A quick text message is often the fastest way to reach a client — whether it's a same-day appointment reminder, a nudge about an overdue vaccination, or a consent form link before they arrive. Lupa's SMS features let you send individual messages to clients, configure automated appointment reminders, and manage reusable templates — all from within the practice management system.
💡 In short: Enable SMS for your location, create templates with client and pet placeholders, send one-off messages or configure automated appointment reminders — and track delivery for every message sent.
Before You Begin
📍 Permissions required: Only Company Admins can enable or disable SMS settings. All staff can send individual SMS messages once the feature is enabled.
SMS is charged per message. Check with your account manager for current pricing.
The client must have a valid phone number on their record.
Configuring SMS Settings
Step 1: Open SMS settings
Go to Settings → Communications → SMS.
Step 2: Enable SMS features
Toggle the features you want to use:
Setting | What it does | Default |
Manual SMS | Allows staff to send individual SMS messages to clients from the client record or appointment view | Off |
Automated reminders | Enables SMS as a channel for automated appointment reminders and pet schedule reminders | Off |
Creating SMS Templates
Step 1: Open template settings
Go to Settings → Templates.
Select the SMS tab.
Step 2: Create a new template
Click Add Template.
Enter a template name (e.g. "Appointment Reminder", "Vaccination Due").
Write your message using placeholders to personalise it for each recipient.
Available Placeholders
Placeholder | Replaced with |
| The client's first name |
| The pet's name |
| The name of the reminder (e.g. "Annual Vaccination") |
| The reminder due date |
| Your practice or location name |
| Your practice phone number |
| Your practice email address |
| Your online booking page URL |
⚠️ Character limits apply. SMS templates are limited to 140 characters. Direct (manual) messages can be up to 240 characters with a minimum of 20 characters. Keep messages concise — longer messages may be split into multiple SMS segments, which increases cost and reduces engagement.
Sending an Individual SMS
From a client record or appointment view, click the SMS action (or select Send SMS from the communication options).
The Send SMS dialog opens with the client's phone number pre-filled.
Type your message (20–240 characters) or select a template.
Click Send.
Lupa validates the phone number, sends the message, and records the delivery status.
💡 The sender ID shown to the client is "Lupa" — clients will see the message coming from this name rather than a phone number.
Automated Appointment Reminders
SMS can be used as a channel for automated appointment reminders alongside email and WhatsApp. Configure these in Settings → Communications → Default Reminders.
Available Reminder Types
Reminder | When it sends | Default SMS |
Booking Confirmation | Immediately when a booking is confirmed | Disabled |
Reminder 1 | Configurable days before appointment (e.g. 3 days) | Disabled |
Reminder 2 | Configurable days before appointment (e.g. 1 day) | Disabled |
Follow-up | Configurable days after appointment | Disabled |
Each reminder type has its own SMS template that you can customise. Default templates are provided as a starting point — for example:
Reminder: "Hi {clientName}, reminder: {petName} has an appointment at {storeName} on {appointmentTime}. Call us on {storePhone}."
Follow-up: "Hi {clientName}, we hope {petName}'s visit to {storeName} went well. Call us on {storePhone} if you need support."
💡 To use SMS as a channel, SMS reminders must be enabled in Settings → Communications → SMS. If SMS reminders are not enabled, the SMS channel button will be greyed out on all reminder types. Ask a Company Admin to enable it if needed.
Pet Schedule Reminders
SMS can also be used for automated pet health schedule reminders (e.g. vaccination due dates, flea treatment renewals). These use communication templates configured per reminder type and are sent automatically when a reminder becomes due.
Delivery Tracking
Every SMS sent through Lupa is recorded in the client's communication history with one of these statuses:
Status | What it means |
Sent | The message was successfully delivered to the SMS provider |
Failed | The message could not be sent — typically an invalid or unreachable phone number |
Not Sent | The message was skipped — usually because SMS is disabled or the phone number is missing |
Tips for Effective SMS Communication
✅ Best practices from practices that run Lupa:
Keep messages short and actionable — SMS is for quick prompts, not detailed instructions
Include your practice phone number in reminder templates so clients can call back easily
Add the booking link placeholder to reminder messages so clients can rebook directly
Use SMS reminders alongside email for important appointments — some clients check texts more often than email
Review your automated reminder timing — sending 3 days and 1 day before an appointment covers both planners and last-minute checkers
Monitor failed deliveries regularly to catch invalid phone numbers early
Troubleshooting
Problem | Solution |
I can't send SMS messages | SMS may not be enabled for your location. Ask a Company Admin to go to Settings → Communications → SMS and enable Manual SMS. |
SMS shows as failed | The client's phone number may be invalid or unreachable. Check the number on the client record — it must be a valid international format. Remove any spaces or special characters. |
Automated reminders aren't sending | Check that Automated Reminders is enabled in SMS settings, and that SMS is toggled on for the specific reminder type in Settings → Default Reminders. |
My message is too long | Templates are limited to 140 characters; direct messages to 240. Shorten your message or remove unnecessary words. Long messages may be split into multiple segments, increasing cost. |
I can't change SMS settings | Only Company Admins can enable or disable SMS features. Ask your practice manager for access. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does each SMS cost?
How much does each SMS cost?
SMS pricing varies by country. Contact your Lupa account manager for current rates.
What phone number do clients see?
What phone number do clients see?
Clients see "Lupa" as the sender name rather than a phone number. This is configured as a sender ID with the SMS provider.
Can clients reply to SMS messages?
Can clients reply to SMS messages?
No. SMS messages sent from Lupa use a sender ID, not a phone number, so they are one-way. For two-way messaging, use client chat with the App or WhatsApp channels.
Can I send SMS to international numbers?
Can I send SMS to international numbers?
Yes, provided the phone number is in valid international format.
What's the difference between SMS templates and email templates?
What's the difference between SMS templates and email templates?
SMS templates are plain text with a character limit (140 characters for templates, 240 for direct messages). Email templates support rich text formatting, images, and much longer content. Both use the same placeholder system for personalisation.