Understand unavailable email or SMS and enable client communications

Resolve channel-specific problems first, then turn on client communications only after the school’s sender setup, authorization, and individual sending rules are all ready.

Available to

Owners and admins can open Settings → Communications. The school-wide authorization controls are restricted because they can permit real messages to clients and leads.

Before you start

An unavailable channel usually has one of two kinds of cause:

• The recipient is not eligible: their email or phone is missing, SMS consent is unavailable, or they opted out.
• The school is not ready: the email or SMS sender is incomplete, the school-wide authorization is off, or the broadcast or automation is not approved.

Steps

1. Read the reason displayed beside the unavailable Email or SMS option.
2. If the reason names missing contact information or an SMS opt-out, correct the client or lead record only when you have accurate, authorized information. Never work around an opt-out.
3. If the reason points to school setup, open Settings → Communications → Setup.
4. Complete the email or SMS sender requirements and wait for any provider review to finish. A pending review is not an approval or a rejection.
5. Review the client communications master control. Confirm that at least one sender is ready and that the school has recorded the required messaging permission or attestation.
6. Review the acknowledgements for Broadcasts and Automations so everyone understands that each remains independently controlled.
7. Enable client communications only when the school is ready to send real messages to clients and leads.
8. Open Automations and review the Scheduling notifications and Billing notifications graphs. Turn on only the branches the school intends to use.
9. Use Activity to confirm real delivery outcomes rather than assuming that provider handoff means delivery.

What happens next

Eligible email and SMS options become available when both the person and school pass the required checks. Broadcasts and automations still run only when their own controls and conditions allow them.

If you do not see this option

You may not have owner or admin access. Some setup controls are also unavailable in a demo school because demo sends are simulated. Ask the school owner to complete live setup and authorization in the real school workspace.