This article walks you through the foundation of every message: adding a title, selecting recipients, and writing the default content that serves as a template across every delivery channel. Start here if you're creating your first message or need a refresher on the basics.
Before you start
This article is part of our Create and send messages series. Looking for something else? Check out the full set:
- Create and send messages: Overview
- Part 1: Getting started (this article)
- Part 2: Choose your delivery methods
- Part 3: Delivery options and sending
💡Quick answers
This article answers questions like:
- How do I create a message in Messages XR Enterprise?
- What do I need to set up before sending my first message?
- Where did my message go if I clicked away? Are my drafts saved automatically?
- Will my draft remember the recipients I already selected?
- What's the difference between the Title and the Subject of a message?
- How do I add recipients to a message?
- Why can't I format the Content text in Step 3?
- I'm a teacher. Is this the right article, or is there a different one for me?
Sending prerequisites
Confirm the following before creating your first message:
- Are your social media accounts added and configured in Settings > Social media?
- Do you have any users who will be sending messages with 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
Once your prerequisites are finalized, you're ready to create a message. Navigate to the Messages tab in the left navigation. The tab opens by default to the message creation screen.
Auto-save in drafts
If you click away during message creation and your message seems to disappear, don't worry. It's auto-saved.
- Where to find it: Your message is in the Saved messages button > Drafts folder.
- Drafts remember recipients: When you return to a saved draft, your selected recipients are preserved, so you can pick up right where you left off without having to re-select your audience.
Step 1: Add a title
Enter a Title for your message. The title auto-populates into the Subject field below. You can edit the Subject later if needed.
Step 2: Select recipients
Use the To field to search for, select, and add recipients. You can add recipients manually or by file upload. For details on which options work best for your needs, see "Select recipients for a message."
Step 3: Create content
After setting up your Title and Recipients, enter the content that will serve as the default template for any delivery channels you enable.
- Subject: Auto-populated from the Title. To change it, return to the Title field.
- Message text: Type the body of your message into the text box beneath the Subject field.
Wondering why you can't format the Content text?
That's expected. You'll be able to format and customize each message individually when you configure the delivery channels in Part 2: Choose your delivery methods.
Up next
Continue to Part 2: Choose your delivery methods to customize your message for email, mobile app, SMS, voice, and social media.