Message Troubleshooting for Clients

When a client reports that they never received a text, email, or call, the message record in eCourtDate usually tells you why before you ever contact the client. Start there, then move on to the client's device only if the platform shows a clean delivery.

### Overview

Every outbound message stores its own delivery history, including the status reported by the carrier or email provider, an error code when delivery fails, and carrier meta data such as the line type. Working the record first tells you whether the problem sits with your agency settings, the carrier, or the client's handset.

- **What this guide covers:** Reading delivery details on a message record, resending on another channel, ruling out agency blocks, and the device checks to hand to a client
- **Why it matters:** Clients who miss court reminders miss court dates, so a fast and accurate diagnosis protects appearance rates
- **Who should use this:** Agency staff who investigate delivery complaints, plus anyone who needs to give a client clear device instructions
- **Expected outcome:** You know exactly why a message did not arrive and the client starts receiving messages again

### Prerequisites

Before you start, confirm the following:

- You can reach **Dashboard** > **Messages** in eCourtDate
- You know the client's phone number or email address, or their name for the message search
- The message was sent within the last 90 days, because the **Message Meta Data** card states that meta data is available up to 90 days after the message is sent or received
- You have access to **Settings** > **Opt out and Blocklist** if you need to check agency level blocks, or a colleague who does

### How-To Steps

#### Read the message record

1. Go to **Dashboard** > **Messages**.
2. Enter the client's phone number or email in the **Search Messages** card.
3. Select a **Status** or an **Error Code** in the search filters to narrow the list to failed messages.
4. Click the message to open it.
5. Read the **Status** badge and the short description printed under it, which explains the status in plain language.
6. Check the top of the page for the alert "This message was simulated and not sent to the intended recipient." because messages saved with **Simulate Mode** never reach the client.
7. Read **Error Code**, **Error Reason**, and **Error Description** in the red error card when the message failed.
8. Review the **Message Meta Data** card for **Carrier**, **Line Type**, **Encoding**, **Sent At**, and **Completed At**.
9. Check the contact card beside the message for an **OPTED-OUT**, **NOTIFY OFF**, or **INVALID** badge.
10. Click **Tools** > **Refresh Statuses** to pull the current delivery status from the provider.

#### Resend the message on another channel

The **Resend Message** card appears on outbound messages that returned an error code. It tells you to try resending this failed message through a different channel and/or from.

1. Select **Voice (Robocall)** or **Text (SMS)** under **Channel**.
2. Select one of your agency phone numbers or email addresses in **From**.
3. Select a **Language** if the client needs one other than English.
4. Enter a **Subject** if you want one, because the field is optional.
5. Enter the wording in **Message**.
6. Click **Resend**.

#### Rule out agency level blocks

1. Go to **Settings** > **Opt out and Blocklist**.
2. Check **Blocked Phone Numbers** and **Blocked Email Addresses** for the client's contact, because anything listed there is never sent notifications.
3. Review **Opt-out Keywords** to see which inbound replies opt a client out. The default list is stop, unsubscribe, cancel, quit, wrong number.
4. Review **Enroll Keywords** to see what a client can text back to opt in again. The default list is enroll, activate, sign up, join, subscribe, register.
5. Click **Save** if you changed anything.

#### Check the client's device

Hand these steps to the client only after the message record shows a successful delivery.

1. Ask the client to open the blocked list on their phone and remove your agency number if it is there.
2. Ask the client to look in the filtered or spam folder of their messaging app for messages from unknown senders.
3. Ask the client to check the spam or junk folder of their email account and mark an agency email as not spam.
4. Ask the client to save your agency number and email address as a contact so future messages are not filtered.
5. Ask the client to turn off Do Not Disturb and any silence unknown callers setting before your next reminder call.
6. Ask the client to restart the phone and confirm they have signal or data.
7. Ask the client for a personal email address if a work or school account is filtering your messages, then add it to their contact record.

### What to Expect

**Refresh Statuses** confirms with a "Message statuses refreshed" alert and updates the **Status** badge in place. A resend confirms with a "Message scheduled" alert, and the new message appears as its own record with its own delivery history, so check that record rather than the original one. Opting a contact back in takes effect immediately and also turns notifications back on for that contact. Device side changes made by the client apply to the next message you send, not to the one that already failed.

### Best Practices

- **Work the record before you call the client.** The **Error Code**, **Error Reason**, and **Error Description** usually name the cause outright.
- **Investigate inside 90 days.** Carrier meta data such as **Carrier** and **Line Type** disappears after that window, and with it the evidence you need.
- **Check the Line Type before blaming the handset.** A landline cannot receive a text no matter what the client does.
- **Filter by Error Code on the Messages list.** If the same code appears across many clients, the cause is your agency configuration or the carrier, not one device.
- **Resend on a different channel.** A client who cannot receive text often answers a voice call from the same record.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: The message shows delivered but the client says they never received it. What do I check?**

A: Open the message from **Dashboard** > **Messages** and click **Tools** > **Refresh Statuses**. If the status stays delivered, the provider confirmed delivery and the remaining checks belong on the client's device.

**Q: Why is there no Resend Message card on this message?**

A: The **Resend Message** card only appears on outbound messages that returned an error code. For anything else, select the messages on the **Messages** list, click **Resend**, choose a **Channel**, and click **Confirm**.

**Q: How long can I see the carrier details for a message?**

A: The **Message Meta Data** card states that meta data is available up to 90 days after the message is sent or received, so investigate delivery complaints promptly.

**Q: What does a client text back to start receiving messages again?**

A: Any of your agency's **Enroll Keywords**, which default to enroll, activate, sign up, join, subscribe, register. You can confirm the current list in **Settings** > **Opt out and Blocklist**, or open the contact record and click **Opt In** yourself.

**Q: A message shows no error, but the client never got it. What else could it be?**

A: Look for the alert "This message was simulated and not sent to the intended recipient." at the top of the message record. Messages sent with **Simulate Mode** enabled are never delivered.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The client is opted out of text messages.

**Symptoms:** The contact card on the message record shows an **OPTED-OUT** badge, or the message **Status** reads opted-out.

**Solution:**

1. Confirm with the client that they want to receive messages again.
2. Click **View Contact** on the contact card to open the contact record.
3. Click **Opt In**, which also turns notifications back on for that contact.
4. Resend the message from the failed message record.

**Issue:** Text messages fail to a number that is not a mobile line.

**Symptoms:** The **Message Meta Data** card shows a **Line Type** that is not mobile, and text messages return an error code.

**Solution:**

1. Use the **Resend Message** card to send the same content as **Voice (Robocall)**.
2. Open the contact record and change **Channel** so future messages go out by voice.
3. Ask the client for a mobile number if they need text reminders.

**Issue:** No messages are ever created for one client.

**Symptoms:** Searching **Messages** for the client's phone number or email returns nothing, even though the client is enrolled.

**Solution:**

1. Go to **Settings** > **Opt out and Blocklist**.
2. Check **Blocked Phone Numbers** and **Blocked Email Addresses** for that contact.
3. Remove the entry if it was added in error, then click **Save**.
4. Open the contact record and confirm it does not show a **NOTIFY OFF** or **INVALID** badge.

### Related Articles

- [How to Search for Outbound Messages Using Filters](/how-to-search-for-outbound-messages-using-filters)
- [Troubleshooting Automated Messages](/troubleshooting-automated-messages)
- [How to Configure Opt-in and Opt-out Compliance](/how-to-configure-opt-in-and-opt-out-compliance)
- [How to Send a One-off Message](/how-to-send-a-one-off-message)
- [How to Manage Contacts](/how-to-manage-contacts)
- [How to Run Reverse Lookups](/how-to-run-reverse-lookups)