Send a text to parents or trusted adults

If you're in the US or Canada and need to contact an adult about their child, you can send a pre-written text message from a manned or roster station. Recipients cannot reply to these messages.

Each day, you can text up to 10% of your daily check-in limit. Although you won't be prevented from sending texts if you go over that limit occasionally, you may receive an email if the overages are excessive or frequent.

Tip

Want to see other ways to use texting in Planning Center? Check out our Texting Reference Guide!

1. Using the Check-Ins app, open your manned or roster station.

2. Find and check in a child.

3. On a manned station, search for the child again.

   If you're using a roster station, go to the Here tab.

4. To the right of a child's name, tap the 💬 messaging icon.

5. Choose a household adult or trusted person for the child to text the mobile phone number on their profile.

   • If a recipient cannot be chosen, make sure their phone number is ten digits. Check profiles with a People list to ensure the people have phone numbers.

   • People don't need to opt in to receive these pre-written texts.

   Important

   Whoever is listed as the Checked in by person for the child will be the default text recipient. If the child was checked in on a roster station, you must choose a recipient manually, as no one is selected by default.

6. Select a pre-written message to send:

   • Come: “Please come to [location] for [first name].”

   • Feeding: “[First name] is hungry in [location].”

   • Diaper/bathroom: “[First name] in [location] needs assistance with a diaper change or bathroom break.”

   • Medical emergency: “[First name] is having a medical emergency in [location].”

   • Doing great: “[First name] is doing great!”

   • Alternative option: If you're using a roster station with Confirm Check-Ins enabled and the child has not arrived to the classroom, go to the unconfirmed section on the Here tab to select the 💬 messaging icon and send: “[First name] has not arrived at [location]. Please notify a leader if the child is not with you.” Another option cannot be selected until the child has been confirmed on the roster.

7. Select Send Message in the bottom right corner. If a mobile phone number isn't listed, the message will attempt to send to other phone number types.

Once you send a message, select the 💬 messaging icon again and use the Show Message History dropdown to view details about the sent message.