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Must know
  • Web & SMS needs a verified phone when you start it. You can only start or switch a thread to Web & SMS for a guardian with a verified phone. But if a family texts your club from the phone number on their account, even one never verified, the text lands in chat and you can text back. An SMS opt-out always wins.
  • Some sends fail. A Web & SMS message over 1,600 characters, or to a family who opted out or a deactivated account, is refused and not saved. The message fades, a red warning icon and a Retry link appear, and an error message gives the reason.
  • Web & Email depends on a setting. If Chat message notification is switched off in Settings > Communication > Notifications > System Rules, Web & Email messages to families are saved as failed with a reason.
  • One thread per guardian. Picking a guardian on another channel switches their existing thread; it never opens a second one.
Where to find it. Open Communication > Chat. Reading needs View Communication; starting, sending, switching channel, closing and archiving need Send Communication.
1

Start a conversation

Click the + beside Conversations (or New Conversation when no thread is open). Pick Web Only, Web & SMS (only if your plan includes SMS) or Web & Email. The list holds every guardian in your club, including invited families with no athlete yet. Scroll it, or search by name, email or phone. Dimmed rows can’t use that channel; hover for the reason.
2

Pick the guardian

If their thread is on another channel, Switch channel? usually asks you to confirm with Switch to [channel]. It only checks the threads already loaded in your list; for an older thread, Uplifter switches the channel without asking. On the channel they already use, their thread just opens, reopened if it was closed or archived.
3

Send your message

Very long messages are refused with “Message too long”, and Web & SMS messages are capped at 1,600 characters. Texts count toward your SMS allowance. A Web Only message sends no text or email; the family sees it in their portal. If a text or email fails at the send step, or member emails are paused during an import, the message stays in the thread marked failed. On an opted-out Web & SMS thread the header shows Opted Out and the message box is replaced by “This recipient has opted out of SMS messages.”
4

Keep the thread going

Replies from the family portal land in the same thread. Text replies are captured on any channel and move the thread to Web & SMS on the number they texted from. Email replies are captured only on a Web & Email thread, from the thread’s address. Any new message reopens a closed or archived thread.
In the thread. Unread threads show a dot, bold text and a count; use Search… to find one. The guardian’s name links to their profile. The channel badge beside it changes the channel, with the same phone and email checks. The … menu at the thread’s top right offers Close Conversation, Reopen, Archive and Unarchive. On a narrow screen you see the list or the thread, with a back arrow. Related: What are the chat channels, and what are their limits? · What is SMS consent and how do opt-outs work? · Which emails does Uplifter send automatically? · How do I start a chat with a family?