In the Classic View, ReplyManager allows you to create automatic replies to incoming texts

What does ReplyManager do?

Imagine you're running a health clinic, and patients want to know when you're going to be open before they embark on a four hour journey to visit you. Or you're trying to provide health information, such as symptoms for TB, or information on why people should get themselves tested for HIV. This kind of information and advice can be automated, since it's the same for each and every enquiry and doesn't require an individual, personalised response. ReplyManager allows you to create keywords which, when they are texted in trigger an automated reply of your choosing. So, in our health example, you could tell community members that, to find out when your clinic is open, they simply need to text the word CLINIC to your FrontlineSMS number, and FrontlineSMS can be programmed to automatically send back a message such as "We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm, and Saturday 9am to 2pm" message. In this example, CLINIC is the keyword and "We are open..." is your automated reply

ReplyManager can be used to provide a wide range of information services. Non-profit organisations have already used it to provide information such as market prices to farmers, health advice to patients and information on courses for students

TIP: During normal operation, message senders can expect to receive their automatic reply within a few minutes at most, depending on how busy FrontlineSMS is. If FrontlineSMS is not running, however, then no replies will be sent until it is re-started, at which point it will then automatically process any Autoreply backlog. If you are providing information services around-the-clock using this feature, then your laptop or computer will need to remain switched on, with FrontlineSMS running at all times. You will also need to make sure that any SIM card you're using has enough airtime credit to cover your outgoing messages, else they will fail to send

Setting up an Autoreply

To set up an Autoreply, firstly you need to choose a keyword and tell FrontlineSMS what that keyword is. Once you have decided on a keyword, click the Create a Reply button [3] and in the Reply Details window [2] enter:

Keyword - What keyword(s) you want to use to trigger the Autoreply. A keyword can only be used once
Text to send back in reply - The text message that you want FrontlineSMS to automatically send back in response
Start date - If you want FrontlineSMS to only start Autoreplying from a certain date, click the calendar icon [9] and select the date you want it to start
End date - If you want FrontlineSMS to stop Autoreplying after a certain date, click the calendar icon [9] and select the date you want it to stop

Once you've completed entering your new Autoreply, click the Save button [7]. The new Autoreply will appear in the Reply Manager Database Entries window [1]. If you change your mind, click the Cancel button [8]

TIP: If you select Start or End dates the Autoreply will show as Live or Dormant in the Reply Manager Database Entries window, telling you if the date range selected is current, future or expired

Editing an Autoreply

Once a Autoreply is created, you can edit the automated message and Start and End dates (but not the keyword itself, which for obvious reasons cannot be changed after the Autoreply has been created). To edit an Autoreply, select the relevant keyword in the Reply Manager Database Entries window [1] and click on the Edit button [4]. Edit any of the information required in the Reply Details window [2] and when finished click Save [7] to save the changes, or Cancel [8] if you change your mind

TIP: The Responses column in the Reply Manager Database Entries window gives you a running total of the number of Autoreplies sent out for each keyword

Deleting an Autoreply

To delete an Autoreply in FrontlineSMS, select the relevant keyword in the Reply Manager Database Entries window [1] and click on the Delete button [5]

TIP: Rather than delete an Autoreply, consider keeping all the data and simply make it Dormant instead. You can do this by editing the Autoreply and putting in an End Date which has already passed

Taking Autoreply data into other programs

The ReplyManager module manages all of your keywords and Autoreplies, and gives you running totals for the number of automatic replies sent, but it does not allow you to create graphs, sort the Autoreply data into a different order, or add it to other information you might hold. If you want to manipulate the Autoreply information, you can 'export' this data out of FrontlineSMS and into other packages such as Open Office, Microsoft Office, and so on. To export Autoreply data, click on the keyword for the Autoreply you wish to export (in the Reply Manager Database Entries window [1]) and then click on the Export response data button [6]. You will then be asked to give the data a filename, and choose a location for the file using the Browse button. The exported data is saved as a comma separated file (CSV), a format which is read by many programs including Microsoft Excel. You can now open, and manipulate, the data in the exported CSV file without affecting the main FrontlineSMS database