Why Sending Invoices and Estimates by Text Gets You Paid Faster

Most of your clients are on their phones all day. Sending invoices and estimates by text puts your payment request in front of them the moment you send it, instead of waiting for them to check their email. When a client receives a text, Thryv includes a direct link they can tap to view and pay from their phone in seconds. Enabling this feature takes less than a minute and can make a real difference in how quickly clients respond to your invoices and estimates.

This article covers how to enable SMS notifications for invoices and estimates, how to customize the message your clients receive, and what the {%link} variable does. It does not cover invoice creation, estimate creation, or email notification settings.

How to Enable SMS Notifications for Invoices and Estimates

1. Click Settings in the left-hand navigation.
2. Click Auto client messaging.

The Settings page is open in Thryv Business Center. Settings is highlighted in the left-hand navigation. In the Business section, the Auto client messaging tile is highlighted with an orange rectangle.

3. Click the Payments tab.
4. Scroll to the Invoices section and check the box under New invoice SMS notification labeled "Client will receive a text message (SMS) in addition to an email, when the invoice is sent."

The Invoices section of the Payments tab showing the SMS notification checkbox and Text Message (SMS) field with a 160 character limit.

5. Scroll to the Estimates section and check the box under New estimate SMS notification labeled "Client will receive a text message (SMS) in addition to an email when the estimate is sent."
6. Click Save at the top of the page to apply your changes.

The Estimates section of the Payments tab showing the SMS notification checkbox and Text Message (SMS) field with a 160 character limit.

You can enable invoices, estimates, or both independently. Your SMS settings take effect immediately after saving.

How to Customize the Text Message Your Clients Receive

Each section has a Text Message (SMS) field where you can write the message your clients will receive. The field includes a character counter showing how many of the 160 available characters you have used. Keep your message clear and direct so clients know immediately what the text is about.

The default message for invoices reads: "Pet Spaw is requesting payment, to view invoice and pay click on the link {%link}." The default message for estimates reads: "Pet Spaw has sent you a new estimate. To view and approve click on the link {%link}." Your business name will appear in place of "Pet Spaw" based on your account settings.

The {%link} variable at the end of each message automatically inserts the payment or estimate link when the message is sent. Do not remove the {%link} variable from your message. If the {%link} variable is missing, your client will receive the text but will have no link to view or pay their invoice or estimate.

If you want to restore the original message at any point, click back to default below the text field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my client receive both an email and a text message?
Yes. Checking the SMS notification box does not replace the email. Your client will receive both a text message and an email each time an invoice or estimate is sent.

What happens if I delete the {%link} variable from my message?
Your client will receive the text message but will have no link to view or pay their invoice or estimate. Always keep the {%link} variable at the end of your message to ensure the link is included.

Can I customize the message for each individual client?
The Text Message (SMS) field applies one message template to all invoice notifications and one template to all estimate notifications. Per-client message customization is not available in this setting.

What happens if a client does not have a mobile number on file?
If a client does not have a mobile phone number saved in your CRM, the SMS notification will not be sent. Make sure each client record includes a mobile number to ensure delivery.

Is there a cost to send SMS invoices and estimates?
SMS invoice and estimate delivery is included as part of your Thryv subscription. There is no additional charge per message sent.

What does the Reminders for overdue invoices setting do?
The Reminders for overdue invoices setting at the bottom of the Invoices section automatically sends a follow-up reminder to clients with unpaid invoices. The Type dropdown controls how the reminder is sent and the Schedule for dropdown controls when it is sent. This article does not cover reminder configuration in detail.

What does the Reminder before estimate expires setting do?
The Reminder before estimate expires setting at the bottom of the Estimates section automatically sends a reminder to clients before their estimate expires. The Schedule for dropdown is set to "1 day before" by default. This article does not cover reminder configuration in detail.

What does this article cover?
This article covers enabling SMS notifications for invoices and estimates and customizing the SMS message template in Thryv. It does not cover invoice creation, estimate creation, email notification settings, or reminder configuration.