Create/View/Edit

Complete

This is the create/edit/view screen for SMS account reminder templates.

These are used to generate SMS text for account reminders based on an expression. The template can be plain text, macros, or an XPath expression.

The screen is in two parts - the top contains the fields, the bottom allows the template to be tested.

The fields are as follows:

  • Name
 The name of the template.
  • Description
 A description of the template.
  • Active
 Uncheck this to deactivate the template.
  • Content Type 

The template content type. One of Plain Text, Macro or Expression
  • Content

The content used to generate the SMS text. This should produce text no longer than that supported by the SMS provider.

XPath expressions may use the following variables directly:

  • $charge - the charge act (an Invoice or Counter Sale)
  • $customer - the customer
  • $balance - the remaining balance
  • $location - the practice location
  • $practice - the practice
  • $nl - new line character

These variables are also available to XPath expressions used by macros, if the Content Type is Macro.

The expression itself can be up to 5000 characters long so can be quite complex

 

The bottom part of the screen contains:

  • Customer 
Allows a customer to be selected, to test the template
  • Location
 Allows a location to be selected, to test the template
  • Balance
 Allows the outstanding balance to be entered, to test the template
  • Message
 The generated message. The count shows the number of characters remaining.
  • Status
 This displays any error message, if the template fails to generate the SMS text

 

Sample Expression Template

concat('Reminder: your invoice from ', $location.name, ' on ', 
       date:format($charge.startTime, 'EEEE dd/MM/yy'), 
       ' has an outstanding balance of $', $balance, '. Contact us on ', 
       phone:format(phone:billing($location)), 
       ' if you have any issues. Please ignore this if you have recently made a payment')

 

The expression above will generate an SMS message like:

Reminder: your invoice from Vets R Us on Tuesday 24/08/21 has an outstanding balance of $100.25. Contact us on (03) 12345678 if you have any issues. Please ignore this if you have recently made a payment