SMS, email & WhatsApp
Reach students where they already are
Notice boards and individual phones are not a communication system. Soma360 puts SMS, email and WhatsApp in one place, fills in each student's details for you, and shows you what was delivered.
One place for every channel
SMS, email, WhatsApp and app notifications, sent and logged from the same screen.
Personal at scale
Templates fill in names, balances, course and dates for every recipient.
Proof of delivery
Every message is logged with its delivery status.
SMS, email & WhatsApp
A shared WhatsApp inbox
Connect your WhatsApp Business number and your team answers students and prospects from one inbox. New numbers are added to your leads, and replies go out from your institution's number.
- Conversations linked to the student or lead
- Unread filters so nothing waits
- Free-form replies within WhatsApp's 24-hour window, approved templates outside it
- Uses the official WhatsApp Business (Meta Cloud) API on your own account
SMS, email & WhatsApp
Bulk messages to exactly the right people
Choose an audience and narrow it by course, class, intake, campus, status or fee balance, see how many people it reaches, and send by SMS, email or WhatsApp.
- Audiences: students, parents and guardians, staff, leads, applicants and alumni
- Recipient count before you send
- Bulk SMS through your own Africa's Talking account and sender ID
- Branded email with your logo and sender name
SMS, email & WhatsApp
Templates and announcements
Save the messages you send often, with placeholders for each person's details. Post announcements to the portal and staff dashboards.
- Message templates with student, course and fee placeholders
- Announcements for students, staff or everyone
- Phone and browser push notifications
SMS, email & WhatsApp
A record of everything sent
Every message is kept with its channel, recipient and delivery status, so you can show a parent or student exactly what was sent and when.
- Message log with search and filters
- Delivery status per message
- Automatic messages from automation rules (fee reminders, welcome messages, low attendance alerts)
How it works
SMS, email & WhatsApp, step by step
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1
Connect
Add your Africa's Talking SMS account, WhatsApp Business number and email sender.
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2
Choose who
Pick an audience with filters and check the recipient count.
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3
Send or automate
Send now, or let automation rules send reminders for you.
Who uses it
Built for everyone involved
Admissions officers
Answer enquiries in the WhatsApp inbox.
Registrars and principals
Send announcements and bulk messages.
Finance officers
Send fee reminders and statements.
FAQ
Questions about SMS, email & WhatsApp
Do we need our own SMS account?
Yes. Soma360 sends SMS through your institution's Africa's Talking account, so messages carry your sender ID and you pay Africa's Talking directly.
Is the WhatsApp integration official?
Yes. It uses the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta Cloud API) with your own number and account.
Can parents receive messages?
Yes. Guardian contacts on the student record can be included in your audience.
Works together with
Related features
Admissions management
Online applications, documents, review, admission decisions and enrolment.
Learn moreFees & payments
Fee structures, invoices, payments, receipts, balances and collection reports.
Learn moreWorkflows, automation & API
Request workflows with approvals, automation rules, API and webhooks.
Learn moreSee how Soma360 fits your institution
Tell us how your institution works and we will focus the demo on your records, departments and workflows. Prefer to explore alone? Start a 30-day free trial.