Messaging Settings

The Messaging Settings page allows you to enable the Business Hours tool and customize some of the vocabulary used to communicate with your clients in Time To Pet.

In This Article

Check out a short video from our Onboarding Team on the Messaging Settings section!


Business Hours

Business Hours can be enabled by adjusting this setting in Company Settings > Messaging.

business hours setting set to enabled

When Business Hours are enabled, Time To Pet will automatically show a message or send an auto-reply to pet parents who message your business outside of your normal business hours. After enabling Business Hours, you can then set your "Normal Business Hours" for your company.

business hours settings showing days of week and hours sliders

Please note that the green area denotes your "Normal Business Hours" and the gray area is outside of your normal business hours.

With Business Hours enabled, you have the ability to Automate Scheduled Messages for messages sent outside of your normal business hours. This feature works closely with the Scheduled Messages tool in Time To Pet. When enabled, any messages your company sends outside of normal business hours will be automatically scheduled to be sent the next time business hours are open. This is not applicable to post-visit reports, as these are always sent immediately. You can override the “scheduled” setting and send messages immediately when creating messages via the web version of Time To Pet.

Note: Please review our help article on Scheduled Messages for more information.

automate scheduled messages setting set to on with explanation of setting below it

Lastly, you can customize your Outside Business Hours message. This message is automatically displayed to pet parents who send your business a message outside of normal business hours via the Client App or Client Portal. This message is also sent to pet parents who reply to an email or a text message outside of normal business hours.

outside business hours message setting set to enabled with text box

Note: For more information on Business Hours, please review our Business Hours help article.


Custom Messaging

Each of the different messages that can be configured is listed below with further details. 

Please note: Certain messages will only appear in Messaging if certain settings are enabled. Read below for more details. 

Company Settings page under Messaging tab

Email - Automatic Charge Failed

If you have Automatic Charging enabled, this is the message that is emailed to your clients when an automatic charge has failed. It will include your message along with the payment amount, the payment method that was tried, and the invoice information related to the failed charge.

custom messages screen with email - automatic charge failed selected

Email - Automatic Charge Reminder

If you have Automatic Charging enabled, this is the message that is emailed to your clients 24 hours before the automatic charge is scheduled to run. 

Copy Admins On Email: If set to "Yes", all active admins in your Time To Pet account will receive a copy of this email when it is sent.

custom messages screen with email automatic charge reminder selected

Email - Client Services Confirmation

This is the message that is sent to your client that serves as a confirmation or declination of their service requests. This is automatically sent to clients after approving or declining their visits and can also be manually triggered from the Scheduler.

Copy Assigned Sitters On Email: If set to “Yes”, all sitters that are assigned to a visit that is part of this confirmation will also get a copy of the email.

Include Prices: If set to yes, all services that are part of this confirmation will include the price.

custom messages screen with client services confirmation message selected

Email - Client Welcome Email

This is the email that is sent to your clients when you create an account for them (or their account is approved). This email includes their One-Time Activation Link (which your clients will click to activate their client account).

custom messages screen with client welcome email message selected

Email - Client Invoice Message

This is the email that is sent to clients when you click “Email Invoice” or use the Bulk Invoicing tool to email invoices.

Client invoice message with text box to customize language

Email - Client Change Request Processed

This is the email that clients will receive if they have sent a change request for their services and it has been processed by an admin. 

Client change request processed email message with text box to customize language

Note: This message will only appear and apply if this has been updated in Portal Settings under Change/Cancellation Request Type to "Client Makes Request Against Specific Visits". 

Portal - Client Creates Own Account

If configured in your Portal Settings to allow clients to create their own accounts, this message will be shown to the client in a pop-up window immediately after they create an account.

Client creates own account portal message with a text box to customize language

Portal & App - Cancel Request Cut-Off

This is the message that appears if a client has not met the cancellation request cut-off time. 

Portal & App Cancel request cut-off message with a text box to customize the language

Note: This message will only appear and apply if this has been updated in Portal Settings under Change/Cancellation Request Type to "Client Makes Request Against Specific Visits" and if Cancellation Request limits have been set.

Portal - Service Change Request

When clients request cancellations/changes through the portal, this is the message we prompt them with before they actually submit the request.

Portal service change request message with text box to customize language

Note: This message will only appear and apply if this has been updated in Portal Settings under Change/Cancellation Request Type to "Client Sends General Message". 

Portal - Service Request Cut-Off

The message displayed to your clients if they attempt to request services through the portal with too short of notice. 

Note: This message will only apply if you have set Client Service Request Limits in your Portal Settings.

Portal - Service Request Form

The text displayed to your clients in the portal just above the service request form.

Portal service request form message with text box to customize language

Texting - Visit Report Text Message 

The text shown just before the link to see the full visit report card. This is only used with text message notifications of a new conversation.

Text messaging visit report message with a text box to customize language


Next Help Article: Saved Replies

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us