The Messaging page: WhatsApp and text messages
Messaging is the one page for visitor updates. A business uses one channel at a time, WhatsApp or text messages, and this page shows how that channel is doing and what it is set to.
WhatsApp and text messages are extras, never the only way. The tracking link and lobby TV always work, free, whatever is switched on or off.
Text messages are not open in any country yet. Until we open a country, a business cannot switch text messages on, so today this page shows WhatsApp. The text-message parts below describe what you will see once a country opens.
What it is
Open Messaging in the sidebar, under Team & messaging. It is your window on the updates your visitors get. Choosing a channel, paying for it, your zone and your monthly limit all live in Billing, and only the owner can change them there. Managers see only their own locations; staff do not see this page.
If you used to open a WhatsApp page, this is the same page, now covering text messages too. Old links to it still arrive here.
How to check it in turnda
- Open Messaging in the sidebar. A status card sits at the top of every tab. It says which channel visitors get updates by, how it is doing, how many messages or texts are left this billing month and the day that resets.
- Read the health words on the card: On, Running low this month, Paused until a date, Card declined, or Not working on our side. They are the same words as the card in Billing.
- Press Manage on Billing to change anything. A manager sees the button switched off, with “Only the owner can change this, in Billing. Ask your business owner.”
- Use the tabs underneath: Usage to see if it is working, Settings to see what it is set to. WhatsApp also has Conversations. Text messages have no Conversations tab, and the page says why.
When no channel is on, or you are on Free
Instead of tabs you see one explaining screen: what WhatsApp and text messages do, and that your visitors always keep the free tracking link and lobby TV. The owner gets a button, Switch on in Billing. On the Free package the button is Choose a package, because both channels need a paid package.
When you use WhatsApp
The Usage tab
| What it shows | What it means |
|---|---|
| Live delivery numbers | Delivered, Read and Failed, refreshed every 15 seconds. Failed is captioned “Nothing sent; they keep the tracking link.” |
| By location, 7 or 30 days | Pick one location or all of yours, and the last 7 or 30 days. |
| Share sent within 24 hours | The share of messages that went out inside the 24-hour window after the visitor’s own message. The higher it is, the more visitors have turned on WhatsApp updates. |
| Delivery funnel | Every message that reached WhatsApp, from sent to read, and why any were refused: the 24-hour window had closed, they asked us to stop, or it would have cost money. |
| If a visitor says they got nothing | Three things to check first: they turned updates on, you have messages left this billing month, and their number is from a country in your zone. See each message takes you to the delivery log. |
The Conversations tab
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Read-only threads | Each visitor’s thread, searchable by name or ticket number. Nobody can type a message from here. |
| Kept 30 days | Then permanently deleted. Only you, and managers for their own location, can read it, and opening one is logged. |
| Ticks on our messages | One tick is sent, two ticks delivered, two blue ticks read, a warning mark failed. |
| A dashed grey bubble | A message nobody received. It says “Not sent” and why. |
The Settings tab
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| What it is set to | Your zone, your monthly limit in packs, and the name visitors see, which is Turnda. To change any of them, use Manage on Billing. |
| What visitors are sent | The two fixed messages, shown as a visitor reads them. turnda writes them, so there is nothing to word. Email wording is on the Email page. |
| Lines that use WhatsApp | Every line, with Sends WhatsApp updates or Switched off, and a count such as “Lines sending WhatsApp updates: 2 of 3”. Each line has its own switch, Visitor updates on this line, in that line's settings. |
| Each location | One card per location: Ready to send, Not sending (with the one reason), or Reaching nobody. |
| Did it arrive? | The delivery log of recent messages, with when, which message and what happened to it. |
When you use text messages
The Usage tab
| What it shows | What it means |
|---|---|
| Sent this month, Given back, Not delivered — phone off | Texts that left turnda, texts that never left and went back into your pack, and texts whose phone was off (those still count). How many texts are left, and the day your billing month starts again, are on the status card at the top. |
| Packs this month | How many packs you have used out of your monthly limit. |
| This month, by country | For each country: Sent, Not sent — given back and Not delivered — phone off. Never by phone number. |
| If a visitor says they got nothing | The same three checks as for WhatsApp, with the number of texts you have left right now. |
| Did it arrive? | Each recent text with the visitor’s ticket number (never the phone number), which text it was and what happened to it. |
The Settings tab
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| What it is set to | Your zone, your monthly limit, and the name on your texts. The name is changed in Billing. |
| What visitors are sent | The two fixed texts, shown as a visitor reads them. turnda writes them, so there is nothing to word. Email wording is on the Email page. |
| Where texts can go | Three counts — Open now, On request and Not supported — plus a folded list of the open countries. These counts come from our country table. They do not mean texts can be switched on: no country is open for texts until we open one. |
| Lines that use text messages | The same list of lines, with Sends text updates or Switched off. |
| Registration fee cards | A country that needs registering shows its one-off fee. |
| Countries on request | A short form to ask for a country that is not open yet. |
Why there is no Conversations tab for texts Texts go one way. A visitor cannot reply, except by sending STOP, so there is no conversation to read.
The two messages
Both channels send the same two fixed messages a visit: one when the visitor joins, and one when it is almost their turn. The wording cannot be edited. Email wording is edited on the Email page.
A real example
WhatsApp. On Friday evening a location card says Reaching nobody. You open Usage and see that almost no messages went out inside the 24 hours. Most visitors joined without ever tapping “Get WhatsApp updates”, so there was no window to send in. You make sure the button is offered on the tracking page and the kiosk.
Text messages. A visitor from another country says no text came. On Usage, that country shows many Not delivered — phone off, so it is the phones, not turnda. You tell the visitor to watch the tracking link, which always works.
What happens in the system
- 1A channel is onChosen and paid in Billing
- 2The location can sendIts card on Settings says Ready to send
- 3The visitor opts inWhatsApp: their own Send. Text messages: the tick and confirm
- 4The message goes outUses one message from your pack
If it goes wrong
| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| The card says Paused until a date | Your monthly limit is reached. It starts again on that date. The owner can raise the limit in Billing. Visitors keep the tracking link and lobby TV. |
| The card says Card declined | The owner updates the card in Billing and the next pack is bought. |
| The card says Not working on our side | It is our problem, not yours. Nothing is taken from your pack, and visitors keep the tracking link and lobby TV. |
| The bell says WhatsApp is paused for today | Your business sent an unusually high number of WhatsApp messages in one day, so WhatsApp is paused until tomorrow. The tracking link carries on, and the Queue shows who still needs a call. |
| WhatsApp: the 24-hour window has closed | The visitor’s own message was over 24 hours ago, or they never turned updates on. They can tap Get WhatsApp updates again. |
| WhatsApp: the visitor opted out | They replied STOP. The log shows Opted out. Nothing to do. |
| Text messages: Not delivered — phone off | The phone was off or out of signal. Nothing to fix. |
| Text messages: Not sent — given back | A network blocked the text. It goes back into your pack. |
| A location says Not sending | Read the one reason on its card, fix that one thing, and it sends again. |
What you need to do
- Glance at Usage once a day in your first week. Failed, or Not sent, should stay small.
- Keep your channel switched on in Billing, and Visitor updates on this line switched on in the settings of each line that should send.
- Keep an eye on the status card: Running low this month is your warning before it pauses.
- Choosing a channel, payments, zone and limit are changed in Billing. See WhatsApp or text messages: one channel.
What turnda does not cover
- WhatsApp’s 24-hour rule (set by Meta). It decides when a free WhatsApp message may be sent.
- The visitor’s phone and network. Delivered means the network handed it over, not that the visitor looked.
- Anything typed by hand. You cannot reply to a visitor from this page.
Common questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I use WhatsApp and text messages together? | No. A business uses one channel at a time. You choose it in Billing. |
| Why can a manager not switch a channel on or off? | Only the owner can, and that is in Billing. A manager sees the status card with the button switched off. |
| Where do I see messages or texts left? | On the status card at the top of this page, and on the card in Billing. |
| Do emails run out when messages do? | No. Each has its own limit. The tracking link and lobby TV carry on whatever happens. |
| Does Usage count the automatic STOP replies? | No. Those replies are free and not counted. |
Related: Did it arrive? (delivery log) · Switching on text messages · A visitor did not get a text · Message moments