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Create Template

📍 To create a template, go to: Messages > Create Template

Overview

Templates allow you to store pre-written, pre-approved messages for quick and consistent communication. They can be organized in folders, folders can be color-coded for visual reference, and templates can be favorited by users for easy access. Templates can be fully editable or locked with specific editable sections.

Using templates is especially helpful during crises, allowing for rapid communication without drafting a message from scratch. Templates also ensure message consistency and allow HR or leadership teams to pre-approve message content.

🛡️ Note: Template creation is restricted to Account Admins, Super Admins, and Admins.

Create New Template

To create a new template, go to Messages > Create Template

You can either:

  • Leave the Send Via and Send To sections blank, allowing users to fill them in when sending the message, or
  • Pre-fill all sections so users can simply click Send Now when using the template.

Message Type Section

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

  • Standard:
    One-way, multi-channel communication. Recipients and desktops 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 

  • Template Name: Used for identifying and selecting the template under Create Message > Select Template.
  • Add to Folder (optional): Organize templates into folders by type, audience, or purpose. Folders can be color-coded for ease of use.
  • Message Name: Appears in the Message List and functions as the subject line for some channels (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Desktop, 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. 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 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/desktop entering the geofenced area during this time will receive the message.

Desktop Takeover Section

(Only available for RedFlag accounts with Desktop Alerts)

Control how the desktop alert appears on recipient 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 recipients clicked the link.

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 show how many times the file was downloaded.

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.


Lock Template Content

To maintain consistency and protect message integrity, you can choose to lock the message content within a template. When a locked template is used under Create Message, the message content becomes read-only and can only be edited by updating the template itself.

  • Unlocked:
    The entire message box is editable when sending a message from the template.
  • Locked:
    The message content is read-only, except for editable text areas that can be inserted by the template creator. These areas allow users to input specific information while preserving the overall structure and messaging.

🛡️ Note: Use locked templates to ensure critical wording and formatting remain unchanged while still allowing for custom input where needed.

To lock a template:

  • Toggle Unlocked to ON to Locked content.
  • Enter the fixed (read-only) message content.
  • To insert an editable area:
    • Place your cursor where the input should appear.
    • Click Insert Editable Textbox.
    • Add instructional text inside the textbox (e.g., “Enter event name here”).
    • Drag and drop the textbox to adjust positioning. 
       

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 template.

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 saving.

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.

Save Template

Click Save at the bottom of the page. Your template will be added to the Messages > Templates list and available for use under Create Message.

 

 

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