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Messages

By default, Conductly's texting is one-way -- see SMS Templates. Turn on Messaging (Settings > Features > Messaging) and that changes: replies to your texts are collected into Messages, a screen of its own in the sidebar, where your staff can read and reply to them.

:::info Off by default, on by default for new schools Existing schools start with Messaging off -- turn it on at Settings > Features to use it. Recently created schools may find it already on. See Features. :::

Turning It On​

  1. Go to Settings > Features.
  2. Switch on Messaging.

A Messages item appears in the sidebar right away. From that point on, a reply to one of your texts is filed into a conversation instead of getting the automatic "this number is not monitored" message.

Turning Messaging back off hides Messages from the sidebar again, but nothing already recorded is deleted -- turn it back on and every conversation is still there.

Reading and Replying​

Open Messages from the sidebar. The screen has two panels:

  • Left panel -- every conversation, most recent first. Each row shows who it's with (a linked name if Conductly recognizes the number, otherwise the number itself), a preview of the last message, and how long ago it arrived. A conversation with unread messages is bold, with a count badge.
  • Right panel -- the selected conversation's full message history, with a reply box at the bottom. Search the thread list by name or number to narrow it down.

A Messages / Archive toggle at the top switches between your active conversations and ones you've archived. When there are unread messages, a badge next to the toggle shows the total count.

To reply, select a conversation, type in the box at the bottom, and send -- your reply appears in the thread right away.

Right-click a conversation (or use its row menu) for Mark as read / Mark as unread and Archive / Move to Messages (un-archive).

:::note One number, one household When a phone number is shared by more than one person Conductly knows about -- say, both guardians in a household -- the conversation header links each of their names individually, so you can jump to either record from the same thread. :::

:::note If a number doesn't match anyone A reply from a number Conductly doesn't recognize still shows up as a conversation -- titled by the phone number itself instead of a name. :::

Who Can See What​

Reading and replying to Messages takes the same permission as sending a text in the first place -- Settings > Team > "Send emails and texts" (see Instructor Permissions).

By default, an instructor only sees conversations with their own students and those students' families. Turn on Settings > Team > "See every conversation" to let instructors see every text conversation at your school, including families they don't teach -- useful if an instructor also covers front-desk duty. This toggle only appears once Messaging is turned on. See Team Management.

If your school hides contact details from instructors (Settings > Team > "Hide contact details"), phone numbers are hidden on the Messages screen too, the same way they're hidden everywhere else.

What It Doesn't Do​

  • No badge outside Messages itself. A new reply doesn't add to your Inbox unread count, and the sidebar's Messages link doesn't carry a badge either -- check the Messages screen itself to see if something new has come in.
  • No group texting. Each conversation is one phone number's thread -- there's no way to message several families from a single conversation.
  • STOP/START still apply. Someone who has opted out of your texts (see SMS Templates) can't be replied to -- Conductly blocks the send and tells you they've opted out.
tip

Because a new reply doesn't raise a badge anywhere outside the Messages screen itself, get in the habit of checking it directly rather than waiting to be notified.