Scheduled messages¶
Goal: Line up a reminder or check-in now, and trust CareQB to send it later only if the shift is still happening.
Quick paths¶
| I want to… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Remind a caregiver before a specific shift | Calendar → click the shift → Create shift reminder |
| Ask how a visit went afterwards | Calendar → click the shift → Add careplan check-in |
| Send a message to someone later | Open their chat → scheduled message icon → New |
| See everything scheduled across the agency | Scheduled messages icon in the top bar |
| Get a daily email of what's going out | Notification settings → Special rules → Email Digests |
| Remind many caregivers or clients at once | See Sending shift reminders |
Why attach a message to a shift?¶
When a scheduled message is linked to a shift, CareQB re-checks the shift right before sending:
- Still exists? If the shift was cancelled or moved to another day, the message is not sent.
- Same caregiver? If someone else is now staffed, the message is not sent.
- Same start time? If the time moved (3:00 → 4:00 PM), the send time adjusts automatically.
So you can plan a week of reminders on Sunday without worrying about schedule changes.
Create a scheduled message from a chat¶
- Open the chat with the caregiver or client.
- Click the scheduled message icon → New.
- Write the message and choose the send date and time.
- (Recommended) Associate it with a shift so CareQB can validate it before sending.
- Save.
Create one from the Calendar¶
Click a future shift chiclet and choose:
- Create shift reminder: a nudge before the shift
- Add careplan check-in: a "how did it go?" after the shift
Shifts with something scheduled show a small badge on the calendar.
Review, change, or cancel¶
- In a chat: the side panel shows upcoming scheduled messages for that contact. Click Details to edit, reschedule, cancel, or send now.
- Within 30 minutes of sending: a dashed banner appears at the bottom of the chat with Send now and Cancel send.
- Across the agency: use the Scheduled messages icon in the top bar.
Tip: Use Send now when you're already chatting with the caregiver and want to fold the reminder into the live conversation.
Messages CareQB schedules for you¶
Your Admin can turn these on in Agency Settings → Automation & Communication Settings → Automated Scheduled Reminders:
| Automation | What it sends |
|---|---|
| First shift reminders | Before a caregiver's first shift with a new client. Morning shifts get the reminder at 4 PM the day before; afternoon shifts get it at 8 AM. |
| Shift change reminders | When a shift differs from a caregiver's usual pattern (for example, moved from 10 AM to 11 AM) |
| Shift cancellation reminders | The day before a shift the client or office cancelled, so the caregiver doesn't show up. Only for the first cancelled shift in a 7-day window, and never for caregiver-initiated cancellations. |
| Post-shift check-ins | Asks the caregiver for feedback after milestone shifts (such as their first shift with a client). CareQB listens to the reply and flags anything that needs action. |
You can also tune these per caregiver. In the caregiver's side panel, open Automation Settings to exclude them from shift reminders or care plan check-ins. To change the wording, edit the Master Message Templates.
CareQB's AI also uses scheduled messages to stage its next step, for example a thank-you to a caregiver who declined a shift, a few minutes from now. You'll see it queued in the chat and can step in before it sends. See Working alongside CareQB AI.