Texting Guide for Administrators

Administrators keep teams organized, policies clear, and tasks on schedule. Short texts help you share updates, collect confirmations, and resolve requests without long email threads. TextUs lets you coordinate all of this with messages that stay logged to your systems.

How TextUs Fits Administrator Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can notify employees about policies, schedules, deadlines, and room changes. You can attach PDFs or images, such as policy one-pagers, checklists, or maps, so people can act in the thread.

Keywords like ACK, RSVP, or HELP can enroll contacts in Sequences that confirm receipt or route questions to the right owner.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox, where administrators, facilities, HR, and IT can collaborate. Integrations can log messages, timestamps, and outcomes to your HRIS, helpdesk, or CRM. You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs for audits and weekly reports.

What to Set Up First

Connect your HRIS or directory so departments, locations, and distribution lists sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE process automatically.

Define segments such as All Staff, Managers, New Hires 0 to 30 Days, Facilities, and Visitors Today. Create templates for announcements, reminders, access instructions, and event logistics. Assign Shared Inbox coverage by role and hours so urgent replies always reach a live owner.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment such as “All Staff - Policy Update.” This can make sure your message reaches only the people who need to act.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, updated workplace policy [Name] takes effect [Date]. Reply ACK to confirm or INFO for the one-pager.”
3. Attach media: Add a policy summary, floor map, or checklist when helpful. Attachments can reduce questions.
4. Set up an A/B test: Test two openers or calls to action. Keep the version that gets faster acknowledgments.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during local business hours. For deadlines, schedule reminders at seven days and 24 hours before the cutoff.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as ACK, RSVP, or HELP and reference it in your text. TextUs can capture and route replies automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the one-pager or registration link. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no response.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, track replies, and assign owners in the Shared Inbox for questions that need human help.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks, {{first_name}}. Here is the policy summary: [short URL].”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Reminder to review [Policy Name] by [Date]. Reply ACK when complete.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by site, team, role, and eligibility so each text drives one action. Useful lists include Managers, Front Desk, Remote Employees, Contractors, and Event Attendees. Exclude contacts who have already completed the task.

Personalize with first name and one context field, such as location or date. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, building access for [Site] changes on [Date]. Reply INFO for the map.” Use fallbacks to keep messages clean if a field is missing.

Refresh segments daily during time-sensitive windows. Accurate lists can lift reply and acknowledgment rates.

Template Library for Administrator Scenarios

Keep a compact library that covers your most common moments. One purpose per message and one clear action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, new workplace policy [Name] starts [Date]. Reply ACK to confirm or INFO for the one-pager.”
• “All-hands is at [Time] in [Room]. Want the agenda? Reply INFO.”
• “Visitor arriving at [Time]. Show this code at the front desk: [Code]. Reply HELP if plans change.”
• “Badge renewal due by [Date]. Reply RSVP to book a slot.”
• “Facilities work on [Date] from [Start–End]. Use Entrance B. Reply ACK to confirm.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Keep files under 1 MB and retire low performers.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, clicks, and keyword activity from TextUs weekly. Join that data with HRIS or helpdesk outcomes, such as acknowledgments recorded, badges renewed, attendance, and ticket resolution time. Keep campaign name, segment, keyword, and send time consistent for analysis.

Track acknowledgment rate, time to acknowledgment, completion rate, and opt-out rate by segment. Compare A and B variants to learn which opener and send time work best. Share a one-page summary with delivery rate, reply rate, completions, and top-performing template.

Policy Rollouts and Approvals

Treat policy changes as mini-campaigns. Send a brief announcement with a link to the one-pager and ask for ACK to record receipt. Follow with a reminder to non-responders and a short Q&A option using HELP.

For approvals, text the approver group with a single request and a link to the form. Confirm completion with a DONE reply. Store CSV exports and message copies in your audit folder with dates.

Keep tone clear and neutral. One instruction per message reduces confusion and speeds compliance.

Logistics, Rooms, and Visitor Coordination

Use TextUs to share room changes, seating maps, and building access details. Include a short map or agenda when helpful and ask for ACK so you have a timestamped record. For large meetings, send a reminder one hour before the start time.

For vendors and visitors, text the arrival time, dock or entrance, and contact name. Ask the dock lead to reply READY so staging is confirmed. After completion, request DONE and link to the closeout form.

Keep attachments concise so they open quickly on mobile. Limit to one link or file per text.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so administrators, facilities, HR, and security share context. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so ownership is clear. Templates can standardize answers, and a short personal line can keep the tone friendly.

Use tags like Policy, Event, Visitor, Facilities, and Access to organize threads. Add notes before handing a conversation to another team. Keep notifications on during business hours and event windows.

Compliance and Deliverability for Administrators

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all organizational texts. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE process automatically. Include “Reply STOP to opt out” in your first message to new recipients.

Avoid multiple links, heavy punctuation, or all caps. Send during local business hours and cap reminders to a sensible limit. Keep attachments relevant and lightweight.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Administrators

Can I attach policy one-pagers or maps?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Administrators often attach summaries, maps, or checklists to reduce questions.

Can I automate acknowledgments and reminders?

Yes. You can connect keywords like ACK or RSVP to Sequences that send links and timed follow-ups. This reduces manual chasing and improves completion rates.

Can I include visitors, vendors, and contractors?

Yes. You can create segments for external contacts and send access instructions or schedules. Keep messages concise and specific to dates and entry points.

How does the Shared Inbox help cross-functional teams?

It centralizes replies so administrators, facilities, HR, and security can assign owners, tag threads, and add notes. This prevents duplicate outreach and speeds resolution.

What metrics should I track to improve operations?

Track delivery, reply, acknowledgment, and completion rates. Export TextUs data and match it to HRIS or helpdesk logs to show impact and find improvements.