Before you start
Steps
Open "Inbox"
On a computer, choose "Outreach" in the main menu. On a phone, tap "Inbox" in the bottom bar.
You should see: A page titled "Inbox" with a "Recurring check-ins" section.
Open your inboxTap "Schedule a check-in"
The button sits at the top of the page. If you don't see it, your account may not have permission to change settings. Ask the person who owns the account.
You should see: A window titled "Schedule a check-in" opens.
Pick a template under "Start from"
Choose "Weekly specials", "What's new this week" or "Upcoming events". Each one fills in a name, a question and a time. You can change any of it. Or skip this and fill in the form yourself.
You should see: The form fills in with that template.
Check the "Name"
This is the name you'll see in your inbox, so keep it short. The name also shows up in the email subject. It can't be empty.
You should see: Your check-in has a name.
Choose "My questions" or "Autopilot decides"
You'll find these under "What to ask". With "My questions", Autopilot asks your words exactly. With "Autopilot decides", it looks at what it already knows and asks about what's missing.
You should see: A line under the choice explains how it works.
Write your question
With "My questions", type your question, then use "Add a question" if you want more. With "Autopilot decides", you can add a topic in "Anything to focus on? (optional)", like holiday catering orders.
You should see: Your question, or your topic, is filled in.
Set "How often", "Day" and "Time"
Choose "Every week", "Every 2 weeks" or "Every month". Pick a day and an hour. Times use your business time zone.
You should see: The day and time match when you want the question to arrive.
Tap "Save check-in"
Leave "Send on schedule" on, or Autopilot won't send it. You can pause it later without losing your questions.
You should see: A message says "Check-in saved." The check-in appears with its next send time.
See your recurring check-ins
Which kind should you pick
| My questions | Autopilot decides | |
|---|---|---|
| What Autopilot asks | Your questions, word for word | Questions about what it doesn't know yet, like events, specials or recent jobs |
| Best for | A regular question, like next week's specials | A weekly "what's new" with no effort |
| Your part | Write the questions once | Optionally add a focus |
You can have more than one. A weekly specials question and a monthly events question work well side by side.
Send yourself a test
Want to see it before the first real one? On the check-in's row, tap the button with three dots ("Check-in actions"), then "Send me a test". Only you get it, and it only uses the ways you've turned on for yourself. It doesn't change when the next real one goes out.
A message tells you what was sent, such as an email or a push notification. The test also shows up in your inbox within a minute, like a real check-in. It replaces any unanswered check-in from the same schedule, so answer or skip the old one first if you want to keep it.
What happens next
Autopilot checks for due check-ins every hour, so yours goes out around the time you picked. It goes to everyone on your account, in your inbox and by the ways each person has turned on.
- When it arrives, here's how to answer a check-in.
- Need a different rhythm? See how to change how often Autopilot checks in.
- Going away for a while? Here's how to pause or delete a check-in.
If something's not right
The check-in saved but nothing arrived
Look at the "Next" time on the check-in's row. It sends then, not right away. To see it now, tap "Send me a test". If the time has passed or the test doesn't reach you, see how to choose how check-ins reach you.
You get the question twice a week
You may have 2 check-ins set up, or one came from setup (it's named "What's new"). Open your inbox and look under "Recurring check-ins". Here's how to pause or delete a check-in.
A post made from an answer didn't go out
A check-in only asks the question. With "Review drafts", posts wait on your schedule until you schedule them. If a scheduled post's time has passed, see what to do when a post didn't go out.
Still stuck?
Email us what you were trying to do and what you saw. A person on the team will write back.
support@ampere-autopilot.com