This guide explains how to use the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature in Enrollio to manage communication preferences for parents and families. You'll learn how to configure DND settings, handle opt-outs across different channels, and automate DND management to stay compliant and respectful of family preferences.

What is Do Not Disturb (DND)?

The Do Not Disturb feature lets you control which communication channels are active for each family in your system. When a parent opts out of emails, texts, or calls, DND ensures you respect that choice automatically.

You can apply DND globally (blocking all communication) or set it per channel—Email, SMS, Calls, Facebook Messenger, Google Business Profile, and WhatsApp. This keeps your center compliant with privacy regulations while maintaining trust with families.

Why Use DND?

  • Respect family preferences: Automatically honor opt-outs and stay compliant with communication laws
  • Build trust: Reduce unwanted contact and improve the parent experience
  • Streamline automations: Your automated messages skip families who've opted out—no manual checking required
  • Channel-specific control: A parent can opt out of texts but still receive emails
  • Stay compliant: Automatic handling of unsubscribes keeps you aligned with TCPA and CAN-SPAM requirements

How to Configure DND Settings

You can enable or disable DND for any family directly in their profile.

  1. Go to Contacts and select the family you want to update
  2. In the left column, scroll to the DND section (usually near the bottom)
  3. Check or uncheck the boxes for specific channels: Email, SMS, Calls, or Google Business Profile
  4. Click Save to apply your changes
[SCREENSHOT: Contact profile showing the DND section in the left sidebar with checkboxes for Email, SMS, Calls, and Google Business Profile]
Pro Tip: You can also enable DND for inbound calls and SMS separately. Inbound call DND blocks incoming calls from that family's number entirely, while inbound SMS DND blocks messages at the system level (though carrier charges may still apply).

Managing DND for Specific Channels

Enrollio gives you granular control over each communication channel. Here's how DND works for each one:

Email

Automatic DND: Enrollio automatically enables email DND when a parent unsubscribes, marks your email as spam, or when an email permanently bounces.

Removing email DND: First, verify the parent's email address is valid and not on suppression lists. Then manually uncheck Email DND in their profile.

SMS

Automatic DND: SMS DND turns on when a parent replies with opt-out keywords like STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE, or when your carrier returns specific error codes (30003, 30004, 30005, 30006).

Removing SMS DND:

  • Temporary DND: Uncheck SMS DND directly in the family's profile
  • Permanent DND: The parent must text an opt-in keyword like START, or you must provide proof of consent to support for manual removal
Important: Never manually override permanent SMS DND without documented consent. This protects your center from compliance violations.

Calls

Inbound DND: When enabled, incoming calls from that family won't be forwarded or displayed in your system—useful for managing persistent or inappropriate callers.

Managing call DND: Toggle the Calls checkbox in the family's DND section to enable or disable.

Facebook Messenger, Google Business Profile, and WhatsApp

Once you've connected these channels, you can apply DND individually. A parent might opt out of Facebook messages but still receive texts or emails.

Adjust these settings in the same DND section of the family's profile.

Automating DND with Automations

You can use automations to handle DND changes automatically—improving compliance and saving your team time.

Useful Triggers

  • Contact DND: Fires when DND is enabled or disabled. Filter by channel (Email/SMS/Calls) or direction (Inbound/Outbound) to create branching logic
  • Trigger Link Clicked: Use unsubscribe trigger links in emails or texts to automatically route families to an automation that sets their DND preferences

Key Actions

  • DND Contact: Turn DND on or off globally or for specific channels. Set direction to Inbound (blocks incoming) or Outbound (stops your outgoing messages)
  • Update Contact Field: Record consent source or opt-in timestamps for your records
  • Remove from Automation / Stop Campaign: Immediately halt scheduled messages when DND becomes active
  • Internal Notification: Alert your enrollment team when high-priority families opt out
[SCREENSHOT: Automation builder showing a Contact DND trigger with channel filters and a DND Contact action]
Pro Tip: Create a "Re-engagement Check-in" automation that triggers 30 days after a family enables DND. Have a staff member personally reach out to see if there's an issue or if they'd like to re-subscribe.

DND Attribution in Conversations and Activity

Enrollio tracks who changed a family's DND status and displays it in conversations and activity logs:

  • DND Enabled by Automation/User/Contact for [specific channel or all channels]
  • DND Disabled by Automation/User/Contact for [specific channel or all channels]

The "by" value tells you the source:

  • Automation: An automation enabled or disabled DND
  • User: A team member manually changed DND
  • Contact: The parent themselves opted out (by replying STOP, clicking unsubscribe, etc.)

This attribution works across all channels and requires no setup.

[SCREENSHOT: Conversation thread showing a DND status change with attribution ("DND Enabled by Contact for SMS")]

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a family is marked as DND?

They'll be excluded from receiving messages through the channels you've specified in their DND settings. Your automations will automatically skip them.

Can I customize DND per channel?

Yes, for outbound communications. You can enable or disable DND for individual channels (Email, SMS, Calls, etc.) based on each family's preferences.

For inbound DND, you can only turn it on or off for all channels. Currently, inbound DND supports calls and SMS only.

How do I know if a family has enabled DND?

Open their profile and look at the DND section in the left sidebar. Channels with DND enabled will appear checked or grayed out.

Does enabling DND stop all communications?

It depends on how it's set up. Families can opt out of specific channels (like SMS but not email), or you can enable global DND to block all communication from your center.

Related Topics: Learn more about SMS compliance, managing unsubscribes, and building trust-based communication with families in your enrollment pipeline.