How to Send Appointment Reminders via SMS on Google Forms Submission Using Pabbly Connect

Learn how to automate sending appointment reminders via SMS using Google Forms and Pabbly Connect in this detailed tutorial. Explore efficient methods for automating routine tasks with clear, concise instructions suited for both newcomers and experienced professionals.

Watch Step By Step Video Tutorial Below

1. Setting Up Pabbly Connect for Google Forms Integration

To send appointment reminders via SMS, we will utilize Pabbly Connect as the central integration platform. First, create a free account on Pabbly Connect and log in. Once logged in, click on the ‘Create Workflow’ button to start building your automation.

Provide a name for your workflow, such as ‘Appointment Reminder SMS’. After naming, click on the ‘Create’ button. You will see two boxes labeled Trigger and Action, where you will set up the automation steps.

2. Configuring Google Forms Trigger in Pabbly Connect

In this step, we will configure Pabbly Connect to trigger when a new response is submitted in Google Forms. Select ‘Google Forms’ as the trigger application and choose the event ‘New Response Received’. This event will activate whenever a new appointment is booked through the form.

• Select ‘Google Forms’ as the trigger application.
• Choose the event ‘New Response Received’.
• Copy the provided webhook URL for integration.

After selecting the trigger event, copy the webhook URL provided by Pabbly Connect. This URL will be used in the Google Sheets associated with your Google Form to send data to Pabbly Connect.

3. Linking Google Sheets with Pabbly Connect

Next, we will link the Google Sheets that collects responses from the Google Form to Pabbly Connect. Open the associated Google Sheet, navigate to the ‘Extensions’ menu, and select ‘Add-ons’. From there, search for and install the ‘Pabbly Connect Webhook’ add-on if it’s not already installed.

Once installed, go back to the ‘Extensions’ menu, select ‘Pabbly Connect Webhook’, and click on ‘Initial Setup’. Here, paste the copied webhook URL and specify the trigger column, which is typically the last column where data is filled. Click on ‘Send Test’ to ensure the connection is successful.

4. Setting Up Twilio SMS Action in Pabbly Connect

Now, we will set up the action to send SMS reminders using Twilio through Pabbly Connect. After the trigger is configured, add a new action step and select ‘Twilio’ as the application. Choose the action event ‘Send SMS’.

To connect Twilio to Pabbly Connect, you will need to provide your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token. These can be found in your Twilio dashboard. After entering these details, map the recipient’s phone number and customize the SMS body with the appointment details.

• Select ‘Twilio’ as the action application.
• Choose ‘Send SMS’ as the action event.
• Map the phone number and customize the SMS message.

Finally, click on ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to send a test SMS. Ensure that the SMS is received correctly to confirm that your automation is working.

5. Finalizing the Appointment Reminder Workflow

With the integration complete, your Pabbly Connect workflow is now ready to send appointment reminders automatically. Each time a new appointment is booked via the Google Form, the SMS will be sent one day before the scheduled date.

To finalize, ensure you enable the ‘Send on Event’ option in your Google Sheets add-on settings. This will ensure that data is sent to Pabbly Connect as soon as a form is submitted. You can now sit back and relax as Pabbly Connect handles the SMS reminders for you.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we explored how to automate sending appointment reminders via SMS using Pabbly Connect and Google Forms. With just a few steps, you can ensure your clients receive timely reminders, enhancing their experience and reducing no-shows.