Blackout Times stop RMS sending triggered SMS during the hours you choose, such as overnight, and hold each message until the blackout ends.

Overview

Blackout Times are the hours when RMS does not send SMS from Triggered Correspondence. When a triggered SMS falls due during the blackout, RMS holds the message and sends it when the blackout ends. Use Blackout Times to stop automated messages reaching guests in the middle of the night. You set Blackout Times on the General Information screen, and they apply to every trigger that sends an SMS.

Please Note! RMS is highly configurable. Some Terminology, User Access & Permissions, Images, Labels, and Functions used in these articles may differ from your setup. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Prerequisites

• A Time Zone set for the property in Setup > Property Options > Property Information. RMS measures Blackout Times in this Time Zone. See Update Property Time Zone.

Set Blackout Times for Triggered SMS

You set Blackout Times in the Triggered Correspondence section of the General Information screen.

In the side menu of RMS, go to Setup > Property Options > General Information.

1. Navigate to the Options tab.
2. In the Triggered Correspondence section, select the time the From and To Blackout Times.
3. Select Save/Exit.
   

4.  

How Do Blackout Times Work?

Blackout Times control when RMS sends triggered SMS, based on the From and To times on the General Information screen:

• Triggered SMS only. Blackout Times hold SMS sent by Triggered Correspondence. Triggered emails, Guest Portal correspondence and SMS you send yourself, such as from a reservation or the Message Centre, are sent as normal.
• Held, not cancelled. RMS holds a triggered SMS that falls due during the blackout and sends it when the blackout ends.
• Every SMS trigger. Blackout Times apply to all trigger types that send an SMS, including SMS sent at the time of an action and Specific Time of Day triggers.
• Property Time Zone. RMS measures Blackout Times in the Time Zone set for the property in Property Information. If the property has no Time Zone, RMS does not apply Blackout Times.
• Multiple properties. On a database with more than one property, the same Blackout Times apply to every property, each measured in that property's own Time Zone.
• Whole hours. The From and To fields list times on the hour only.
• Turning Blackout Times off. Set From and To to the same time. RMS then sends triggered SMS at any time of day.

Example

The following example shows how Blackout Times affect a trigger that sends a confirmation SMS when a new reservation is created. With From set to 10:00 PM and To set to 7:00 AM:

• A guest who makes a reservation at 8:30 PM receives the confirmation SMS straight away.
• A guest who makes a reservation at 10:41 PM receives the confirmation SMS at 7:00 AM the next morning.

Tip! If a guest needs an SMS during the blackout, such as late check-in instructions, send it from the reservation with Reservation SMS Out. Blackout Times do not hold SMS that you send yourself.

Related Articles

• Triggered Correspondence
• Send Triggered Correspondence at a specific time of day
• Update Property Time Zone
• Reservation SMS Out