Identify clients with failed message delivery, follow up with alternative contact methods, and create re-engagement workflows to bring them back into communication.

### Overview

- **What it is:** The **Unreachables** page surfaces clients whose messages (SMS, email, or voice) have consistently failed to deliver, giving your agency a clear list of people who need alternative outreach.
- **Why it matters:** Unreachable clients miss court dates, fall out of compliance, and create downstream problems for your agency. Identifying them early lets you intervene before a missed appearance becomes a warrant.
- **Who uses it:** Case managers, clerks, supervision officers, and administrators responsible for client communication and compliance.
- **Expected outcomes:** Fewer missed court appearances, reduced failure-to-appear rates, and a systematic approach to re-establishing contact with hard-to-reach clients.

### Prerequisites

- An active eCourtDate account with staff or admin permissions
- Messaging (SMS, email, or voice) configured and active in your eCourtDate environment
- Client records with at least one contact method on file

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Access the Unreachables Page

1. Click **Unreachables** in the main navigation.
2. The page displays all clients with recent delivery failures, sorted by the number of failed attempts.

#### Step 2: Review Delivery Failure Details

1. Click on any client row to open their unreachable detail view.
2. Review the list of failed messages, including the delivery method, error reason, and timestamp.
3. Check whether the failure is due to an invalid number, full inbox, carrier block, or email bounce.

#### Step 3: Filter by Pattern or Priority

1. Use the filters at the top to narrow the list by failure type, date range, assigned staff, or case status.
2. Sort by number of failures to prioritize clients with the most delivery issues.
3. Click **Search** to apply your filters.

#### Step 4: Notify Staff Automatically

1. Navigate to **Settings** > **Notifications** > **Unreachable Alerts**.
2. Enable automatic staff notifications when a client is flagged as unreachable.
3. Select which staff members or roles should receive alerts.
4. Click **Save**. Going forward, assigned staff are notified whenever a client crosses the unreachable threshold.

#### Step 5: Generate Postal Letters

1. Select one or more unreachable clients from the list.
2. Click **Generate Letter** from the action bar.
3. Choose a letter template (for example, "Contact Update Request" or "Court Date Reminder").
4. Review the letter preview, confirm the mailing address on file, and click **Generate**.
5. Print and mail the letters, or send them through your agency's mailing service.

#### Step 6: Create a Re-engagement Workflow

1. Select the unreachable clients you want to target.
2. Click **Create Workflow** from the action bar.
3. Choose a re-engagement workflow template (for example, "Multi-Channel Outreach" or "Address Verification").
4. Configure the workflow steps, which may include retry SMS, send email, generate postal letter, and assign follow-up task.
5. Click **Start Workflow**. The system executes each step on the configured schedule.

#### Step 7: Spot Patterns Across Your Caseload

1. Click the **Reports** or **Analytics** tab on the Unreachables page.
2. Review trends such as the most common failure reasons, geographic patterns, or time-of-day patterns.
3. Use this data to improve your contact collection processes and communication strategies.

### What to Expect

Clients are flagged as unreachable after a configurable number of consecutive delivery failures. Staff notifications go out immediately once the threshold is met. Generated letters are ready for print within moments. Re-engagement workflows run automatically on the schedule you define.

### Best Practices

- Review the unreachables list at least weekly to stay ahead of communication gaps.
- Collect multiple contact methods (phone, email, mailing address) at intake to reduce future unreachability.
- Use re-engagement workflows rather than one-off attempts so every unreachable client gets a consistent follow-up sequence.
- Update client contact information as soon as new details are obtained to prevent repeat failures.
- Monitor trend reports to identify systemic issues, such as a carrier blocking your messages or a batch of outdated phone numbers from a specific import.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: How does eCourtDate determine that a client is unreachable?**
A: The system tracks delivery receipts for SMS, email, and voice messages. After a configurable number of consecutive failures (the default is typically three), the client is flagged as unreachable.

**Q: Can I remove a client from the unreachable list?**
A: Yes. Once you update their contact information and a message delivers successfully, the system automatically removes them from the unreachable list. You can also manually mark a client as reachable from their detail view.

**Q: What types of postal letters can I generate?**
A: You can generate any letter template configured in your system. Common templates include contact update requests, court date reminders, and compliance notices. Your agency can create custom templates in **Settings** > **Templates**.

**Q: Does the system retry failed messages automatically?**
A: By default, the system retries failed messages based on your retry policy settings. You can configure the number of retries and the interval between attempts in **Settings** > **Messaging**.

**Q: Can I export the unreachable client list?**
A: Yes. Apply your filters, then click **Export** to download the list as a CSV file for offline review or reporting.

### Troubleshooting

| Issue | Symptoms | Solution |
|-------|----------|----------|
| Client not appearing on the unreachable list | Messages are failing but the client is not flagged | Check the unreachable threshold in **Settings** > **Messaging**. The client may not have reached the required number of consecutive failures yet. |
| Staff not receiving unreachable alerts | Notifications are enabled but staff report no alerts | Verify the correct staff members are selected in **Settings** > **Notifications** > **Unreachable Alerts**. Confirm their notification preferences allow the selected delivery method. |
| Letter generation fails | Error message when clicking **Generate Letter** | Confirm the client has a mailing address on file. Letters cannot be generated without a valid postal address. |
| Re-engagement workflow not progressing | Workflow is stuck on the first step | Check the workflow template for misconfigured triggers or missing dependencies. Open the workflow detail view to see which step is blocked and why. |

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Messages](/how-to-manage-messages)
- [How to Create Workflows](/how-to-create-workflows)
- [How to Manage Templates](/how-to-manage-templates)