Text Messages
Pickpad can automatically send SMS messages to your customers at key moments in the order journey — no code required. You define scenarios: each one watches for a specific event and fires a customized message when it happens.
How It Works
- Go to Text Messages in the sidebar.
- Create a scenario: choose a trigger event, write your message template, and save.
- That's it — Pickpad sends the SMS automatically when the event occurs.
You can create as many scenarios as you need and have multiple active at the same time.
Once you've got the basics, see Writing Messages for templates and helpers, and Delivery & History for send timing, custom receivers, and delivery tracking.
Trigger Events
Each scenario fires on one of four order events:
| Event | When it fires |
|---|---|
| Order distributed | An order has been assigned to a Pickpad device and is being prepared |
| Ready on pad | The order is placed on the Pickpad and ready for pickup |
| Order taken | The customer picks up the order (detected by weight change) |
| Order finished | The order is fully completed and the pad is cleared |
Choosing the right event
- Notify the customer their order is being prepared → use Order distributed
- Tell the customer to come collect → use Ready on pad — this is the most common use case
- Send a thank-you or review request → use Order taken or Order finished
Delivery Type Targeting
Each scenario can be limited to specific delivery types, so a message only fires for the kind of order you care about.
| Delivery type | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Pickup | Customer collects the order themselves |
| Delivery | Order is delivered to the customer |
| Dine-in | Order is consumed on-site / at the counter |
When creating or editing a scenario, toggle on the delivery types it should apply to.
- Leave all delivery types unchecked → the scenario applies to every order, regardless of delivery type. This is the default.
- Toggle on one or more → the scenario only fires for orders matching one of the selected types.
This lets you tailor messaging — for example, a "come collect your order" message for Pickup only, and a "your order is on its way" message for Delivery only, both triggered by the same event.
If you'd rather keep a single scenario and adapt only its wording per delivery type, use the delivery-type conditionals in your template instead.