# Automating Proactive Follow-Up

In Part V, scheduled a TCPA-compliant Notification to remind users of their upcoming appointment. Now, we will create and schedule another Notification that will be sent if and only if a user submits their contact information but doesn't schedule their appointment within the 24 hours.

## Creating the follow-up Notification

1. In **Notifications** Builder, create a second SMS Notification and rename it to “Schedule Appointment”.

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-446f793c6f2a7bc52765d9a0b5c0775f3b8663cd%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-0.png?alt=media)

2. Add a text reminding the user to schedule the appointment and personalize the message by referencing their first name name (saved as `actor.first_name`) in an Airscript Expression.
3. Click on the ‘+’ sign below the message and add a separate **Link to Journey**. This will direct the user back to the web app, wherever they left off:

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-78d4381b384eb5d25c70fd7215680906b572d7a8%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-1.png?alt=media)

<details>

<summary>Precisely what is link is being sent in the Link to Journey text?</summary>

\


The links sent in **Link to Journey** SMS messages are Journey Links. A Journey Link leads to the most recently accessed Web Page within an existing Journey. It is capable of doing so because it contains a unique Journey identifier in the URL path.

For a deeper dive into how to conceptualize and use Journey Links, see [Linking to Journeys](../../concepts/journeys/linking-to-journeys).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why send this link as a separate text message?</summary>

\


Most apps that process and display SMS messages come with a previewing functionality that displays a thumbnail of the associated web page when a link is sent. However, in order to do so, the link usually has to be sent as its own isolated SMS message. In sending this link as a separate text message, we're making it easier for the end user to see a preview of the application before clicking on the link, ultimately resulting in a better use experience.

</details>

## Setting the Notification’s timer

1. In **Web Flows** Builder, go to the **Capture Customer Info** Web Page. With the Continue Button Control selected, go to the **Actions** tab in the Inspector and add a **Start Timer** Action. Complete it as follows:
   * Change the key to “follow-up”
   * Set a 1-day execution time after the timer is triggered

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e58552d227ac5f445a42f24eeb80eeb92e796188%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-2.png?alt=media)

* To remain TCPA compliant, in **Which Availability Schedule > Custom Expression**, add the following Availability Schedule Key:

```javascript
"TCPA-{{actor.region}}-{{actor.time_zone}}"
```

* In **If time is not available** select the **Use next available time** option.

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8b4ba625545ed667f4cebed4bfe768b54cd7be22%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-3.png?alt=media)

2. Under the **Start Timer** Action, add a **Send SMS** Action and select the **Schedule Appointment** Notification.

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-11dfc2bf6a4e2188d4ead554222bb027f2eee652%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-4.png?alt=media)

3. Save the app. You have now scheduled the "Schedule Appointment" Notification to send 1 day after the user submits their contact information, assuming that lands at a TCPA-compliant time. If not, the follow-up text will be sent a little more than a day after, the soonest TCPA compliance allows.

## Canceling the follow-up Notification when unnecessary

In cases where users schedule their appointment shortly after submitting their contact information, there's no need to send them a reminder message. Upon the selection of an appointment time, then, we should cancel the scheduled reminder.

1. Go to the Scheduler Control in the Schedule Appointment Web Page. In the **Actions** tab of the Inspector, add a **Stop Timer** Action.
2. Enter the key "follow-up" to cancel the timer.

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e4f558de52c6ec210a75ba6e3e6f2da8f47047c8%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-5.png?alt=media)

3. Save the app

## Previewing the follow-up timer

Let's go to **App Preview** to test the progress we have built so far.

1. After emulating submitting our contact information, click on the **Timers** tab to see the timers that are available at that stage of the Journey.
2. Select the timer you want to test and, from **Actions**, click on **Activate Scheduled Trigger**. By doing so, the timer will be triggered even though it is not yet the designated execution time.

![](https://2093598723-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FC2DgLBPTrwoEhWaU24LL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-48fe0fb8c270139158a7a8dfb70a93e905799055%2Fautomating-proactive-follow-up-v180-6.png?alt=media)

3. Go back to the Device tab and click on the chat icon at the bottom to see the Notification's message.

You've now built out the entirety of Step 1 of this application flow. Lastly, it's time to finalize Step 2 – the collection of feedback after the appointment is over.
