Send WhatsApp messages to parents

You can send school messages to parents on WhatsApp from Broadcast. Use it for fee bills, absence, results and notices, and to read what parents write back.

Before you start

• The WhatsApp channel must be switched on for your school in Broadcast settings.
• A family gets WhatsApp messages only after they agree to it. Families who have not agreed, or who have sent STOP, will not get them.
• Messages go from EduHost's WhatsApp number, sent for your school. They do not go from your school's own phone.

Turn on the WhatsApp channel

1. Open Broadcast → Settings.
2. Find the WhatsApp channel and switch it on.
3. Click Save.

Send a WhatsApp message

1. Open Broadcast → Compose.
2. Choose WhatsApp as the channel.
3. Choose which parents should get the message.
4. Write your message, or pick one from your saved messages. If the screen asks you to pick an approved template, choose the one that fits.
5. Send the message.
6. To check it went out, open Broadcast → Sent.

To learn more about choosing parents and other channels, see the article Send a message to parents (Broadcast). To keep messages you use often, see Save message templates.

Read replies from parents

1. When a parent writes back, the bell shows WhatsApp message from a family.
2. Open Broadcast → WhatsApp to see all replies in one place.

Good to know

• Parents can turn WhatsApp messages from your school on or off in the parent portal, under WhatsApp messages.
• Turning it off in the portal stops messages from your school only.
• If a parent sends STOP to EduHost's WhatsApp number, they stop getting WhatsApp messages from every school. Only sending START to that number brings them back. Your school cannot turn them back on.
• For messages that go out by themselves, such as absent alerts, see Automatic messages.