--- title: "WhatsApp reminders for volunteers and shifts" description: "Remind your volunteers of their shifts on WhatsApp. Each one chooses email or WhatsApp, and email steps in when WhatsApp does not work." url: "https://helferplanung.app/en/features/whatsapp-reminders" language: "en" --- 1. [Features](https://helferplanung.app/en/features) 2. WhatsApp reminders # WhatsApp reminders for your volunteers. Your volunteers choose: email or WhatsApp. If WhatsApp fails, the reminder arrives by email. From the Small plan. [Start for free](https://app.helferplanung.app) [Request a demo](mailto:info@helferplanung.app?subject=Demo%20request%20Helferplanung) ## Every volunteer picks their channel. You do not have to ask anyone what they prefer. Volunteers decide for themselves, and you still reach everyone. - When signing up Volunteers choose email or WhatsApp when they sign up. Without a choice, it stays email. - Later in the volunteer area Volunteers change their channel and mobile number themselves. You do not have to update anything. - Never twice Each message arrives on exactly one channel. Nobody gets the same reminder by email and on WhatsApp. ## If WhatsApp fails, email steps in. In three cases, a message goes out by email instead of WhatsApp. That way, nobody misses their shift. **Reminder on WhatsApp** 1. WhatsApp switched on? By email ### WhatsApp is switched off You switch WhatsApp on or off for your whole organisation. The volunteers’ choice stays saved. 2. Credits left? By email ### Credits have run out If the balance is not enough, the message goes by email. The app shows you how many messages went by email for this reason. 3. Delivered? By email ### Delivery fails Wrong number or no WhatsApp: the email follows, and you get the credit back. After three failures in a row, the volunteer is switched to email. **Sent on WhatsApp** ## Keep an eye on credits before they run out. Every WhatsApp message needs credits. You see your balance in the menu. If scheduled reminders exceed it, the app warns you on the dashboard and by email. - The Small plan includes 200 credits per month, the Medium plan 750. - A message to Switzerland or Austria needs 1 credit, to Germany 3 credits, to other countries 3 credits. - Need more? Buy a pack, from 500 credits for CHF 24. Purchased credits never expire. - The Free plan has no WhatsApp, and no packs either. [See credits and packs](https://helferplanung.app/en/pricing#credits) ## More than reminders. - ### Confirmations too The confirmation after signing up and the message when you assign someone also go out on the chosen channel. - ### One message per day If someone has several shifts on the same day, one reminder covers them all. That saves credits. - ### A button to their own shifts Every message has a button to the volunteer area. There, volunteers see their shifts and cancel if they need to. - ### Choose the timing Remind hours, days or weeks before the shift, even several times. Defaults for the organisation, exceptions per event. [More about reminders](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/automatic-reminders) - ### Plus the calendar subscription Volunteers subscribe to their shifts in their own calendar. If a shift changes, the change appears by itself. [More about the calendar subscription](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/calendar-subscription) - ### Your own messages by email For everything you write yourself, there is the mail centre. These messages always go by email. [More about the mail centre](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/mail-centre) ## Part of one continuous workflow. Helferplanung takes you through four phases, from the rota to check-in at the event. 1. 01 ### Plan Areas, shifts, assignments [More on shift planning](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/shift-planning) 2. 02 ### Sign up Link or QR, no account [More on volunteer sign-up](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/volunteer-sign-up) 3. 03 ### Inform Email, WhatsApp, calendar You are here - [Mail centre](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/mail-centre) - [Automatic reminders](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/automatic-reminders) - [Calendar subscription](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/calendar-subscription) 4. 04 ### Run Check-in and reporting [More on volunteer check-in](https://helferplanung.app/en/features/volunteer-check-in) ## Questions about WhatsApp reminders Your question is not listed? Write to us and we will get back to you in person. [Ask a question](mailto:info@helferplanung.app?subject=Question%20about%20Helferplanung) **Can I change the text of the WhatsApp message?** No. WhatsApp messages follow fixed templates approved by Meta. They contain the event, date, time and task. You choose your own templates for emails only. **How does a volunteer switch back to email?** In the volunteer area, or by replying “STOP” to a WhatsApp message. After that, everything arrives by email. **What happens to the data with WhatsApp?** Messages are sent via WhatsApp, which means via Meta. For this, the mobile number and the message go to Meta, including to the USA. Volunteers see this notice before they choose WhatsApp. Anyone who prefers not to receive anything via Meta chooses email or replies “STOP”. **Are the plan’s credits enough?** A message to a Swiss number needs 1 credit. If every volunteer gets a confirmation and a reminder, that is 2 credits. With 200 credits per month, the Small plan reaches 100 volunteers on WhatsApp. Anyone who chooses email needs no credits. ## Your next event, without spreadsheet chaos. Set up in minutes. Your volunteers sign up via a link or QR code. For larger events, we are happy to walk you through everything in person. [Start for free](https://app.helferplanung.app) [Request a demo](mailto:info@helferplanung.app?subject=Demo%20request%20Helferplanung)