Notifications
Ward sends email, push, and SMS notifications to keep users informed about their appointments, account changes, and system events. Clients and professionals can independently control whether they receive email notifications, push notifications, or both from the Settings page.
SMS Notifications
SMS messages are sent via Twilio for authentication purposes only:
| Trigger | Recipient | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Login attempt | User | 6-digit verification code |
You can opt out of SMS by replying STOP to any message. However, verification codes are still sent even after opting out (required for authentication).
Email Notifications
Email notifications are sent via Resend for booking and account events. Emails are only sent to users who have an email address on file and have email notifications enabled (on by default).
Client Notifications
| Trigger | When | What You Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | After completing account setup | Welcome email with role information |
| Booking Confirmation | After booking a timeslot | Appointment details (date, time, professional, resource, location) |
| Self-Cancellation | After you cancel your own booking | Cancellation confirmation |
| Admin Cancellation | When an admin cancels your booking | Notification that your booking was removed |
| Booking Reassignment | When an admin moves your booking | Updated appointment details (new professional/timeslot) |
| Appointment Reminder | Morning of your appointment (8 AM CT) | Reminder with appointment details |
| Role Change | When an admin changes your role | Notification of new role assignment |
| Account Deletion | When an admin deletes your account | Notification of account removal |
Professional Notifications
| Trigger | When | What You Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | After completing account setup | Welcome email with role information |
| New Booking | When a client books on your shift | Client name and appointment details |
| Booking Cancelled | When a booking on your shift is cancelled | Notification of freed timeslot |
| Appointment Reminder | Morning of appointments (8 AM CT) | Reminder with day’s schedule |
| Role Change | When an admin changes your role | Notification of new role assignment |
Admin Notifications
| Trigger | When | What You Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | After completing account setup | Welcome email with role information |
| Role Change | If another admin changes your role | Notification of new role assignment |
Reminder Schedule
Appointment reminders are sent daily at 8:00 AM Central Time via an automated cron job. Reminders are sent for appointments occurring that day.
Both clients and professionals with upcoming appointments receive reminders.
Email Requirements
To receive email notifications:
- Provide an email during account setup or ask your admin to add one
- Verify your email provider allows delivery — check spam/junk folders if emails aren’t arriving
Email is optional but strongly recommended. Without an email on file, you will not receive booking confirmations, cancellations, or reminders.
Push Notifications
Ward supports browser push notifications using the Web Push Protocol (VAPID). Push notifications are available to clients and professionals only.
How to Enable
There are two ways to enable push notifications:
- Opt-in Banner — When you first visit your dashboard, a banner asks if you’d like to enable push notifications. Click Enable to grant browser permission and subscribe.
- Settings Page — Go to Settings → Notification Preferences and toggle push notifications on. If your browser hasn’t granted permission yet, you’ll be prompted.
Push notifications require a modern browser that supports the Push API (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 16+). If your browser doesn’t support push, the option will not appear.
Push Notification Events
Push notifications mirror the same booking events as email:
Client Push Notifications
| Trigger | When | Notification Content | Click Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking Confirmed | After booking a timeslot | Appointment details | My Appointments |
| Self-Cancellation | After you cancel your own booking | Cancellation confirmation | My Appointments |
| Admin Cancellation | When an admin cancels your booking | Notification of removal | My Appointments |
| Booking Reassignment | When an admin moves your booking | Updated appointment details | My Appointments |
| Appointment Reminder | Morning of your appointment (8 AM CT) | Reminder with details | My Appointments |
Professional Push Notifications
| Trigger | When | Notification Content | Click Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Booking | When a client books on your shift | Client name and details | My Bookings |
| Booking Cancelled | When a booking on your shift is cancelled | Freed timeslot notification | My Bookings |
| Appointment Reminder | Morning of appointments (8 AM CT) | Reminder with schedule | Calendar |
How It Works
- When you enable push, your browser generates a unique subscription and sends it to Ward’s server
- Ward stores this subscription securely in the database
- When a booking event occurs, Ward sends a push message to your browser via the Web Push Protocol
- Your browser’s service worker displays the notification, even if the Ward tab is closed
- Clicking the notification opens Ward and navigates to the relevant page
Managing Push Notifications
- Turn off: Go to Settings → Notification Preferences and toggle push off
- Re-enable: Toggle push back on from Settings (you may be prompted for browser permission again if it was revoked)
- Browser-level block: If you blocked notifications in your browser settings, Ward will show a message explaining how to unblock
Push subscriptions are automatically cleaned up if they become invalid (e.g., you clear browser data or revoke permission at the browser level).
Opting Out
SMS
Reply STOP to any SMS message to opt out. Authentication codes will still be sent.
Go to Settings → Notification Preferences and toggle email notifications off. You can also remove your email from your profile to stop all email notifications.
Push
Go to Settings → Notification Preferences and toggle push notifications off. You can also revoke notification permission in your browser settings.