SMS and WhatsApp Templates

SMS templates work like email templates — you create and edit them under Templates → SMS in the sidebar (action: Create SMS Template). They support a narrower set of merge tags than email. WhatsApp templates are different — they're read-only, pre-approved by Meta, fixed per reminder type, and managed by Remindax support. The WhatsApp page under Templates → WhatsApp is a reference listing, not an editor.

SMS templates

Where they live

Sidebar → Templates → SMS.

Creating an SMS template

1. Go to Templates → SMS.
2. Click Create SMS Template.
3. Name the template.
4. Write the SMS body. Keep it short — SMS has carrier-imposed character limits, and longer messages may split into multiple billed SMS segments.
5. Use the supported merge tags (see below).
6. Save.

SMS character limits

• A standard SMS message is 160 characters in GSM-7 encoding.
• Messages with special characters (emoji, non-Latin scripts, certain symbols) shift to Unicode encoding with a 70-character limit per message.
• Longer messages can split into multiple segments, each billed separately.

Keep messages tight. Use merge tags economically.

SMS merge tags (narrower than email)

SMS supports a smaller variable set than email. Available variables:

#title#
#document_type#
#folder_name#
#exp_date#
#due_date#
#start_date_time#
#end_date_time#
#location#
#notes#

NOT available in SMS: contact first/last name, company, department, custom fields (via #cf.name#).

If you need a custom value in SMS, put it in the reminder's Notes field and reference #notes# in the SMS template.

For the complete variable list, see Merge tags reference.

Editing an SMS template

Open the template from Templates → SMS, edit the body, save. Changes apply to future sends only.

Testing SMS templates

Unlike email, there is no SMS test-send action. To test, send a real SMS by creating a low-stakes test reminder with yourself as the recipient (SMS ticked), and verify the message arrives correctly.

WhatsApp templates

WhatsApp templates work differently from email and SMS — they're more constrained.

Where they live

Sidebar → Templates → WhatsApp.

The WhatsApp page is read-only

When you open Templates → WhatsApp, you'll see:

• A list of fixed pre-approved templates, one per reminder type.
• A page note explaining that WhatsApp reminders are limited to fixed templates, the templates are approved by WhatsApp/Meta, and users currently cannot modify them.

There's no "Create WhatsApp Template" action. You can't edit the templates from this UI.

The WhatsApp template mapping

Remindax automatically picks the right template based on the reminder type. There's no per-step WhatsApp selector — see Edit sequence steps.

WhatsApp template variables (abbreviated names)

The approved WhatsApp templates use these placeholder names:

#title#
#doc_type#         (note: NOT #document_type#)
#exp_date#
#start_date_time#
#notes#
#attachments#
#cust_fields#       (note: NOT #custom_fields#)

These are baked into the approved templates — you don't add them.

Why WhatsApp is so different

WhatsApp Business messaging requires every template to be pre-approved by Meta with a fixed structure. Approval guards content (no promotional messaging without opt-in, no high-volume spam patterns) and ensures consistent recipient experience.

This means:

• Users can't write their own WhatsApp templates from the UI.
• Adding or changing a WhatsApp template requires going through Meta's approval process — which is handled externally, typically via Remindax support.
• The placeholder/variable structure within each template is fixed.

What if I want a custom WhatsApp template?

The current UI doesn't include a workflow to submit new WhatsApp templates to Meta. If you have a specific WhatsApp template need:

• Contact Remindax support with your requirements.
• Remindax handles the Meta approval process externally.
• Once approved, the new template can be available in your account.

This is intentionally a high-friction workflow — Meta's approval process protects all WhatsApp users from spammy/promotional patterns.

What happens next

• SMS templates are immediately available to assign to sequence steps after saving.
• WhatsApp templates are automatic per reminder type — no assignment needed.
• See Edit sequence steps for how templates attach to steps.

Edge cases & gotchas

• SMS variables differ from email. No contact name, no company, no custom fields. Use Notes field for variable content.
• WhatsApp templates are read-only. You can't edit them from the UI.
• WhatsApp uses abbreviated tag names like #doc_type# and #cust_fields# (vs email's #document_type# and #custom_fields#).
• No SMS test-send. Test by creating a low-stakes test reminder.
• Character limits matter for SMS. Special characters can push you into Unicode encoding with a 70-character limit per segment.
• WhatsApp templates are fixed per reminder type. Same template for all Expiration reminders, regardless of document type or recipient.
• New WhatsApp template requests go through Remindax support, not a self-serve flow.

Related questions

• Where are SMS templates? Sidebar → Templates → SMS.
• Where are WhatsApp templates? Sidebar → Templates → WhatsApp (read-only listing).
• Can I create a custom WhatsApp template? Not from the UI. Contact Remindax support for new WhatsApp templates — they go through Meta approval.
• Can I test an SMS template? No dedicated test-send. Create a test reminder with yourself as the recipient (SMS ticked).
• Why doesn't #document_type# work in WhatsApp? WhatsApp uses #doc_type# (abbreviated). See Merge tags reference.
• Can SMS messages be longer than 160 characters? Yes, but they split into multiple billed segments. Keep messages tight.
• What variables can I use in SMS? title, document_type, folder_name, exp_date, due_date, start_date_time, end_date_time, location, notes. No contact name, no custom fields.

Related articles

Email templates · Merge tags reference · Test-send a template · Edit sequence steps · How notifications & sequences fit together