SMS immediately or on a custom schedule. You may also set cancellation conditions, such as only sending if the order is unpaid.
Under Recipients, choose one of your SMS-based recipients. Keystone determines whether this is an SMS or email notification based on the recipient type. Email-based recipients show the Rich Template (with subject line and formatting). SMS recipients show the Plain Template only, without formatting or subject line.
In the Plain Template, enter the SMS message to be sent. You may use variables to auto-populate order details such as client name, property address, or scheduled time. Variable values do not count toward the character limit until the SMS is sent. If the populated text is long, it may push your message over the limit.
Character Limits: SMS notifications must be under 320 characters or they will not be sent. Messages over 150 characters may be split into multiple messages by the carrier. A character counter appears in the lower left corner of the template box. A warning will appear if you’re nearing the 320-character limit. If you go over the limit, you’ll see a red warning icon and the system will not allow you to save.
Once you’ve finalized the message, click Save Notification Rule. Your new SMS notification will appear in the Custom Notifications list. Toggle it Active to begin using it.
During booking, you can disable any notification before clicking Submit. After submission, click the SMS icon on the right side of the order. Select the contact (such as the inspector) to confirm the message was sent.
Keystone will display an error if the SMS fails to send. If you see this, contact Keystone Support or your iGopher for assistance.