Texts cost credits, and an empty balance stops reminders without a sound. Auto top-up or the low-balance email is the difference between hearing about it from the dashboard and hearing about it from patients.

Credits

Every text ClinyPal sends, automatic or by hand, uses SMS credits. A credit costs USD 0.10 and covers 160 characters; a longer message uses two or three. The dashboard warns when fewer than 200 are left, and a message that the balance can't cover isn't sent. Open Settings, then SMS settings, to see the balance and its value.

An empty balance stops reminders silently. While the balance is empty, reminders aren't sent; once you top up, those for visits that haven't started yet still go out, but confirmations already missed don't. Switch on Auto top-up or the Low-balance reminder so the clinic hears before patients do.

Top up

1

Enter an amount under Top up credits and select the top-up button

The order summary shows the credits you'll get and the charge today.

2

Pay by card

The payment goes through the card form; Credits added successfully confirms it and the balance updates at once. Credits don't expire.

Auto top-up buys credits for you: switch it on, set Top up when balance below and Amount to top up, and the saved card is charged when the balance drops under the line, so reminders never stop for want of credit. Low-balance reminder instead emails the clinic's contact address when the balance falls below Remind me when below. Save after changing either.

The SMS settings page with the SMS credits balance and value, a Top up credits field, Receiving replies fields, Auto top-up switched on with its two amounts, and a Low-balance reminder switch and threshold.
SMS settings with a top-up of USD 20 ready to buy and auto top-up set to buy USD 20.00 when under USD 5.00.

Replies from patients

When a patient replies to a text, the reply is kept in ClinyPal against their record. Under Receiving replies, add a Mobile number to have replies forwarded as texts, at one credit each, or an Email address to forward them free. Both can be set.