When an email or text you send from Communications → Messages doesn't go out, or reaches fewer people than you expected, the cause is usually a length limit, SMS credits, opted-out numbers or your sender setup. This guide shows how to spot and fix each one. If NextKick sent the message but a family says they didn't get it, see Why Isn't a Family Getting Emails or Notifications?
First, check what was sent
All messages: go to Communications → Messages and open the Message History tab. The Status shows Delivered or Scheduled. Click a message to see its recipients, channels and content.
One family: open the student's profile and click the Message History tab. The Email, Push Notification and Message Status (text) columns show whether each one went out.
Quick fixes
What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
"The email content can be up to 10000 characters. Please shorten it." | The email is longer than 10,000 characters | Shorten it, or attach the details as a file |
"Not enough credits to send this message." | Not enough SMS credits for everyone on the list | Buy credits or turn on Auto recharge |
"2 of 40 recipients won't receive this text." | Those members replied STOP to an earlier text | Only they can opt back in, by texting START |
Not Sent (opted out) in a student's Message History | The member replied STOP | Only they can opt back in, by texting START |
SMS Sender Verification isn't Verified | Verification is only needed for Two-Way SMS | Nothing. Without Two-Way SMS, texts go out one-way from NextKick's number |
The status shows Scheduled | The message was set to Send later or Recurring send | Wait, or open it and click Edit |
Families can't reply to your texts | Texts are one-way without Two-Way SMS | Set up Two-Way SMS |
Emails come from [email protected] | You haven't verified a sender email | Verify your school's sender email |
Sent or Delivered, but the family didn't get it | A problem on the family's side |
The email is too long
An email's content can be up to 10,000 characters. The counter next to Content shows how many you've used, such as 10100/10000. If the email is longer, NextKick shows "The email content can be up to 10000 characters. Please shorten it." under the box. If you click Continue, a Failed message shows the same text, and you can't go on until you shorten it. To fix it:
Shorten the text, or split it into two emails.
Put long details, such as a tournament packet, in an attached file. You can attach up to 5 files, 10 MB each.
Link to a page on your website instead of pasting the whole text.
You don't have enough SMS credits
Each text uses 1 credit per part, for each person it goes to. A part is up to 160 characters, or 70 if the text has special characters such as emoji or Korean. For example, a 200-character text to 50 members uses 2 parts × 50 = 100 credits.
NextKick doesn't send a text unless you have enough credits for everyone it goes to. You'll see "Not enough credits to send this message." Your balance shows under the Text message (SMS) toggle on the Send Message screen.
Buy more credits on the SMS Credit Management tab in Settings → Communication. To avoid running out again, turn on Auto recharge there, and NextKick buys credits when your balance runs low. See How to Set Up Two-Way SMS in NextKick.
Tip: To make credits go further, keep texts short, skip emoji, and put longer details in the email version.
Some members opted out of texts
When someone replies STOP to one of your texts, their number is opted out and gets no more texts from your school.
Their profile shows they're opted out of text messages, with the date.
When you send a text, NextKick tells you how many recipients won't receive it, such as "2 of 40 recipients won't receive this text."
In the student's Message History, the text shows Not Sent (opted out).
To see everyone who opted out, go to Accounts → Profiles, click More Filter and set Text delivery to Opted out.
Emails and push notifications still reach them.
Admins can't turn texts back on. To get texts again, the member must text START from the same number.
Do you need SMS sender verification?
Not to send one-way texts. Without the Two-Way SMS add-on, texts go out one-way from NextKick's number, so they don't need SMS sender verification. Verification is only for Two-Way SMS, which texts from your school's own number.
If you use Two-Way SMS, check the status in Settings → Communication → Communication Channels, next to SMS Sender Verification.
Status | What to do |
Not Started | Click Start Verification to apply. |
In Progress | Click Continue, finish the application and submit it. |
Under Review | Wait for the NextKick team's review. |
Action Required | Click Fix & Resubmit, update the application and submit it again. |
Campaign Rejected | Nothing. The NextKick team fixes it and resubmits it. |
Number Needed | Click Get a Phone Number. |
Connecting Number | Wait until the number is connected. |
Terminated | Contact NextKick support to use Two-Way SMS again. |
For details on each step, see How to Set Up Two-Way SMS in NextKick.
Families can't reply to your texts
Without the Two-Way SMS add-on, texts are one-way. They go out from NextKick's number and end with "Do not reply." Families can't text back, so their replies don't reach you. To let families reply, see How to Set Up Two-Way SMS in NextKick.
Emails come from [email protected]
This isn't an error. Until you verify a sender email, NextKick sends your school's emails from [email protected], and replies go to the Email in Settings → School Setup → School info. While a new address is waiting for verification, emails still come from the NextKick address. To send from your own address, see How to Verify Your School's Sender Email Address.
The message is scheduled
In the Message History tab on the Messages page, a status of Scheduled means the message is waiting for its send time (Send later or Recurring send). To change it before it goes out, open it and click Edit.
NextKick sent it, but the family didn't get it
If Message History shows the message went out but a family can't find it, check the email address or phone number on their profile, their spam folder, and their app notification settings. See Why Isn't a Family Getting Emails or Notifications? for every check.
FAQ
Can I turn texts back on for someone who replied STOP?
No. Only the member can, by texting START from the same number.
Do opted-out members still get my emails?
Yes. Opting out stops texts only. Emails and push notifications still reach them.
How long can a text be?
Up to 480 characters. Anything over one part is split into parts, and each part uses a credit for each recipient.
Why did a text use more credits than I expected?
Special characters such as emoji, accented letters or Korean cut each part to 70 characters, so the same text uses more parts.
Do SMS credits expire?
No. Credits never expire, and they can't be refunded.