---
title: "Messaging Settings - Auto-Respond Docs"
description: "Configure how Auto-Respond replies, follows up, and syncs leads for each source"
source: https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/
---

![Messaging Settings documentation guide](https://auto-respond.com/assets/docs/messaging-settings.svg "Messaging Settings Documentation")

A visual guide to the Messaging Settings documentation, covering the setup, configuration, and workflow details explained on this page. Documentation illustration for Messaging Settings.

# Messaging Settings

Messaging Settings control how Auto-Respond talks to your leads: the first reply they receive, the follow-ups that go out if they go quiet, what happens when they share a phone number or email, and which CRM or notification tools get triggered.

Settings are configured **per source** (per Yelp business, Thumbtack profile, Facebook page, etc.), and they inherit down a hierarchy so you can set things once and override only where needed.

## Getting here

In Auto-Respond, go to **Sources** → select a source → **Messaging Settings**.

## Tabs

### [Conversation Setup](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/)

[How the first reply is generated - AI assistant or predefined messages - plus welcome message delay](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/)

### [Follow-ups](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/follow-ups/)

[The automatic follow-up sequence sent when a lead doesn't reply](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/follow-ups/)

### [Contact Info](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/contact-info/)

[What happens when a lead shares a phone number or email](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/contact-info/)

### [Timing](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/timing/)

[Timezone, grace period, and the schedule that controls when follow-ups are allowed to send](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/timing/)

### [Integrations](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/integrations/)

[Connect CRMs and notification channels for this source](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/integrations/)

## Override and inheritance

Messaging Settings follow a three-level hierarchy:

1. **System default** - the baseline set by Auto-Respond.
2. **Business** - your account-wide defaults (for multi-location accounts, this is the parent business).
3. **Location / Source** - the individual source.

Each child level has an **Override Default Settings** toggle at the top of the panel:

- **On a Location:** the toggle is labeled **“Override Default Settings from Business”** (or from the parent business).
- **On a Business:** the toggle is labeled **“Override System Settings”**.

### When the toggle is OFF (default)

- The child inherits everything from the parent.
- All controls are visible but read-only (greyed out) so you can see exactly what’s in effect.
- Any change you make at the parent level flows through automatically.

### When the toggle is ON

- The child uses its own values.
- Controls are editable and what you set here applies only to this source (or this business and its locations).

💡

Keep override **off** wherever possible. Set things once at the business level and only override on a location when that location genuinely needs different behavior.

## Source-specific differences

Not every tab is available for every source type:

- **Facebook Lead Ads** sources show only **Contact Info** and **Integrations**. Because Facebook Lead Ads don’t support two-way messaging, Conversation Setup, Follow-ups, and Timing don’t apply.

## What each tab controls in one line

- **Conversation Setup** - what the lead sees in the very first reply, and whether a small delay is added before sending it.
- **Follow-ups** - the sequence of messages sent if the lead goes quiet.
- **Contact Info** - the confirmation message and integrations triggered when a phone/email is captured.
- **Timing** - timezone, grace period, and the weekly schedule that restricts when follow-ups are allowed to send.
- **Integrations** - which CRMs and messenger/notification tools run for this source (see the full [Integrations catalogue](https://auto-respond.com/docs/integrations/) for each tool’s setup).

***

Questions? Email <support@auto-respond.com>.

Last updated: October 1, 2026