Help Center

Appointment Reminders

LeadCenter can automatically send text (SMS) and email reminders before scheduled appointments. These reminders are configured per calendar and can be sent at multiple times before the appointment.

Text reminders can also include reply options so contacts can reply 1 to confirm, 2 to request a reschedule, or 3 to request a cancellation.

Overview

You can send appointment reminders at these intervals before the appointment:

• 21 days
• 7 days
• 3 days
• 2 days
• 24 hours
• 2 hours
• 15 minutes

For each timing, you can enable:

• Text reminders
• Email reminders
• Or both

Default: The reply option for text reminders is enabled by default. When enabled, LeadCenter appends: Reply 1 to confirm, 2 to reschedule, 3 to cancel to appointment reminder text messages.

Text Reminders vs Email Reminders

Note: In addition to configurable reminders, the appointment host or team member always receives a built-in reminder email 15 minutes before the appointment. This system reminder is not configurable.

Requirements

Text Reminder Requirements

• A calendar with text reminders enabled
• A text template in the Appointments category
• A purchased virtual phone number assigned to the calendar
• A valid phone number on the contact record
• A2P 10DLC registration for outbound texting — To send outbound appointment reminder text messages in the U.S., your business texting setup must be approved through carrier verification. See the A2P 10DLC campaign registration help article.

Note: Sending text reminders requires a virtual phone number. If you have not purchased one yet, go to the Phone Numbers page.

Email Reminder Requirements

• A calendar with email reminders enabled
• An email template in the Appointments category
• An active email configuration for the account
• A valid primary email address on the contact record

Note: By default, reminder emails are sent from no-reply@leadcenter.ai. To send reminders from your own email address, connect a Shared Email Account.

Important: Only email and text templates in the Appointments category appear in reminder template dropdowns. If a template is missing, update its category on the Email Templates page.

How to Set Up Appointment Reminders

Step 1: Open the Appointment Reminders section

1. Go to Calendars.
2. Select the calendar you want to edit.
3. Scroll to the Appointment Reminders section.

Step 2: Configure reminder timings

For each reminder timing, you can:

• Enable or disable Text
• Enable or disable Email
• Select a text template
• Select an email template

Step 3: Select a virtual number for text reminders

At the bottom of the reminders section, select which virtual phone number will send the reminder texts. This is also the number contacts reply to.

If you only use email reminders and no text reminders are enabled, you do not need a virtual number for that calendar.

Step 4: Enable or Disable Text Reply Options

The setting that adds Reply 1 to confirm, 2 to reschedule, 3 to cancel can be changed from either:

• Manage Calendars → click Settings
• An individual calendar’s Appointment Reminders section → click Settings

Important: The reply option is an account-wide setting. Reminder timings, templates, and virtual number selection are configured per calendar.

Step 5: Set category-specific templates (optional)

You can use different reminder templates for different appointment categories. If no category-specific template is selected, LeadCenter uses the default reminder templates.

How Text Reply Options Work

What the contact receives

When text reminders are enabled and the reply option setting is on, LeadCenter appends this text to the reminder:

Reply 1 to confirm, 2 to reschedule, 3 to cancel

The rest of the message comes from your selected text template. Email reminders do not include reply-by-number instructions.

What happens when the contact replies

• Reply 1 — records a confirmation on the appointment
• Reply 2 — creates a reschedule request
• Reply 3 — creates a cancellation request

Important: Replies 2 and 3 are requests only. LeadCenter does not automatically reschedule or cancel the appointment. A team member must review the request and update the appointment manually.

Note: Replying 1 records that the contact confirmed and shows the confirmation indicator, but it does not automatically change the appointment’s underlying status.

How replies are matched to appointments

When a contact replies with 1, 2, or 3, LeadCenter matches the reply to the most recent outgoing appointment reminder text sent to that phone number.

Where to Find Results

• Calendar view — appointments show a status indicator after a reply
• Contact details page — latest appointments section shows the request status
• Email notifications — appointment attendees and the account owner receive a notification when a reply is received

Important Notes

• Reply options are enabled by default for text reminders only.
• The reply option is account-wide, while reminder timings and templates are per calendar.
• Changes apply to future reminders, including reminders for appointments already on the calendar.
• The reply processing system still works even if the toggle is off — turning the toggle off only stops LeadCenter from appending the instructions automatically.
• If Include spouse is enabled, the spouse can also receive text reminders if a phone number is available.
• Email reminders do not automatically include the spouse.
• Calendar Invite vs Email Confirmation settings do not affect reminders. Reminders are always sent by LeadCenter.

Best Practices

• Keep reply options enabled so contacts can quickly confirm or request a change.
• Use both text and email reminders when appropriate for better coverage.
• Keep text templates short since reply instructions add extra characters.
• Use email reminders for more detail, such as office instructions, agenda details, or attachments.
• Act on reschedule and cancellation requests quickly, since those actions are not automatic.
• Use category-specific templates if different appointment types need different reminder wording.

Troubleshooting

Text reminder not received

• Make sure a virtual number is assigned to the calendar
• Make sure the Text toggle is enabled for that timing
• Make sure a text template is selected
• Make sure the contact has a valid phone number
• Make sure the appointment is in the future and not cancelled or completed

Email reminder not received

• Make sure the Email toggle is enabled for that timing
• Make sure an email template is selected
• Make sure the contact has a primary email
• Make sure your email configuration is active
• Make sure the contact has not unsubscribed from emails

FAQs

Is the reply option feature enabled by default?

Yes. It is enabled by default for all accounts.

Where do I change the reply option setting?

You can open the same setting from:

• Manage Calendars → click Settings
• The Settings button inside an individual calendar’s Appointment Reminders section

Can I enable reply options for one calendar and disable them for another?

No. The reply option is account-wide. If you want reply instructions only on some reminders, turn the toggle off and add the instructions manually in selected text templates.

Does replying 2 or 3 automatically reschedule or cancel the appointment?

No. Those replies create requests only.

What if the contact replies with something other than 1, 2, or 3?

Only replies of exactly 1, 2, or 3 are treated as appointment responses. Other replies are treated as regular incoming text messages.

What if the contact has multiple upcoming appointments?

The reply is matched to the most recent outgoing appointment reminder text sent to that phone number.

If I turn the reply option setting off, will replies still be processed?

Yes. The toggle only controls whether the instructions are appended automatically.

Can I add the reply instructions manually in my text template?

Yes. The system will still process replies the same way.

Will changes affect appointments already on the calendar?

Yes. Settings and template content are checked when each reminder is sent.

Do email reminders include the reply-by-number instructions?

No. That feature is only for text reminders.

Does the spouse receive email reminders too?

No. Email reminders go to the contact’s primary email only.

Does this work with recurring appointments?

Yes. Reminders are sent for each occurrence, and replies are matched to the occurrence with the most recent reminder.

Are reminders affected by the Calendar Invite vs Email Confirmation setting?

No. That setting only affects the initial appointment notification, not reminders.

Need help? Contact support@leadcenter.ai.