> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://answeringservicecare.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://answeringservicecare.com/docs/help-center/troubleshooting/overview/dispatching-sms-replies-and-recalls.md).

# Dispatching, SMS Replies, and Recalls

How SMS replies and acknowledgements work, what to do about duplicate texts, and how to set your on-call dispatch order.

Use this page for questions about the text notifications ASC sends your on-call contacts, replies to those texts, and the order ASC contacts your team.

If a contact isn't receiving texts or emails at all, see Message delivery issues.

### SMS replies and acknowledgements

When ASC texts an on-call contact about a new message, how they reply matters:

* **Replying with your acknowledgement phrase** (for example, `OK`) tells ASC the message was received. It is logged as an acknowledgement, not a reply.
* **Replying with anything else** creates a reply that your team can review and act on.

So if you want to send a note back rather than just confirm receipt, reply with something other than your acknowledgement phrase.

### Duplicate text messages

If a contact receives the same text more than once, it's usually a carrier delivery-confirmation timing issue, not a duplicate on your side. Contact ASC and we'll adjust the delivery setting on your account so each message sends only once. Include the affected number and roughly when the duplicates arrived.

### On-call dispatch order

ASC contacts your on-call people in the order their events appear on your **On-call calendar**. The order follows how events were added and last updated, so editing an existing event can move it later in the sequence.

To set the order you want:

1. Open the **On-call calendar** for the account.
2. Remove the affected events.
3. Add them back in the exact order ASC should use.

Use this same approach any time the contact order matters.


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