The Different SMS Types Available

Choose the right SMS type for every communication need #

FORMEPIC offers three distinct SMS types—Notifications, Autoresponders, and Digests—each designed for specific communication scenarios. Whether you need instant alerts when forms are submitted, automated thank-you messages for respondents, or periodic summaries of form activity, our flexible SMS system ensures your messages reach the right people at the right time. Each type works independently, allowing you to mix and match to create a comprehensive SMS strategy that keeps everyone informed.

Understanding which SMS type to use transforms how you communicate with both your team and your audience. Notifications keep your team responsive with real-time alerts, Autoresponders create professional touchpoints with every respondent, and Digests provide regular insights without overwhelming anyone’s inbox. Together, these tools turn your forms into active communication hubs that work around the clock.

SMS Notifications #

What They Are #

SMS Notifications instantly alert specific recipients (like team members, administrators, or stakeholders) when someone submits your form. Think of them as your real-time alert system that ensures critical submissions never go unnoticed.

When to Use Notifications #

• Urgent Alerts: Customer support requests that need immediate attention
• Team Coordination: Alert team members about new leads, applications, or bookings
• Time-Sensitive Responses: Emergency contact forms, appointment requests, or urgent inquiries
• Escalation Workflows: Notify managers about high-priority submissions
• After-Hours Monitoring: Get alerted to submissions even when you’re away from your computer
• Multi-Department Routing: Send different notifications to different teams based on submission type

Key Features #

• Multiple Recipients: Send the same notification to multiple phone numbers simultaneously
• Dynamic Content: Include form data in the notification (name, email, specific responses)
• Selective Fields: Choose exactly which form data to include
• Instant Delivery: Messages sent immediately upon form submission
• Persistent Alerts: Continue working across form updates and changes
• Team Accessibility: Keep mobile teams informed without requiring email access

Configuration Options #

• Choose your SMS provider
• Set the “from” phone number
• Add unlimited recipient phone numbers (one per line)
• Compose custom message with dynamic fields
• Enable/disable without losing configuration
• Test before going live

Example Use Case #

Customer Support Form: When a customer submits a support ticket, instantly notify your support team via SMS with the customer’s name, issue type, and priority level. Your team can respond within minutes instead of hours, dramatically improving response times and customer satisfaction.

Example Notification:

New support ticket from {customer_name}: "{issue_type}" - Priority: {priority_level}. Contact: {phone}

SMS Autoresponders #

What They Are #

SMS Autoresponders automatically send a personalized text message to the person who submitted your form. It’s your immediate acknowledgment that their submission was received and creates a professional first impression before you’ve even reviewed their response.

When to Use Autoresponders #

• Submission Confirmation: Let people know their form was received successfully
• Appointment Confirmations: Send booking details immediately after reservation
• Event Registration: Confirm attendance and send event details
• Application Acknowledgment: Thank applicants and outline next steps
• Order Confirmations: Confirm purchases with order numbers and details
• Survey Thank You: Express appreciation for survey participation
• Follow-Up Information: Provide additional resources or next steps
• Contact Confirmation: Acknowledge inquiries and set response expectations

Key Features #

• Personalization: Use respondent’s name and submission data in the message
• Immediate Delivery: Sent automatically within seconds of submission
• Dynamic Field Selection: Choose which form field contains the recipient’s phone number
• Custom Messaging: Craft unique messages for different form purposes
• Conditional Logic: Send different messages based on form responses (with conditional logic setup)
• Professional Touch: Create a polished experience without manual intervention

Configuration Options #

• Select SMS provider
• Set “from” phone number
• Choose which form field contains recipient’s phone number
• Compose personalized message with dynamic fields
• Enable/disable independently
• Test with real phone numbers

Example Use Case #

Event Registration Form: When someone registers for your workshop, automatically send them an SMS confirmation with event details, location, date, and a thank-you message. This immediate confirmation reduces no-shows and provides attendees with easy-to-reference details on their phone.

Example Autoresponder:

Hi {name}! Thanks for registering for {event_name} on {event_date}. Location: {venue}. We'll send a reminder 24 hours before. See you there!

SMS Digests #

What They Are #

SMS Digests send periodic summaries of form submissions to specified recipients at regular intervals (daily, weekly, or monthly). Instead of getting notified for every single submission, digests batch information into convenient summaries that provide oversight without overwhelming your phone.

When to Use Digests #

• Regular Reporting: Daily or weekly submission summaries for management
• Volume Management: When individual notifications would be too frequent
• Trend Tracking: Periodic updates on form performance and metrics
• Stakeholder Updates: Keep non-operational team members informed
• Scheduled Reviews: Support regular team meetings with submission counts
• Performance Monitoring: Track form activity without constant interruptions
• Batch Processing: Review multiple submissions at scheduled times

Key Features #

• Flexible Scheduling: Choose daily, weekly, or monthly delivery
• Multiple Recipients: Send to different stakeholders or departments
• Summary Format: Condensed information about submissions over time
• Reduced Interruptions: Batch notifications instead of constant alerts
• Configurable Content: Customize what information appears in digests
• Automatic Sending: Set it once and receive regular updates automatically

Configuration Options #

• Select SMS provider
• Set “from” phone number
• Add recipient phone numbers
• Choose frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Compose digest message template
• Include summary statistics or key metrics
• Enable/disable without losing settings

Example Use Case #

Lead Generation Form: Instead of getting a notification for every single lead, receive a daily digest at 8 AM summarizing how many leads were captured, their sources, and key metrics. This keeps your team informed without constant interruptions while providing a natural point for daily lead review meetings.

Example Digest:

Daily Lead Summary: 23 new leads yesterday. Sources: Website (15), Social (5), Email (3). Total week: 98. Review at: formepic.com/leads

Combining SMS Types for Maximum Impact #

You can use all three SMS types simultaneously on the same form to create a comprehensive communication strategy:

Scenario 1: Event Registration #

• Autoresponder: Immediately confirm registration to attendee
• Notification: Alert event coordinator about each new registration
• Digest: Send daily summary to management showing total registrations

Scenario 2: Job Applications #

• Autoresponder: Thank applicant and outline next steps
• Notification: Alert HR immediately about qualified candidates
• Digest: Send weekly summary to hiring managers with application counts

Scenario 3: Customer Support #

• Autoresponder: Confirm ticket submission to customer
• Notification: Alert available support agent immediately
• Digest: Send daily summary to support manager with ticket volume

Scenario 4: Sales Leads #

• Autoresponder: Send welcome message with company information
• Notification: Alert sales team about hot leads immediately
• Digest: Send weekly summary to sales manager with lead metrics

Choosing the Right SMS Type #

Use Notifications When: #

• Time-sensitivity is critical
• Action is required immediately
• Team members need to respond quickly
• You want selective alerting (not everyone submits)
• Mobile responsiveness is important

Use Autoresponders When: #

• You want to acknowledge every submission
• Building respondent trust is important
• Confirmation reduces follow-up questions
• Professional image matters
• You need to provide immediate information

Use Digests When: #

• Volume is high and individual alerts would be overwhelming
• Periodic oversight is sufficient
• You want to reduce notification fatigue
• Stakeholders need summaries, not details
• Batch processing fits your workflow

Tips and Tricks #

• Mix and Match: Use multiple SMS types together for comprehensive coverage
• Test Each Type: Send test messages for each SMS type before going live
• Monitor Costs: Be aware that each SMS type can incur provider costs—plan accordingly
• Personalize Everything: Use dynamic fields in all message types for better engagement
• Set Expectations: In autoresponders, tell people when to expect a follow-up
• Keep Digests Concise: Summarize the most important information, link to details
• Time Your Digests: Schedule digests for convenient review times (morning, start of week)
• Use Conditional Logic: Send different autoresponders based on form responses
• Balance Notifications: Don’t over-notify—use digests when appropriate
• Mobile-Friendly Content: Keep all messages short and actionable on mobile devices

Important Notes #

• Independent Operation: Each SMS type works independently—enabling one doesn’t affect others
• Separate Configuration: Each type has its own provider, from number, and message settings
• Cost Implications: Each message sent by any type counts toward your SMS provider costs
• Test Mode: All SMS types still send when form is in Test Mode—use test phone numbers
• Character Limits: All SMS types are subject to 160-character standard SMS limits
• Dynamic Fields: Work in all three SMS types for personalization
• Delivery Timing: Notifications and autoresponders send immediately; digests send on schedule
• Multiple Configurations: You can have multiple configurations of the same type (multiple notifications to different teams)
• Provider Flexibility: Each SMS type can use a different provider if needed
• Enable/Disable: Toggle any type on/off without losing configuration

Common Issues & Troubleshooting #

Autoresponder Not Sending

• Verify the selected phone number field contains valid data
• Check that respondents are entering phone numbers in international format
• Ensure autoresponder is enabled (toggle is ON)
• Confirm the phone field is required or always filled in

Notification Sent to Wrong People

• Review the recipient phone numbers in notification settings
• Ensure numbers are in international format with country code
• Check for typos in phone numbers
• Verify you saved settings after making changes

Digest Not Arriving on Schedule

• Confirm digest is enabled in settings
• Check that the schedule time hasn’t been recently changed
• Verify recipient numbers are correct and active
• Allow up to 1 hour variance in digest delivery time
• Check your SMS provider dashboard for delivery logs

Receiving Multiple Messages

• You may have multiple configurations of the same type enabled
• Check if you have both test and production versions active
• Review all SMS configurations in settings to identify duplicates
• Disable or delete redundant configurations

SMS Type Confusion

• Notifications go to YOU (or your team)
• Autoresponders go to RESPONDENTS (who submitted)
• Digests go to STAKEHOLDERS (for summaries)
• Review the “recipient” field in each configuration to confirm who receives what

Message Content Not Personalizing

• Verify dynamic field names match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Ensure fields are wrapped in curly braces {fieldname}
• Check that form submissions contain data for those fields
• Test with a real submission to see actual personalization

Cost Higher Than Expected

• You may have more SMS types active than you realized
• Check if messages are being split due to length (over 160 characters)
• Review your SMS provider usage dashboard
• Consider using digests instead of notifications for high-volume forms
• Verify test sends aren’t inadvertently going to real numbers repeatedly