You will need the Limited Account permission to enable text messaging. To change the balance, auto-recharge or low-balance settings afterwards, you will also need the Full Account permission.
Enabling text messaging reserves a real toll-free number for your church and starts billing, so it is worth reading through the costs before you begin.
Before you start
Your account must be on a paid plan. Text messaging cannot be enabled during a trial — accounts still trialling see a note pointing at their subscription instead of an Enable button.
A payment method must be on file. The activation fee is charged to it immediately.
Enable text messaging
Open the Text Messaging panel from the Messaging Center and click Enable.
Choose an area code. Toll-free only and the area code carries no geographic meaning, so this is purely preference.
Pick a number from the list. The list is live availability from the carrier and refreshes whenever you change the area code, so switching area codes gives you a fresh set to browse if you want something memorable.
Accept the three agreements: the one-time activation fee, the monthly non-usage fee, and an acknowledgement that nothing can be sent or received until the number is verified. All three are required before the window will save.
Confirm. The number is reserved for your church straight away and appears on the panel.
What it costs to turn on
Activation fee - $5.00, charged once at the moment of enabling.
Non-usage fee - $5.00 for each month in which your church neither sends nor receives a single text.
Per message - $0.0125 per 160 characters, per recipient, charged on messages you receive as well as ones you send. Messages containing an emoji or special character are $0.025.
We give you a $2.00 credit, applied on activation so you can send your first messages once the number is approved.
For worked examples and how the balance works, see How much do text messages cost?
Tip: With One Church Giving enabled, text giving messages do not draw down your messaging balance.
Verify the number before you text anyone
Warning: Enabling does not mean you can text anyone yet. The number exists, but the carriers block its messages until verification is approved. Submit the verification form the same day you enable.
Straight after enabling, the panel shows your new number with a Verification Status of Unverified and a banner prompting you to verify. That banner is your next step — see How do I verify my text messaging phone number?
Everyone who can see the panel sees the banner, but only a user with the Limited Account permission can act on it. For everyone else it reads as plain text with nothing to click, so they can see that verification is outstanding and tell someone without submitting your church's legal details themselves.
Manage your balance and auto-recharge
Costs are taken from a prepaid balance, managed from the Text Messaging panel. Low Balance starts at $2.00 and Recharge To at $10.00. If you plan to send a lot of texts, raise both.
Releasing the number
Warning: Releasing your texting number permanently disconnects it. It returns to general circulation and cannot be recovered — not by One Church Software and not by the carrier. Any verification you earned on that number dies with it, and a new number starts the approval process from scratch.
Releasing is never a troubleshooting step. Only the texting number can be released; a separate text giving number cannot be released from this screen.