❓ How are text message credits calculated in Almabase?
Every time you send a message, it counts as 1 credit—as long as it’s within 1,000 characters.
So whether your message is 50 characters or 900 characters, it will still count as one message (i.e., one credit).
❓ Where can I check how many message credits I have left?
At the top-right of the Text Communication Center, you'll see a counter showing how many messages you have left (e.g., "10,870 messages left").
Hovering over the info icon (ℹ️) shows the character limit that applies per message.
❓ What happens if my message is longer than 1,000 characters?
Messages longer than 1,000 characters will be split and counted as multiple messages.
For example:
A message with 1,200 characters will use 2 message credits
A message with 2,100 characters will use 3 message credits
❓ Why are links in my text messages shortened?
Almabase uses Twilio to send texts, and Twilio automatically shortens any links in your message (e.g.,https://www.almabase.com/events/reunion-2025/schedule
into something like https://almabase.com/abc123).
This helps in two ways:
Saves space: Short links leave more room for your message.
Improves deliverability: Shortened links reduce the risk of messages being flagged as spam and allow basic click tracking.
There’s nothing extra you need to do—this happens automatically to ensure your messages reach more people effectively.
❓ How is text communication consent synced with Raiser's Edge (RE)?
Consent for text messages is synced with RE using solicit codes, and this sync is bi-directional. That means changes made on Almabase or RE will reflect on the other system automatically.
❓ Where can I configure text consent mapping with RE?
You can configure this in the Solicit codes section of the Mapping tab and Sync rules tab in Sync settings. (Navigation: Settings -> Database)
🔒 This option is only visible to customers who have purchased the Texting add-on.
❓ Can I use the same solicit code for both email and text consent?
No. Email and text consent must have separate solicit codes.
Using the same code for both may lead to unintended consequences—like losing email consent when a user revokes only text consent.
❓ What actions trigger a consent sync with RE?
The sync happens whenever there’s a change in text consent—whether it’s:
A user giving or withdrawing consent on Almabase
An admin updating solicit codes on RE
In both cases, Almabase will add or remove the appropriate solicit code to stay in sync.
❓ Will consent changes show on the profile history tab?
Yes. Any updates related to consent—including solicit code changes—will appear on the History tab of the user's profile in Almabase, so you always have a clear audit trail.
❓ Who can give consent for text messages?
Only end users (alumni, donors, or guests) can give consent. Admins can bulk upload consent but cannot do it at a category level.
❓ Can admins upload or update consent for users?
Yes—for blanket consent only.
Admins can upload consent in bulk using an Excel file. Here’s how you can do it.
During the upload, you’ll be asked whether you want to:
Overwrite all records – replaces existing blanket consent values with those from your file.
Update only – applies consent values only to records where the status is unknown.
🔒 Note: This only applies to blanket consent. If a user has opted out of specific categories (like event invites or gift appeals), their preferences will not be overwritten. Those users will remain unsubscribed.
This ensures consent is respected while giving you control over managing unknown or missing data.
❓ What is the default consent status for text communication?
By default, a user's consent status for text communication is set to "Unknown" on Almabase. This means:
No text messages will be sent to the user unless they explicitly provide consent.
Consent must be collected through guest registration, profile sign-up/edit, or by replying with opt-in keywords.
Once given, consent is tied to the user’s profile or guest record and can be withdrawn anytime by the user.
This helps ensure compliance with text messaging regulations and protects user preferences.
❓ Is consent tied to phone numbers?
No. Consent is tied to user profiles or guest records, not phone numbers. If a user updates their phone number, the existing consent applies to the new number as well.
❓ Where can users give or withdraw consent?
Consent can be collected during:
Guest registration for events
Profile sign-up
Profile edit/update
Consent is always collected or denied as blanket consent—covering all categories at once.
❓ Can users withdraw consent via text?
Yes. Users can opt out or back in by replying with specific codes:
Consent Category | Opt-Out Code | Opt-In Code |
Event Announcements | Event Out | Event In |
Event Invitations | Invite Out | Invite In |
Gift Appeals | Giving Out | Giving In |
Gift Acknowledgements | Donor Out | Donor In |
They can also reply “Stop” or “Unsubscribe” to withdraw all consent at once.
❓ What happens when a user replies with an opt-out code?
When a user replies with an opt-out code like "Event Out", "Invite Out", "Giving Out", or "Donor Out", Almabase will automatically update their consent for that specific category.
The opt-out is processed instantly.
The user's consent status is updated in the backend.
Admins can view this change under the Consent or Inbox tab on the platform.
No manual action is needed from the admin for the opt-out to take effect.
❓ Should the admin manually add the opt-out message to the user’s profile?
No, you don’t need to do anything manually.
Almabase automatically logs and applies opt-out messages in compliance with consent rules.
This ensures consistency and accuracy across your communication preferences without the risk of manual errors.
❓ What does the “Unknown” consent status mean?
If a user hasn’t given or withdrawn consent, their status is marked as Unknown.
❓ How can I withdraw consent if an alum replies saying they don’t want to receive messages?
If an alum replies with a message like “Please stop texting me” but doesn’t use a standard opt-out keyword (e.g., “STOP”), the system won't automatically withdraw consent. In this case, you can take manual action right from the Inbox.
While viewing the message in the Inbox, click the gear icon next to the alum’s name or number.
Select Withdraw consent, and in the popup, uncheck the specific categories (like Gift Appeals, Event Invitations, etc.) the alum wants to stop receiving messages for.
This ensures their preferences are honored, even without a formal opt-out keyword.
❓ Can I as an admin view or manage consent?
Yes, with limitations:
Admins can only view a user’s consent.
In the Inbox tab of text communications, you can withdraw consent for specific categories by unchecking them—useful if a user shares feedback without using opt-out codes.
Admins cannot give consent.
❓ What happens when a guest is mapped to a profile?
A guest’s consent will overwrite the profile’s consent during mapping.
This change is permanent and cannot be undone.
A warning is displayed at the time of mapping to notify admins.
❓ What if a profile already has consent and a guest with different consent is mapped to it?
If the profile already has consent and a guest with different consent is mapped, it may resubscribe the user to categories they had previously opted out of.
❓ Can I edit the consent statement?
No. The consent statement is fixed. You can choose to show or hide it on forms, but cannot modify the content.
❓ How does event consent differ from profile consent?
Event consent can either be specific to an event or tied to a user’s overall profile.
Only profile-level consent collected through events is synced to the user’s profile via the Event Connector.
❓ Can I control how consent flows from events to profiles?
Yes, you have full control.
Admins can configure consent flow preferences:
Review only: Consent is flagged but not applied automatically.
Review before updating: Admins approve before it updates the profile.
Update directly: Consent is applied without manual review.
Always update: Automatically replaces existing values every time.
❓ What happens if a user gives different consent at different events?
You’ll see all versions listed, with the most recent on top.
Admins can choose which value to apply to the profile based on their selected review settings.
❓ Can an admin set a user's consent during event registration?
No, only the user can provide consent.
Even if an admin registers someone for an event, consent fields are locked, ensuring that permission comes directly from the individual.
❓ Will duplicate consent values from different events show up multiple times?
No, Almabase deduplicates identical consent values.
Only unique values will appear in the review dashboard, making it easier to manage.
❓ Does historical event consent sync to profiles?
Consent only flows from events created after text communication is enabled.
There is no retrospective sync for events created before the feature was turned on.
❓ How is event consent stored in the profile?
It’s logged as “Allowed by self.”
Since users provide it themselves during registration, this status confirms the opt-in came directly from them.
❓ What details do I see while reviewing consent changes?
Each consent entry shows:
The consent value
The date it was submitted
The event it came from
❓ Is consent collection enabled by default for events?
Yes, consent collection is turned on by default for all new events.
This ensures you gather permission from participants right from the start.
❓ What happens if I turn off consent collection for an event? Will previously collected consents be lost?
Turning off consent collection only affects future registrations.
Any consents already collected will remain valid and stored in user profiles.
❓ Will disabling consent collection reduce my ability to send text messages?
Yes, it can.
If consent collection is turned off, you may have fewer users to message, since you'll only be able to communicate with those who have opted in through other sources.
❓ Can I toggle consent collection on or off during an event?
Yes, you can enable or disable consent collection at any time.
The change applies immediately and only affects new registrations going forward.
❓ If I turn off consent collection in an event, will it change the user’s profile-level consent?
No.
Disabling the setting simply hides the consent question during event registration.
User profiles will retain any consent previously given.
❓ Does this setting apply to all consent questions in the event form?
Yes, toggling this setting affects all consent questions configured for that event.
❓ Will consent settings sync across different events automatically?
No, consent collection settings are specific to each event.
You'll need to enable or disable it individually per event.