Create and send messages in the CommHQ app with Messages XR Enterprise

With the CommHQ app that is seamlessly integrated with Messages XR Enterprise, utilize the same message creating capabilities and features that currently exist on the web interface. This article will show you how it works!

How to use the CommHQ app

Create messages and send them via Phone, Email, Text, and Push Notification.
Add posts to Facebook, X/Twitter, and RSS feeds.
Cancel messages from the Communications HQ app.
Set messages to be sent as an emergency message, or to be sent during specific start and end delivery times.
Translate messages into different languages.

Message sending prerequisites: Before you send!

Are your social media accounts added and configured in Settings > Social media?
Do you have any users who will be sending messages given limited use? (See "Manage the Accounts tab" > Configure a user's settings > Limited use option.)
Have you set your reply-to email address? (See "Custom reply-to email address" to learn more.)

Create a message from your CommHQ app

Once you have confirmed that all of your pre-send prerequisites have been finalized, you are ready to create a message.

Step 1: Click Create message button on home screen

Clicking the Create message button on the home screen will send you to the window where you will then create your message content.

Step 2: Add recipients and content

Recipients: Click to select the recipients you would like to add to this message.
- You will be directed to a screen where you can Search to then check the box next any group individual that populates below it.
- Add as many groups as you would like. Select the back arrow to add groups from different schools.
- The lists only show the groups themselves. To find individuals, use the search bar at the top, and then filter by the options.
Click Done once you have selected your recipients.

select recipients in app.png

Add subject: Create a subject for your message. This will auto-populate into your other delivery method channels.
Content: Enter the content that will be used for the other delivery methods you'll be selecting to send out your message.
- You will be able to customize your message in each delivery method.
- For example, if you choose to send out your message via Email and SMS/Text message, the content you add here can be used to tailor the messages sent via those delivery methods.

Important Note

You must fill out the Content area before selecting delivery methods. The text entered here will not transfer automatically if the delivery methods are chosen before the Content text is entered.

Add photo: Attach a photo to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo or Choose Photo (iOS devices)
- Photo Picker or permission request (Android devices)
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Email, Mobile app, Text message, or Voice.

Message saving and resuming drafts

At any stage during the message creation process, should you click away or fail to finish your message creation workflow, be assured that when you return to the Message creation area again, you will be prompted to either Continue draft or Start new message.

resume your message in commHQ app.png

Only messages created in the Messages XR Enterprise desktop platform will show up in the Saved messages button > Drafts folder.
Anytime a message that was previously started is continued or resumed, recipients will need to be re-selected anytime you resume a message to ensure the most current recipients being included.

Step 3: Choose your delivery methods

Once you have entered the default Content, click on each of the delivery methods or channels that you’d also like to send this message to.

Wondering about sending options?

Once you have selected your delivery methods, you can learn about the other sending options available, such as message translation, emergency sending, and so much more! Skip to Advanced Options to learn more.

Send message to email

To send your message to email, click the Email icon where you can then customize your message for email using these bullets as a guide.

Text: Make any adjustments to the text that may be better suited for this delivery method.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Email, Mobile app, Text message, or Voice.
Add photo : Attach a photo to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo or Choose Photo (iOS devices)
- Photo Picker or permission request (Android devices)
To remove the Email channel, toggle off next to Email in the header. This means your message will not be sent to your recipients' email addresses.

Send message to Mobile App as push notification

The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the Mobile icon.

Text: Make any adjustments to the text that may be better suited for this delivery method.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Email, Mobile app, Text message, or Voice.
Add photo : Attach a photo to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo or Choose Photo (iOS devices)
- Photo Picker or permission request (Android devices)
To remove the Mobile app notification channel, toggle off next to Mobile app in the header. This means your message will not be sent to your recipients' mobile devices as a push notification.

Send message as SMS/Text message

The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the SMS/Text icon.

Enter text: Shorten or adjust the length of your message to fit into the displayed character limit.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Content, Email, Mobile app, Voice, or Facebook.
To remove the SMS/Text message channel, toggle off next to Text message in the header. This means your message will not be sent to your recipients as an SMS/Text message.

Important Note on SMS/Text message Character Limit

You may notice that the text carried over from the Content area is too long for the allowed SMS/Text message character limit. Shorten or adjust the length of your message to fit into the displayed character limit which is as follows:

Standard SMS limit: 140 characters
SMS-Plus limit: 280 Characters
- Upgrade to SMS-Plus Want to upgrade to a higher text character limit? Contact your Client Success Manager or email clientsuccess@finalsite.com to learn more!

Send Voice message

The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the Voice icon. You may wish to change the message to be more conversational in tone than what will be used in your other channels.

Adjust the text in your box to sound more conversational.
Once you have added your text, click Record audio to record the voice message using your voice.

Send a Test call to preview how this voice message will sound to your recipients.

Send message to Facebook

The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the Facebook icon.

Text: Make any adjustments to the text that may be more suitable to your Facebook audience.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Content, Email, Mobile app, Text message, Voice, or X.
Add photo or video : Attach a photo or video to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo/Video or Choose Photo/Video (iOS devices)
- Photo/Video Picker or permission request (Android devices)
To remove the Facebook channel, toggle off next to Facebook in the header. This means your message will not be sent to your recipients' Facebook accounts.

Send message to X / Twitter

The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the X/Twitter icon.

Text: Make any adjustments to the text that may be more suitable to your X/Twitter audience.
- Stick to the 280 character limit.
- Any excess text will show up as red and you will not be able to save this channel until you truncate your text.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Content, Email, Mobile app, Text message, Voice, or Facebook.
Add photo or video : Attach a photo or video to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo or Choose Photo (iOS devices)
- Photo Picker or permission request (Android devices)
To remove the X/Twitter channel, toggle off next to X in the header. This means your message will not be sent to your recipients' X/Twitter accounts.

Send message to Feeds

You can push your message in the CommHQ app to appear anywhere you have connected your Feeds. The text you entered into your Content area will automatically appear when you tap on the Feeds icon.

Text: Make any adjustments to the text that may be more suitable to what you would like to appear wherever your feeds are connected.
Copy button: Copy text from another location that you'd like to insert into this screen. Select from: Content, Email, Mobile app, Text message, Voice, Facebook, or X/Twitter.
Add photo or video : Attach a photo or video to your message selecting either:
- Take Photo or Choose Photo (iOS devices)
- Photo Picker or permission request (Android devices)
To remove the Feeds channel, toggle off next to Feed in the header. This means your message will not be sent to the location(s) where your feeds are connected.

Step 4: Consider Advanced options

Once you have selected and configured the message text for all of your delivery methods, you are now ready to think through some of the advanced options available for message sending. This section will show you what options are available and how they work.

Find your advanced options at the bottom of your screen:

Message translation

Select which languages you would like to translate your messages into by clicking the button labeled English.

The Languages window will appear. Check the box next to languages you'd like to include.
Select Edit to preview and be directed to the screen to see a particular language in its translated form.
- Edit: When you select a language, the Edit button will appear in the right of each language row.
- Editing: When the button in the language row says Editing, this language is visible to be previewed in the screen that opens up.

Click the language button in the bottom left again to return to preview other languages.

Schedule or Send now

Click the Now button at the bottom of the Create message screen to configure your message-sending time.

This will open up the Schedule send window. Choose to send your message Now or Later.

Send message: Want to send your message out immediately? Simply leave the toggle set to Now and click Done whenever you’re ready to send.
- Now: Click the Now button to send immediately.
- Later: Select Later and enter the date and time when your message will be sent out.

Emergency send

Toggle the ! button in the bottom right corner of your screen to send your message out immediately to your district community as an Emergency message. This message will ignore all subscription settings and preferences set by users.

Important Note

All emergency messages will override blackout hours that have been set in Settings > Global settings > Delivery blackout section.

Under Commission rules, emergency purposes means calls made necessary in any situation affecting the health and safety of consumers.