Sending a message to a client

You can email a client straight from Sammy, whether it's about a quote, an invoice, a job or nothing in particular. It goes out under your business name, and when your client replies, the reply comes back into the same conversation in Messages.

Start a new message#

1. Open Messages.
2. Tap New. On your phone it's at the bottom of the screen, just above the tabs. On a computer it's in the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap New message.

On your phone, New only shows on your list of conversations. Go back to the list if you've got a conversation open.

You'll also see Write with Sammy. See Let Sammy write it below.

You can also start one from a client's page, with that client already filled in. Tap Actions (on a computer it's in the bottom-right corner), then New message. If Sammy is switched on, choose Write manually to write it yourself, or Write with Sammy.

Choose who it's going to#

When a new message opens, Sammy asks who it's for straight away.

1. Search for the client, or pick one from the list. To add someone new, tap New client. On your phone it's at the top right, and whatever you've typed in the search is filled in for you.
2. Their email address shows under their name.
3. If the client has other contacts saved with an email address, you'll see a button for each address. Tap the one you want. The client's own address comes first.

You can only send to the client's own email address or one of their saved contacts. To email someone else at the client, add them as a contact on the client's page first. That keeps every conversation filed under the right client.

If the client has no email address, Sammy tells you, with a link to their client page so you can add one.

To change the client, tap their name.

Copy someone in#

Tap Add CC recipients, then type an email address or search your clients. You can copy in anyone, up to five people.

Choose what it's about#

This step is optional, but it's worth doing.

1. Tap Add a quote, invoice or job.
2. Search by the number (like EST-0042, or just 42), the job name, the client or the project. Or scroll the list.
3. Tap the one you want.

If you've already chosen the client, you'll only see that client's quotes, invoices and jobs. Tap Show everything to see the lot (on your phone, tap Everything under the search box). If you pick the quote first, Sammy fills in the client for you.

Why it helps:

• It goes in the right conversation. If the quote, invoice or job is in a project, the message goes into that project's conversation. Otherwise it goes into your conversation with the client.
• You'll find it on the quote. A message about a quote shows on that quote's Messages tab. A message about a job or an invoice shows on the quote it came from.
• The subject is done for you. Sammy uses the number your client knows, like "Quote EST-0042".

To take it off, tap the X next to it. If you change the client and the quote belongs to someone else, Sammy takes it off for you and lets you know.

The subject#

Sammy writes the subject for you:

• Adding to a conversation you already have: "Re:" and the last subject, so your client's email app keeps it all together.
• About a quote, invoice or job: the number, like Quote EST-0042, Invoice INV-0012 or Job JN-1044.
• Anything else: Message from and your business name.

Tap the subject to change it. Once you've typed your own, Sammy leaves it alone.

Where it will land#

A line tells you where your message will go. On a computer it's under New message at the top. On your phone it's under the subject.

• Continues your conversation with Jo Smith: it goes into the conversation you already have with that client.
• Continues the Kitchen reno conversation: it goes into that project's conversation.
• Starts a new conversation with Jo Smith or Starts a new conversation for Kitchen reno: there isn't one yet, so Sammy starts it.

Write and send#

1. Type your message in the big box.
2. To attach a photo or a file, tap the paperclip or the picture button. You can attach PDFs, Word documents and photos (JPG, PNG, GIF or WebP). Keep each file under 20 MB.
3. Tap Send.

You need to write something to go with an attachment. Sammy won't send a file on its own.

On a computer you can send without the mouse: press ⌘ and Enter on a Mac, or Ctrl and Enter on Windows. Pressing Enter on its own starts a new line.

When it's sent, the conversation opens with your message in it.

If it doesn't send, your message stays put and Sammy tells you what went wrong under the Send button. Fix it and tap Send again. If your first try actually got through, Sammy won't email your client a second time.

When your client replies#

Your client gets an email from your business name (via Sammy). When they hit Reply:

• their reply shows up in the same conversation in Messages
• you get a notification
• Sammy emails you a copy too, so you won't miss it

If the message was about a quote, their reply usually shows on that quote's Messages tab as well.

If you back out#

Tap the back arrow on your phone, or the X on a computer, and Sammy keeps what you've written. Tap New, then New message, and it's all still there. Photos and files you attached aren't kept, so add them again.

Sammy keeps your draft while the app or browser tab stays open. To throw it away, tap Discard at the top.

Let Sammy write it#

Tap New, then Write with Sammy. He opens already knowing you want to write to someone. With a conversation open he names the client and offers a few starting points, like Tell John I'm running late or Reply to what John said; from the inbox he asks who it's for. Tap one, or tell him what to say in your own words. He shows you the whole email before anything goes, and nothing is sent until you tap Approve. If you'd rather finish it yourself, tap Edit in Messages and it opens here with everything filled in.

See Asking Sammy anywhere in the app.