How to Set Up a Manual Text Message Action

Want to add a personal touch to your automated communications with families? Manual text message actions let you pause your automations so your team can send personalized messages at just the right moment.

While automated text messages are great for efficiency, sometimes you need that human touch—especially when responding to tour inquiries, following up on enrollments, or addressing specific family questions.

In This Article

  • Why use manual text message actions
  • How to set up manual text actions in automations
  • How to complete manual actions on mobile
  • Where to find pending manual actions

Why Use Manual Text Message Actions

Here are common scenarios where childcare centers benefit from manual text actions:

1. Personalized Family Communication

Some conversations need a human touch. Manual text actions prompt your enrollment team to respond personally to tour requests or parent questions, creating a warmer, more tailored experience.

2. Director Approval Steps

For sensitive decisions—like waitlist promotions or tuition adjustments—manual actions let your director review and approve before messages go out.

3. Verification and Confirmation

Use manual actions when you need someone to review responses. For example, after a family confirms their tour time, your team can manually verify details and send personalized directions.

4. Complex Enrollment Workflows

When multiple staff members are involved—like tours, paperwork, and onboarding—manual actions serve as checkpoints. They ensure nothing falls through the cracks and give your team a chance to handle special cases.

5. Time-Sensitive Outreach

When urgent communication is needed—like last-minute tour cancellations or enrollment deadline reminders—manual actions ensure your team can craft and send the perfect message immediately.

💡 Pro Tip: Manual actions work best when combined with automation. Let Enrollio handle the routine messages, and use manual steps for moments that matter most to families.

How to Set Up Manual Text Actions in Automations

Adding a manual text action to your automation is simple:

  1. Open your automation in the Enrollio dashboard
  2. Click the + button where you want to add the manual step
  3. Select Manual Action from the action menu
  4. Choose Manual SMS as the action type
  5. Write instructions for your team (e.g., "Review this family's tour preferences and send a personalized confirmation")
  6. Assign the action to a specific team member or role
  7. Save your automation

[SCREENSHOT: Automation builder showing the Manual Action dropdown with Manual SMS highlighted]

[SCREENSHOT: Manual SMS action configuration screen showing instruction field and assignment options]

When a family enters this step in your automation, the assigned team member will receive a notification to complete the manual action.

How to Complete Manual Actions on Mobile

Your team can handle manual actions right from the Enrollio mobile app—perfect for busy directors on the go.

  1. Open the Enrollio mobile app
  2. Tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top corner
  3. Select Manual Actions
  4. Tap the blue PLAY button next to any pending action
  5. Review the family's information and automation instructions
  6. Compose and send your personalized text message
  7. Mark the action as complete

[SCREENSHOT: Mobile app menu with Manual Actions highlighted]

[SCREENSHOT: Mobile manual actions list showing pending tasks with PLAY buttons]

💡 Pro Tip: Enable push notifications so your team never misses a manual action. Go to Settings → Notifications to turn them on.

Where to Find Pending Manual Actions

Desktop App

Click Conversations in the main menu, then select Manual Actions from the submenu. You'll see all pending actions across your automations.

[SCREENSHOT: Desktop navigation showing Conversations → Manual Actions path]

Mobile App

Tap the menu icon, then select Manual Actions. All pending tasks appear here with family details and instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I assign manual actions to specific team members?

Yes! When setting up the manual action in your automation, you can assign it to a specific staff member or to everyone with certain permissions.

What happens if no one completes a manual action?

The family will remain at that step in your automation until someone completes it. Set up reminders or assign backup staff to ensure actions don't sit too long.

Can I see a history of completed manual actions?

Yes. Each family's conversation history shows all completed manual actions, including who sent the message and when.

Do manual actions work for emails too?

Yes! You can create manual email actions the same way. Choose "Manual Email" instead of "Manual SMS" when setting up your action.