--- title: "Scheduled Messages - Auto-Respond Docs" description: "Saved message templates paired with timing rules - apply one to a lead to queue the text for a future send." source: https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/scheduled-messages/ last_updated: 2026-04-21 --- ![Scheduled Messages documentation guide](https://auto-respond.com/assets/docs/leads-scheduled-messages.svg "Scheduled Messages Documentation") A visual guide to the Scheduled Messages documentation, covering the setup, configuration, and workflow details explained on this page. Documentation illustration for Scheduled Messages. # Scheduled Messages **Scheduled Messages** are message templates that come with a timing rule built in - for example, “24 hours after the customer first messaged”, or “3 days after arrival”. You set them up once in your user settings, then apply them to any lead to queue the text for a future send. They’re different from [Quick Replies](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/quick-replies/): a quick reply is just text you can reuse now, while a scheduled message is text **plus** when to send it. ## Getting here - **Manage the library** - your user settings. - **Apply one to a lead** - open a lead in the Leads table and use the **Pick a scheduled-message template** option in the composer at the bottom of the Conversation view. See [Messages](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/messages/). - **One-off delayed send** - for a one-off scheduled send that doesn’t come from a template, use **Send scheduled** in the composer and pick a delay in minutes, hours, or days. ## Applying a scheduled message to a lead ### Open the lead Click the row in the Leads table to open the Lead Details dialog. ### Pick a scheduled-message template In the composer, click **Pick a scheduled-message template** and choose the one you want. ### Confirm The template’s text is queued per its timing rule. When you apply a scheduled message: - The lead’s **status** is set to **Scheduled Messages** (purple). See [Lead Statuses](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/statuses/). - The queued message appears inline in the conversation thread at its planned send time, shown with a **timer icon** and a **Cancel** button. ## Cancelling a queued scheduled message Find the queued message in the conversation thread (it has a timer icon next to it) and click **Cancel**. The message is removed from the queue before it sends. If it was the only scheduled message on the lead, the lead’s status will no longer be **Scheduled Messages** - change it to whatever fits the next action. ℹ️ **You can only cancel before the send.** Once the scheduled time passes and the message has been delivered to the customer on the source platform, the timer icon disappears and the message is just a normal sent message in the thread. ## Managing your library Scheduled Messages are **per-user**. You manage your own library in your user settings - add new templates, update timing rules, or remove templates you no longer use. Other teammates have their own libraries. A template typically consists of: - The **message text** to send. - A **timing rule** - how long to wait before sending, relative to a trigger point. ## Scheduled calls (not the same thing) You may also see **scheduled calls** inline in the conversation - these are outbound phone calls queued for a future time, not scheduled text messages. A scheduled call shows the planned date and time with a **timer icon** and a **Cancel Scheduled Call** button as long as the time is still in the future. Click the button and confirm to cancel the queued call. Scheduled calls are distinct from scheduled messages: - A **scheduled message** is queued text that will be sent on the source platform at its planned send time. - A **scheduled call** is a queued phone call, not a text message. Cancelling one doesn’t affect any scheduled messages on the lead, and vice versa. If both exist on the same lead, each appears inline at its planned time with its own timer icon and its own Cancel control. ## Scheduled messages vs. quick replies vs. send scheduled There are three related ways to delay or reuse a reply; pick whichever fits: - **Quick Replies** - reusable text you paste into the composer and send now (or schedule manually). No timing built in. See [Quick Replies](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/quick-replies/). - **Scheduled Messages** (this page) - text **plus** timing. Applying one queues the send automatically. - **Send scheduled** in the composer - a one-off delayed send. Pick a delay in minutes, hours, or days. No template is saved. See [Messages](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/messages/). ## What happens to the lead afterwards - If the scheduled message sends successfully, it appears as a normal sent message in the thread. You should manually update the lead’s status from **Scheduled Messages** to whatever’s appropriate (often **Answered**). - If the customer replies before the scheduled send, the queued message still goes out unless you cancel it - check the thread and cancel if the reply is no longer appropriate. *** Questions? Email . Last updated: April 21, 2026