Create Message

📍 To create a message, go to: Messages > Create Message

Overview

Create a message to send to recipients and desktops when you need to.

When creating a message, you can either create a new message from scratch or you can select a pre-written saved template.

Create New Message

To create a new message, go to Messages > Create Message

You can either:

• Select a pre-written template to pre-populate the message with the template content
• Write a message from scratch

Message Type Section

(Only available for RedFlag accounts with 2-way chat enabled)

• Standard:
  One-way, multi-channel communication. Recipients can respond using Acknowledgement or Polling options, but cannot reply with free-form messages.
• Chat Enabled:
  Enables two-way communication via text and/or email. Recipients can reply with free-form responses, which will be stored under the Chats section.

🛡️ Note: Inbound and outbound text messages for Chat Enabled messages count toward your chat credit usage.

Message Preparation Section 

• Select Template: Select a template to use from a list of pre-written templates. Selecting a template will insert the message name. 
• Create from scratch - Message Name: Appears in the Message List and functions as the subject line for some channels (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Desktop App, Recipient App). The Message Name can contain up to 200 characters.

🛡️ Note: For Email: You can sync the subject line to the Message Name.

Send Via Section

Select the channels through which the message will be sent. All selected channels will send simultaneously.

🛡️ Note: Default channels can be configured by Account Admins or Super Admins in More > Location Details > Settings

Send To Section 

Select the audience for the message. 

🛡️ Note: Each recipient and desktop will only receive one message per channel, even if they belong to multiple selected groups or filters.

• Groups: Pre-defined recipient and desktop groups. Auto CC groups will be pre-selected and can only be removed by Account Admins or Super Admins.
• Recipients: Select individual recipients.
• Desktops: Select individual desktops.
• Targets: Create a targeted list using values from a dynamic data field (only one data field per message).
• Geofence: Define a geographic boundary to send messages to:
• • Profiles with fixed addresses within the area
  • GPS-tracked devices currently in the area
  • Groups with location coordinates that fall within the boundary
  • • If using geofencing, you can set a Message Time Duration (1 minute to 7 days). Any recipient or desktop entering the geofenced area during this time will receive the message.

🛡️ Note: Editor users can only send messages to recipients and desktops within the groups they are assigned to. They do not have access to create geofences.

Desktop Takeover Section

(Only available for RedFlag accounts with Desktop Alerts)

Control how the desktop alert appears on desktop devices by selecting a display mode that matches the urgency and context of your message.

Available display options:

• Full Screen – Ideal for critical or emergency messages that require immediate attention.
• Half Screen – A balanced option for high-priority updates that are less urgent than emergencies.
• Corner Screen – Best suited for general informational messages or non-urgent updates.

🛡️ Note: Selecting the right display mode helps ensure your message is received with the appropriate level of visibility and impact.

Message Section

Compose your message and select a response option (if needed). Use the message preview to confirm formatting and content.

Supporting Instructional Language

(Only available for RedFlag accounts with Multi-lingual capabilities)

Select a language from the dropdown to apply to the preset message metadata that accompanies your message. This includes RedFlag’s instructional or system-generated text shown to recipients alongside your message.

🛡️ Note: Selecting a language does not translate your custom message content or change the default language used in your message body.

Available languages:

• English
• French
• Portuguese
• Spanish

🛡️ Note: If the voice call channel is used, the selected language will also determine the dialect used for the voice call.

Message Content

Message Headline
(Only available for RedFlag accounts with Desktop Alerts)

Crafting an effective headline is crucial to capturing attention and conveying the urgency or importance of your message.

You can:

• Select a pre-saved alert headline, or
• Enter a custom headline for your Desktop Alert message.

Message Body

Enter the content of your message.

• There is no character limit unless sending through voice call.

🛡️ Note: If the voice call channel is enabled, the message is limited to 750 characters.

URL Shortener

To include a link:

• Paste your URL in the provided field.
• Click “Shorten URL”.
  RedFlag will insert a shortened version into your message.

🛡️ Note: The message report will track how many browser clicks the link received.

File Attachment

To attach a file:

• Upload your file, and a clickable download link will be added to the message.
• RedFlag supports files up to 25MB in the following formats:
  .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .txt, .pdf, .avif, .bmp, .gif, .ico, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .svg, .tif, .tiff, .webp

🛡️ Note: The message report will track how many browser clicks the link received.

Conference Bridge

The Conference Bridge feature allows you to insert bridge details directly into your message content. These details appear just like they would in a calendar invite and enable recipients or desktop devices to click and join the conference.

🛡️ Note: This feature does not initiate the call or dial out to recipients. It simply inserts the conference information into the message body for recipients to join manually.

Example bridge details may include:

• Join link (if available)
• Conference phone dial-in number
• Conference Meeting ID / Access code

To insert a conference bridge:

• Click “Use saved” to insert a conference bridge stored in your profile, or
• Click “Add New” to enter and save a new conference line.
• Click “Insert Bridge” to insert into the message content. 

Voice Recording (Beta Feature)

The Voice Recording feature allows you to send a recorded message through the Voice channel instead of using text-to-speech.

To record a voice message:

• Click Voice Recording.
• Enter your phone number so RedFlag can call you to record your message.
• When you answer the call, follow the instructions to record your message — you’ll have up to 60 seconds.
• After recording, you can:
• • Listen to the message.
  • Choose to rerecord, if needed.
• Once confirmed and saved, the recording will appear in the Message Content section below the message box.
• To delete a recording, click the Voice Recording message option again and follow the prompt to delete.
• • Once deleted, the recording cannot be recovered. If you choose to use a voice recording again, you will need to create a new one.
• The recording will replace the message content for any message sent via the Voice channel.
• Other channels (Text, Email, Desktop, etc.) will continue to send the content entered in the Message Content box.

🛡️ Note: Prompts for replaying, ending, acknowledging, or polling (if enabled) will be automatically added by the dialer. Do not include these prompts in your recording.

Response Options
 

• No Response: Send a one-way message. No user action is required.
• Acknowledgement: Request recipients and desktops to confirm they received the message. The message report will show who acknowledged. You can resend the message to non-responders.
• Polling: Ask a question with up to 7 response options (up to 3 for voice calls).
• • Add Follow-Up Messages per option by clicking the icon next to each.
  • The report will track who responded and their selected option. You can resend to non-responders as needed.

🛡️ Note: Acknowledgement and polling response options can have a response expiry timeframe set. The response expiry timeframe can be configured by Account Admins or Super Admins in More > Location Details > Settings. After a message with Acknowledgement or Polling is sent, response links will expire based on the configured timeframe. Any responses submitted after the expiration will not be recorded in the message report.

Message Preview

The Message Preview feature allows you to preview your message by delivery channel before sending it to your audience.

Preview Options by Channel:

• Email, Text, and Voice: You can send yourself a test message to review the content or hear the voice recording prior to sending.

Text Message Preview:

• If applicable, you'll have the option to choose how the text message is sent:
• • Send as Truncated Message (default)
  • Send as One Complete Message (delivered in multiple message segments)
• If neither option is allowed based on message content or encoding, you can edit your ‘Preset Text Message’ directly in the preview.

🛡️ Note: For more information, see the Text Messages article. 

Advanced Settings Section

(Only available for RedFlag accounts with Desktop Alerts)

This section allows you to configure how long a message remains Live after it is sent.

Desktop Message Timeframe

This setting determines how long a message sent through the Desktop App channel will remain active. While active, any desktop that reconnects to the network within the specified timeframe will still receive the message.

You can set the timeframe to:

• 1 to 90 minutes
• 1 to 24 hours
• 1 to 7 days

🛡️ Note: The Live timeframe can be updated after the message has been sent by going to the Messages list and selecting the Live status.

Alternatively, you can choose to keep the desktop message live indefinitely until a RedFlag user manually ends it via the Live status in the Messages list.

Message Confirmation Panel

The Message Confirmation Panel provides a summary of key message details as you configure the sections in Create Message. The panel updates in real time as settings are completed.

Sender Information

• Sender: 
• • Displays the sender name included at the beginning of the message.
  • You can edit this by clicking the Edit icon.

🛡️ Note: To update the default sender name for all future messages, Account Admins or Super Admins can go to More > Location Details > Settings

• Email: 
• • Displays the email address messages will be sent from.

🛡️ Note: To update this email address, Account Admins or Super Admins can go to More > Setup > Email Domains

• Text: 
• • Displays the phone number(s) used to send text messages.
  • For international locations, the USA, Canadian, and International numbers are shown.
• Voice: 
• • Displays the Caller ID that will appear for voice calls.

Message Summary

• Displays the delivery channels selected for the message (e.g., Email, Text, Voice, Desktop).

Recipient Count

• Displays the total number of recipients selected to be sent the message.
• Breaks the count down into:
• • Reachable: Recipients with valid data for the selected channels.
  • Unreachable: Recipients who:
  • • Are missing required contact information for selected channels,
    • Have opted out of selected channels,
    • Are in unsupported countries for text/voice (for international messages).
• Also shows the % and count per channel that are reachable.
• Reachable and Unreachable counts are clickable and the list is exportable.

Desktop Count

• Displays the total number of desktops selected to be sent the message.
• Breaks the count down into:
• • Reachable: Desktops with an active status and a valid license key.
  • Unreachable: Desktops that are inactive or missing a license key.
• Reachable and Unreachable counts are clickable and the list is exportable.

Selected Options

• Displays any message options that have been enabled.
• Shows if response options (Acknowledgement, Polling) are included.
• For desktop messages, displays the message timeframe configured. 

Message Sending Options
 

Save Draft

• Click Save Draft to save your message and return to it later.
  You can find your draft in the Messages list. From there, you can:
• • Open and edit the draft
  • Send the message
  • Delete the draft

Send Later

• Click Send Later to schedule your message for a specific date and time.
• After selecting the date and time, click Schedule.
• The scheduled message will appear in the Messages list, where you can:
• • Cancel the scheduled message
  • Update the scheduled date/time
  • Edit the message before it sends
  • Delete the message

Send Now

• Click Send Now to send the message immediately.
• A confirmation pop-up will appear — click Confirm to send.
• Once sent, the message will appear in the Messages list, where you can view the Message Report.

Disabled Buttons

• If Send Now, Send Later, or Save Draft are disabled (gray), it means required fields are missing.
• Click on the disabled button, and RedFlag will guide you to the incomplete sections that need to be configured.