Venue & Settings
Communication Settings (SMS & Messaging)
Last updated 1 June 2026
Communication Settings (SMS & Messaging)
The SMS & Messaging settings screen is where you provision and manage your venue's dedicated business phone number, and monitor your monthly communications usage.
Where to find it. Web: Settings → SMS & Messaging (under the Communications section).
Mobile: More → Automations → tap the settings icon in the header.
TL;DR
- Dedicated SMS numbers are available in Australia and the United Kingdom only. New Zealand venues are email-only.
- SMS provisioning requires a Pro subscription. Only the venue Owner can provision a number.
- The most common mistake is cancelling Pro without realising your dedicated number enters a grace period and will be released.
- An 80% usage warning appears in-app before overage charges begin, top up your wallet before reaching the limit.
Overview
Communication settings let you:
- Provision a dedicated business SMS number for two-way client messaging (AU and GB)
- View the current state of your dedicated number (active, grace period, released)
- Monitor your monthly transactional SMS, campaign SMS, and campaign email usage against included allocations
- See overage charges for the current billing period
Note
All communications features require an OpenChair Pro subscription. New Zealand venues have access to email campaigns and automations but not SMS or dedicated phone numbers.
Dedicated SMS Number
The Dedicated SMS Number card shows the current status of your venue's business phone number and lets you provision or release it.
Number states
| State | What it means | Action available |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | The venue is not on Pro | Upgrade to Pro button |
| No number | Pro is active but no number has been provisioned | Provision Number button |
| Active | A dedicated number is live and receiving messages | Release Number (ghost button) |
| Grace period | The number will be released at the end of the billing period | Review billing plan |
| Released | The number was previously released | Provision Number button (if eligible) |
| NZ email-only | SMS is unavailable in New Zealand | Go to Campaigns button |
Provisioning a number
- Go to Settings → SMS & Messaging.
- Confirm the card shows the No number state (Pro is active but no number provisioned).
- Click Provision Number.
- A sheet opens confirming "Communications are included with Pro."
- Click Provision Number in the sheet.
- Wait 3 to 8 seconds while the number is assigned (a spinner shows "Provisioning your number…").
- The sheet shows a confirmation: "You're all set! Your dedicated number is active."
- Click Done. The card now displays your new number with status "Active and receiving messages".
Tip
Only one dedicated number can be active per venue. Provisioning is available to venue Owners only.
Provisioning is available in Australia and the United Kingdom only. New Zealand venues cannot provision a dedicated number.
Releasing a number
Warning
Releasing a number is permanent. The number is returned to the carrier and you can no longer send or receive SMS from it. Any campaigns or automations that depend on SMS will stop working until you provision a new number.
- Go to Settings → SMS & Messaging.
- Click Release Number (ghost button beneath the active number display).
- A confirmation dialog appears: "Release phone number?"
- Read the warning, then click Release Number (destructive button).
- A toast confirms "Phone number released." The card transitions to the Released state.
Usage This Period
The Usage This Period card appears when the venue has active communications access (Pro subscription required). It shows your current billing period's usage against your included allocation.
Usage rows
| Row | What it tracks |
|---|---|
| Transactional SMS | Booking confirmations, reminders, and other system-triggered SMS messages |
| Campaign SMS | SMS messages sent via Campaigns and Automations |
| Campaign Emails | Emails sent via Campaigns and Automations |
Each row shows:
- Current count / Limit (e.g., "150 / 550")
- A progress bar that fills as you approach your limit
- An overage charge amount if usage has exceeded the included allowance this period
The card footer shows the period reset date (e.g., "Resets 3 May 2026").
Included allocations
Allocations scale with the number of billable bookable team members on your plan.
| Channel | Formula | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional SMS | 100 base + 50 per bookable member | 550 per period |
| Campaign SMS | Shared with transactional SMS pool | 550 per period |
| Transactional email | 1,000 per bookable member | 10,000 per period |
| Campaign email | Shared with transactional email pool | 10,000 per period |
SMS allocations apply to AU and GB only. Email allocations apply to all markets.
Overage charges
When usage exceeds the included allocation, sends continue and the excess is charged to your venue wallet:
| Market | Per SMS overage | Per email overage |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | A$0.006 | A$0.002 |
| United Kingdom | £0.004 | £0.001 |
When usage reaches 80% of any allocation, an in-app warning banner appears so you can top up the wallet before charges begin.
Do Not Disturb
Do Not Disturb (DND) controls when OpenChair sends outbound messages to clients. By default, DND is enabled between 9 PM and 8 AM in your venue's timezone. Outbound messages (booking reminders, campaign sends, reconnect automations) queued during those hours are held and sent when the DND window ends.
DND does not affect:
- Inbound messages from clients (always received and logged immediately)
- AI auto-replies to active SMS conversations
Note
DND configuration (custom hours, enable/disable) is not currently editable in the settings UI. The default window of 9 PM-8 AM applies to all venues. Contact support if you need a custom DND window.
Notification preferences (per-user)
Beyond the venue-wide Do Not Disturb window, each team member configures their own notification preferences for which categories of events push to their device. Per-user, not per-venue — your manager and your stylists each set their own.
The 8 categories
| Category | Examples | Default |
|---|---|---|
| New bookings | A customer just booked | On |
| Booking changes | Booking rescheduled, edited | On |
| Cancellations | Booking cancelled, no-show marked | On |
| Messages | New inbox conversation, customer reply | On |
| Reviews | New review submitted | On |
| Schedule | Schedule change, shift modified | On |
| Payments | Payment received, refund processed, low wallet balance | On |
| Promotional | OpenChair feature announcements, tips | Off |
Toggle each independently. Settings → Notifications.
Do Not Disturb (same toggle)
The DND window on this page is personal — your own quiet hours, independent of the venue-wide DND for customer-facing messaging.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enable DND | Master toggle for your personal quiet hours |
| Start / End time | Your local quiet hours |
| Timezone | Default: your venue's timezone; override if you travel |
During your DND window, non-urgent push notifications are silenced on your device. Urgent ones (RECEIPT, critical alerts with category null) always come through.
Test notification
A Send test button on the settings page fires a test push to your device so you can confirm your settings are working and notifications are being delivered. Useful after changing categories or installing a new device.
Email Sender
All emails sent by OpenChair on behalf of your venue use your business name as the sender display name, with the address notifications@openchairpro.com (transactional) or marketing@openchairpro.com (campaigns).
Your business name (set in Settings → Venue Details) appears in the "From" field of all outgoing emails.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| "Upgrade to Pro" shown instead of Provision Number | The venue is on the FREE plan. Go to Settings → Subscription to upgrade to Pro, then return to SMS & Messaging to provision a number. |
| Provision Number button is missing even though we're on Pro | SMS provisioning is only available in Australia and the United Kingdom. New Zealand venues use email-only communications. |
| Number shows "Grace period" state | The number is scheduled for release at the end of the billing period, usually because the Pro subscription was cancelled. Renew the subscription to keep the number. |
| Usage card is not visible | The Usage This Period card only appears when the venue has active communications access (Pro subscription). It is hidden for free-tier venues. |
| Overage charges appearing on wallet | Usage has exceeded the included allocation. Check campaign send volume, reduce frequency, or top up the wallet balance. Go to Settings → Subscription to review your billable bookable team count. |
| SMS features working but inbox is empty | Inbox only shows messages sent to or from your dedicated number. Confirm a number is provisioned and that clients are replying to your dedicated number, not to a shared shortcode. |
FAQ
How do I get a dedicated SMS number?
Go to Settings → SMS & Messaging and click Provision Number. The number is assigned in 3 to 8 seconds. SMS numbers are available in Australia and the United Kingdom only. New Zealand venues use email-only communications. Only the venue Owner can provision a number.
What happens if I release my dedicated SMS number?
Releasing a number is permanent. The number is returned to the carrier and you can no longer send or receive SMS from it. Any campaigns or automations that depend on SMS will stop working until you provision a new number.
How many SMS and emails are included with my Pro plan?
Transactional SMS: 100 base + 50 per billable bookable team member (maximum 550 per period). Campaign email: 1,000 per billable bookable team member (maximum 10,000 per period). Transactional and campaign messages share the same pool. SMS allocations apply to AU and GB only; email applies to all markets. Overages are charged to your venue wallet.
What is the Do Not Disturb window?
Do Not Disturb is enabled by default between 9 PM and 8 AM in your venue's timezone. Outbound messages queued during those hours are held and sent when the DND window ends. DND hours are not currently user-configurable in the settings UI.