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School admins · School staff

Communications playbook

Self-paced · updated with each release

Audience: School admins, admissions heads, accounts office
Routes: CRM /school-panel/communications · ERP /erp/settings/communications
Related guides: Integrations marketplace · Counselor & admissions · IT admin · Finance & collections

Mental model: Connect → Template → Send → Measure

  1. Connect — Install WhatsApp Business, SMS gateway, and email gateway from the Integrations marketplace. Institution credentials are shared between CRM and ERP.
  2. Template — Use Template hub (/school-panel/templates or ERP /erp/settings/templates for fee SMS/WA). Email block builder opens from the hub for admissions templates.
  3. Send — Work the unified inbox (channel filters for WhatsApp/SMS/email), lead timeline, automations, and ERP fee collection reminders.
  4. Measure — Command center health strip plus Measure tab: messaging volume, consent denials, fee reminder outcomes, and telephony analytics (BYOK operational reporting — not Skolzo message billing).

WhatsApp (India schools)

  • Use one Cloud API number per Skolzo workspace — the line parents already know.
  • Register Skolzo’s webhook URL in Meta Developer → WhatsApp → Configuration with the verify token from Skolzo.
  • 24-hour session window: counselors can reply freely while the parent messaged within 24 hours; outside that window use approved templates.
  • Inbound messages from new numbers can create CRM leads with source whatsapp.

SMS and DLT (India)

  • Transactional SMS requires a TRAI-registered sender ID (header) and DLT-approved template mapped in your provider (MSG91, TextLocal, etc.).
  • Configure sender ID and API credentials under SMS gateway integration, then run Test connection.
  • Fee reminders and timeline sends use the same connector.

Email (SPF / DKIM)

  • Prefer SendGrid, SES, or SMTP relay for your school domain.
  • Publish SPF and DKIM DNS records for the from-address domain before bulk fee reminders.
  • Create at least one email template from Template hub → email builder for counselors and automations.
  • BYOK billing: MSG91, Meta, and SES bill your school directly; Skolzo does not resell message credits.

WhatsApp use-case wizard

In Template hub, run Sync Meta templates, then the use-case wizard for welcome, fee_reminder, and visit_confirm:

  1. Pick the Skolzo use case.
  2. Map an APPROVED Meta template name.
  3. Map body param slots → shared variables (guestName, feeAmount, …).
  4. Automations use SEND_WHATSAPP with useCase; fee reminders use whatsappUseCase=fee_reminder.

SMS DLT lifecycle

Register templates in Template hub with DLT ID and set status to Approved only after operator approval. Automations and ERP SMS reminders block send while status is Pending or Rejected.

Marketing broadcasts (WhatsApp / SMS / email)

Skolzo does not ship a separate Mailchimp-style blast UI for messaging channels. Use Automations with purpose: MARKETING (consent enforced) and template hub bindings. CRM Campaigns → Message outreach explains the pattern; Voice campaigns remain telephony/AI dialers.

Mailchimp vs unified comms

Mailchimp (Integrations) syncs opted-in leads to an external audience — you pay Mailchimp directly. It is not the same path as timeline email or email_gateway. Schools standardizing on unified comms should prefer automations + email_gateway (BYOK) and treat Mailchimp as optional for legacy newsletter lists.

Fee reminder SMS / WhatsApp

ERP → Collections → Reminders — choose channel SMS or WhatsApp and select an approved DLT SMS template or configured fee_reminder WhatsApp use case before queueing.

Communications home

CRM → Communications (/school-panel/communications?tab=overview) is the single entry: command center, unified inbox (channel filters), and Measure analytics.

Delivery status (DLR / Meta / SES)

Outbound timeline rows store delivery status on MessageEvent (sent, delivered, read, failed, bounced).

  • WhatsApp: Meta status webhooks update the thread automatically.
  • SMS: Point MSG91/Twilio DLR to the SMS DLR URL on the SMS gateway integration page.
  • Email (SES): Subscribe SNS bounce/delivery to the SES events URL on the email gateway page.

Use Communications → Measure for delivery breakdown counts (operational — not Skolzo billing).

When a parent phone/email matches an open lead, Skolzo reuses ConsentRecord from CRM. Otherwise ERP transactional student messaging rules apply before fee SMS/WhatsApp/email. Document opt-out handling in your franchise handbook.

Portal announcements + email

Announcements publish to the parent portal/PWA. Optionally check Also email parents (BYOK) to send a transactional copy through your connected email_gateway.

Franchise / multi-campus

Institution credentials are shared between CRM and ERP, but each campus should use the WhatsApp number parents recognize. Prefer one WABA number per campus workspace; shared pool numbers require a clear reply ownership playbook.

See also