SMS Notifications - Shifton Help

Send text message notifications to your employees for shift updates, reminders, and important announcements.

What Is This?

The SMS Notifications module enables you to reach employees via SMS text messages. This is ideal for teams where not everyone has constant access to the internet or the Shifton app. SMS messages can be used for shift reminders, schedule changes, and other critical communications.

SMS notifications work alongside Shifton’s other notification channels (in-app, email, Telegram) and can be enabled for specific events in your workflow.

Prerequisites

An active Shifton account.

Owner

or Admin role to enable the module and configure notifications.

Employees must have valid phone numbers in their profiles.

SMS notifications

ust also be toggled on in Basic Company Settings.

How to Enable/Disable

Click your company name (top-right corner) → Modules.

Find SMS Notifications in the module list.

Toggle the switch to enable or disable the module.

Then go to Modules > Settings > Basic Company Settings and ensure SMS notifications is toggled on.

Module Settings

This module does not have a dedicated settings section. SMS delivery is controlled by:

The module being enabled on the Modules page.

The SMS notifications toggle in Basic Company Settings.

Valid phone numbers on employee profiles.

Step-by-Step Usage Guide

Enabling SMS for Your Company

Enable the SMS Notifications module on the Modules page.

Go to Modules > Settings > Basic Company Settings.

Toggle SMS notifications to On.

Click Save.

Ask employees to log out and log back in.

Verifying Employee Phone Numbers

Go to the Employees list.

Open each employee’s profile.

Ensure the Phone number field is filled in with a valid mobile number including the country code.

Save any changes.

Sending an SMS Notification

SMS notifications are sent automatically by the system based on events such as:

New shift assigned.
Shift time changed.
Shift cancelled.
Schedule published.
There is no manual “send SMS” button — the system triggers messages based on configured events and employee preferences.

Pricing Info

Component	Cost
Monthly module fee	$0/month
Per-SMS fee	$0.20–$0.70 per SMS (depends on recipient’s country)

The module works on a prepaid basis — you must top up your SMS balance before messages can be sent. Without balance, SMS will not be delivered.

To top up your SMS balance, contact Shifton support — they will provide a payment link and the exact per-SMS cost for your target countries.

Access Permissions

Role	Enable/Disable Module	View SMS Usage	Receive SMS
Owner	Yes	Yes	Yes
Admin	Yes	Yes	Yes
Manager	No	No	Yes
Employee	No	No	Yes

FAQ

Q: Can I send a custom SMS to a specific employee?
A: SMS notifications are triggered automatically by system events (shift changes, schedule updates, etc.). Manual one-off messaging is not a primary feature of this module.

Q: What happens if an employee does not have a phone number in their profile?
A: They will not receive SMS notifications. The system skips employees without valid phone numbers.

Q: Are international SMS supported?
A: Yes. Ensure the phone number includes the correct country code. SMS cost varies by country ($0.20–$0.70 per message).

Q: Can employees opt out of SMS notifications?
A: Employees can manage their notification preferences in their profile settings. However, company-level notifications set by Admins may override individual preferences.

Q: How do I top up my SMS balance?
A: Contact Shifton support — they will provide a payment link and pricing for your target countries.

Q: Will I be notified if an SMS fails to deliver?
A: The system does not track individual SMS delivery status. If you suspect delivery issues, contact support.

Possible Issues and Solutions

Issue	Cause	Solution
No SMS being sent	Module enabled but SMS toggle off, or SMS balance is empty	Enable SMS in Basic Company Settings AND top up SMS balance (contact support for payment link).
Specific employee not receiving SMS	Missing or invalid phone number on their profile	Add a valid phone number with country code to the employee’s profile.
High SMS costs	Too many notification events triggering SMS	Review which events trigger SMS and consider using Telegram or in-app notifications for less critical updates.
SMS delivered but content is truncated	Message exceeds SMS character limit	This can happen with long shift descriptions. Keep shift names and comments concise.
Employee receives duplicate SMS	Multiple notification triggers for the same event	Contact Shifton support to review your notification configuration.