Documentation

The Dashboard is the first thing you see after logging in. It provides a comprehensive overview of your demo reminder system's performance, including real-time statistics, trends, and recent activity.

If you haven't connected any integrations yet, you'll see a welcome screen with a button to get started. Once you've connected your calendar and email/SMS services, the full analytics dashboard will appear with:

• Real-time statistics about your demos and messages
• Visual charts showing trends over time
• Recent activity feed
• Quick action buttons for common tasks

At the top of your dashboard, you'll see four stat cards displaying your most important metrics. These update in real-time as your system processes demos and sends messages.

Below your stat cards, you'll find comprehensive charts that visualize your system's performance.

The Recent Activity feed shows you the most recent events in your system.

Check your dashboard regularly:

• Daily: Review demos and check for failed messages
• Weekly: Compare trends and review success rates

Skardu works by connecting to your existing tools rather than replacing them. You keep using Calendly, your email provider, and Twilio while Skardu automatically detects demos and sends reminders on your behalf.

Skardu supports three types of integrations, each serving a specific purpose:

Before connecting Calendly, ensure you have:

• A paid Calendly plan (Standard, Teams, or Enterprise)
• At least one event type set up in Calendly
• Organization admin permissions

To connect Calendly:

1. Navigate to Integrations in the sidebar
2. In the Calendar Integrations section, click "Add Calendar"
3. Click the "Connect with Calendly" button
4. You'll be redirected to Calendly's authorization page
5. Review the permissions and click "Authorize"
6. You'll be redirected back to Skardu with a success message

Once connected, Skardu will:

• Set up webhooks to receive real-time booking notifications
• Start detecting demos from your Calendly events
• Automatically sync event details (attendee name, email, phone, time)
• Show your connected Calendly account in the integrations table

After connecting, test the integration:

1. Book a test demo in your Calendly account
2. Navigate to the Demos page in Skardu
3. Within 1-2 minutes, your test demo should appear in the list
4. If it doesn't appear, check the integration status for errors

Skardu supports any email provider that offers SMTP access. Popular options include:

You'll need the following information from your email provider:

• SMTP Host: Server address (e.g., smtp.gmail.com)
• SMTP Port: Usually 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
• Username: Your email address
• Password: App password or account password
• From Email: Email address to send from
• From Name: Display name (e.g., "John Doe")

To add an SMTP email integration:

1. Navigate to Integrations
2. In the Email Integrations section, click "Add Email"
3. Select your provider from the dropdown (or choose "Custom SMTP")
4. Fill in all required fields with your SMTP credentials
5. Click "Test Connection" to verify settings
6. If the test succeeds, click "Save Integration"

After connecting, test that emails can be sent:

1. Find your SMTP integration in the table
2. Click the "Test" button
3. Enter a test email address
4. Click "Send Test Email"
5. Check the test email inbox to confirm delivery

Before connecting Twilio, you'll need to:

1. Create a Twilio account at twilio.com
2. Purchase a phone number (or use your trial number for testing)
3. Get your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console
4. Note: SMS costs vary by country; check Twilio's pricing

To add a Twilio integration:

1. Navigate to Integrations
2. In the SMS Integrations section, click "Add SMS"
3. Enter your Twilio Account SID
4. Enter your Twilio Auth Token
5. Enter your Twilio phone number (format: +1234567890)
6. Click "Test Connection"
7. If successful, click "Save Integration"

After connecting, send a test SMS:

1. Find your Twilio integration in the table
2. Click the "Test SMS" button
3. Enter a test phone number (must be in international format)
4. Customize the test message if desired
5. Click "Send Test SMS"
6. Check your phone to confirm delivery

All your integrations are displayed in tables on the Integrations page. Each integration shows its status, provider, connection date, and available actions. Look for the health status indicator to quickly see if an integration is working properly.

When you have multiple integrations of the same type (e.g., two SMTP accounts), you can designate one as primary:

• Primary: Used first for all operations
• Secondary: Automatic failover if primary fails
• Click "Set as Primary" on any integration to change priority

To remove an integration:

1. Find the integration in the table
2. Click the "Disconnect" or trash icon button
3. Confirm the disconnection in the dialog
4. The integration will be removed immediately

If an integration shows an error status:

• Red indicator: Connection failed or credentials invalid
• Yellow indicator: Warning, but still functional
• Green indicator: Healthy and working properly
• Click the integration row to view detailed error messages
• For SMTP issues, verify your app password and settings
• For Calendly issues, try reconnecting to refresh webhooks
• For Twilio issues, check your account balance and credentials

Skardu automatically detects demo meetings from your connected Calendly account. Once you connect Calendly in the Integrations section, the system begins monitoring your scheduled events in real-time through webhooks.

No manual work required - as soon as someone books a meeting on your Calendly, it appears in your Demos list within seconds.

When you connect Calendly, Skardu automatically sets up webhooks that notify the system whenever:

• A new event is scheduled
• An event is rescheduled
• An event is cancelled

This webhook-based approach ensures your demos list is always current without requiring manual syncing.

If you want to force a sync to check for any missed events, simply click the refresh button at the top of the Demos page. This will manually query your Calendly account and import any new events that may have been missed.

Your demos are organized into three tabs for easy management:

• Upcoming Demos: Future meetings that haven't occurred yet
• Past Demos: Meetings that have already taken place
• Cancelled Demos: Meetings that were cancelled by you or the attendee

Each tab shows the count of demos in that category, making it easy to see your workload at a glance.

The demos table displays five key pieces of information for each meeting:

Demos are automatically sorted into categories based on their status and timing:

Use the filters at the top of the Demos page to narrow down your list:

• Search: Type any text to filter by demo title, attendee name, or email
• Account: If you have multiple Calendly accounts connected, filter to see demos from a specific account

The table is sortable - click any column header to sort by that field (title, date, attendee, etc.).

Select multiple demos using the checkboxes to perform bulk operations:

• Export to CSV: Download selected demos as a spreadsheet for reporting or analysis
• Mark as Completed: Bulk-mark past demos as successfully completed
• Delete Demos: Permanently remove selected demos from your system (use with caution)

The bulk action bar appears at the top when you have one or more demos selected.

Click the refresh button (circular arrow icon) at the top right of the page to:

• Manually sync with your Calendly account to check for new events
• Refresh the demos list to see the latest updates
• Verify that recent bookings have been detected

You'll see a loading indicator while the sync is in progress. If new demos are found, you'll see a success notification showing how many were added.

Make demos review part of your routine:

• Daily: Check upcoming demos for the next 1-2 days to ensure you're prepared
• Weekly: Review past demos and mark attendance (completed vs no-show)
• Monthly: Export demos to CSV for reporting and analysis

Group Meetings are Calendly events that have multiple attendees invited to the same meeting time. When someone books a Calendly event type that supports multiple invitees (like webinars, training sessions, or group demos), Skardu automatically detects this and groups all the attendees together.

Each attendee in a group meeting still receives their own personalized reminder sequences, but the Group Meetings page gives you a consolidated view to manage the entire event.

When Calendly sends webhook notifications for bookings, Skardu looks for events with the same:

• Event Group ID: A unique identifier that links all attendees of the same group meeting
• Meeting Time: The exact date and time of the group event
• Meeting Link: The shared video conference or location URL

All attendees who book the same group event slot are automatically grouped together in your Group Meetings view.

Navigate to the Group Meetings page from the main navigation sidebar. The page displays all your upcoming and past group meetings, with each card representing one group event.

The badge at the top right shows your total number of group meetings, making it easy to track your group event workload at a glance.

Each group meeting is displayed as an expandable card showing:

Click the expand arrow on any group meeting card to see detailed information about each attendee:

• Attendee Name & Email: Full contact details for each person registered
• Phone Number: If provided during booking
• Position in Group: Order in which they registered (shown as "Invitee #X")
• Scheduled Messages: Number of reminder emails queued for this specific attendee

Each attendee has their own row in the expanded view, making it easy to verify who's coming and see their individual message schedules.

Even though attendees are part of a group meeting, each person receives their own personalized reminder sequence. This means:

• Each attendee gets emails addressed personally to them
• Messages include their specific name, meeting details, and unsubscribe link
• If one person cancels, only their reminders stop - others continue as scheduled
• SMS and voice reminders (if configured) also go to each attendee individually

The "Scheduled Messages" count next to each attendee shows how many reminder messages are queued for that specific person. Click through to the Messages page to see:

• Exact send times for each reminder
• Message content that will be sent
• Delivery status (pending, sent, failed)
• Whether messages were cancelled due to group cancellation

Use the Group Meetings page to prepare for upcoming events:

• Review Attendee List: Expand the card to see who's registered and verify contact details
• Check Capacity: Monitor registration progress to see if spots are filling up
• Verify Reminders: Confirm reminder messages are scheduled for all attendees
• Copy Meeting Link: Grab the shared meeting URL for your reference

After the group meeting completes:

• Review the attendee list to see final attendance count
• Export contact details for follow-up campaigns
• Track which attendees received all reminder sequences
• Use insights to optimize future group event settings

The Message Queue is where all your automated reminder communications live. When a demo is detected from your Calendly integration, Skardu automatically schedules reminder messages to be sent to your attendees based on your active sequences.

These messages can be emails, SMS texts, or voice calls - all scheduled automatically to reduce demo no-shows without any manual work on your part.

By default, Skardu schedules reminder messages 24 hours before each demo. The exact timing can be customized in your sequence templates. Once scheduled, messages appear in the "Scheduled" tab of your Messages page.

The system continuously monitors the schedule and sends messages at precisely the right time using your connected SMTP email account, Twilio SMS service, or Twilio voice service.

Every message moves through a lifecycle from creation to delivery. Understanding these statuses helps you monitor your reminder system's health and troubleshoot any delivery issues.

Messages can have different statuses depending on their channel (Email, SMS, or Voice) and where they are in the delivery process.

Your messages are organized into four tabs for easy management:

• Scheduled: Messages waiting to be sent at their scheduled time
• Sent: Successfully delivered messages (includes completed voice calls)
• Failed: Messages that encountered delivery errors
• Cancelled: Messages that were cancelled manually or due to demo cancellation

Each tab displays the count of messages in that category, making it easy to see your message queue status at a glance.

Use the dropdown filters at the top of the Messages page to narrow down your view:

• Channel: Filter by Email, SMS, or Voice to see only messages for a specific communication channel
• Email Account: If you have multiple SMTP accounts connected, filter to see messages sent from a specific email address
• Calendar Account: Filter messages by the Calendly account that the associated demo came from

These filters work across all tabs, making it easy to track messages from specific integrations or channels.

Messages can fail for various reasons. Here are the most common issues and how to identify them:

When a message fails, you have two options:

• Automatic Retry: The system automatically retries failed messages up to 3 times with exponential backoff (waits longer between each retry)
• Manual Retry: Click the "Send Now" button on a failed message to immediately attempt resending (useful after fixing the underlying issue)

Before manually retrying, make sure you've resolved the underlying issue (reconnected the integration, fixed phone numbers, etc.).

To prevent message failures, regularly check your integration status:

• Visit the Integrations page weekly to verify all connections show "Connected" status
• Check the "Failed" tab in Messages for any patterns (e.g., all failures from one SMTP account)
• Review error messages carefully - they often indicate exactly what needs to be fixed

If you see multiple failures from the same integration, reconnect that integration immediately to prevent further issues.

If you need to prevent a scheduled message from being sent, you can cancel it:

• Navigate to the "Scheduled" tab in the Messages page
• Find the message you want to cancel
• Click the "Cancel" button (or trash icon) next to the message
• Confirm the cancellation in the dialog that appears

Once cancelled, the message moves to the "Cancelled" tab and cannot be reactivated. You would need to create a new message (by rescheduling the demo or manually creating one).

For failed messages or when you want to send a scheduled message immediately:

• Send Now: Click this button to immediately attempt delivery of a failed or scheduled message
• View Details: Click on any message row to see the full message content, including subject line and body
• Check Status: The status updates in real-time as messages move through the sending process

The "Send Now" button is especially useful when you've fixed an integration issue and want to immediately resend failed messages rather than waiting for the automatic retry schedule.

Skardu supports three communication channels for sending demo reminders:

You control which channels are used through your sequence templates. Each sequence can specify whether to send emails, SMS, voice calls, or a combination of all three.

Visit the Sequences page to configure your reminder channels. You can create different sequences for different types of demos (e.g., email-only for routine demos, email + SMS for high-value demos).

Recipients are the people who book demos through your Calendly integration. Each recipient represents a potential customer who has scheduled a meeting with you, and Skardu automatically captures their information from the booking.

The Recipients page serves as your central database of all demo attendees, storing their contact information, company details, demo history, and any custom information collected during the booking process. This data is used to personalize reminder messages and track engagement.

When someone books a demo through your connected Calendly account, Skardu automatically:

• Creates a recipient record with their name, email, and booking details
• Extracts phone numbers from Calendly custom questions or meeting notes (if provided)
• Captures company information from custom questions like "Company Name" or "Organization"
• Stores custom question responses for personalization and context
• Links to the demo event so you can track meeting status and history

This happens in real-time via webhooks, so new recipients appear in your dashboard within seconds of booking a demo. No manual data entry required!

The Recipients page displays all your demo attendees in a sortable, filterable table. Here's what each column shows:

Use the filter controls at the top of the Recipients page to narrow down your view:

• Search: Type any part of a name, email, or company to instantly filter the list
• Status Filter: Show only Upcoming, Attended, No-Show, or Cancelled recipients
• Source Filter: Filter by where the recipient came from (Calendly, Manual, etc.)
• Date Range: Show recipients from the last 7, 30, 90 days, or all time
• Has Phone: Toggle to show only recipients who provided a phone number

These filters work together, so you can combine them to find exactly who you're looking for. For example, filter to "Upcoming + Has Phone + Last 7 Days" to find recent bookings with phone numbers for SMS reminders.

Click the "View" button (or click anywhere on a recipient's row) to open the detailed information modal. This shows everything Skardu knows about a recipient, including:

• Full contact information (name, email, phone with validation confidence)
• Meeting details (date, time, timezone, duration, event type)
• Company and job title (if captured)
• Meeting location/link (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
• Representative information (the sales rep who owns this demo)
• UTM tracking parameters (marketing attribution data)
• All custom question responses from the Calendly booking
• Additional guests who were invited to the meeting
• Internal notes added to the event

The recipient details modal is organized into logical sections, each showing a different aspect of the recipient's information. Let's explore what each section contains:

This section shows the core contact details:

• Full Name: The recipient's complete name as provided during booking
• Email Address: Primary contact email with a copy button for quick access
• Phone Number: Mobile or work phone with type indicator (Mobile/Work) and validation confidence badge
• Company: Organization name extracted from custom questions
• Job Title: Professional role if provided in custom questions

Phone numbers include a confidence score indicating how certain Skardu is about the extraction. High confidence (90%+) means the phone was explicitly provided in a dedicated field. Lower confidence means it was extracted from text and may need verification.

Complete information about the scheduled demo:

• Date & Time: Full meeting schedule with day, date, and time in readable format
• Timezone: The recipient's timezone for accurate timing
• Duration: How long the meeting is scheduled for (calculated from start/end times)
• Event Type: The Calendly event type name (e.g., "Product Demo", "Sales Call")
• Meeting Link: Clickable link to join the video call (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, etc.)
• Cancel/Reschedule URLs: Direct links the recipient can use to cancel or reschedule

Depending on what was captured during booking, you may also see:

Throughout the details modal, you'll see copy icons (📋) next to important information like email addresses and phone numbers. Click these to instantly copy the data to your clipboard for pasting into your CRM, email client, or other tools.

When you successfully copy something, the icon briefly changes to a green checkmark (✓) to confirm the action.

Skardu uses Calendly webhooks to stay synchronized with your bookings in real-time. Here's how the automatic sync process works:

• New Booking: When someone books a demo, Calendly instantly sends a webhook to Skardu, which creates a new recipient record within 2-3 seconds
• Cancellation: If a demo is cancelled in Calendly, the recipient status automatically updates to "Cancelled" and all scheduled reminders are stopped
• Rescheduling: When a demo is rescheduled, Skardu updates the meeting time and adjusts reminder schedules automatically
• Guest Changes: If guests are added or removed from the event, these changes sync immediately

This real-time sync means your recipient list is always current without any manual updates or imports required. Changes in Calendly reflect in Skardu instantly.

Skardu automatically extracts structured data from your Calendly custom questions. Here's how to get the best results:

Sometimes recipients don't provide all the information you'd like. Here's how to handle missing data:

• Optional Custom Questions: Make your most important Calendly custom questions required (company name, phone number) to ensure you always capture key data
• Follow-Up Enrichment: After viewing recipient details, you can add internal notes with information gathered during the demo call
• Phone Number Verification: For low-confidence phone extractions, reach out to the recipient to confirm their number before sending SMS reminders
• Export and Enrich: Export recipients to CSV and use data enrichment services (like Clearbit or Apollo) to fill in missing company or contact information

Each recipient has a status that tracks their demo lifecycle:

While some statuses update automatically (Upcoming → Cancelled), others require manual updates:

• Open the recipient details modal by clicking on their row
• Look for the status update dropdown or button (location varies by your current UI version)
• Select the new status (Attended or No-Show after the meeting time has passed)
• The status updates immediately and affects your dashboard statistics

Keeping recipient statuses accurate is important for tracking your demo show rates and understanding the effectiveness of your reminder campaigns.

Templates are pre-written message formats that automatically personalize for each demo recipient. Instead of manually writing reminder emails for every booking, you create a template once with merge variables like {{first_name}}, and Skardu fills in the actual recipient information when sending.

Templates support three communication channels: Email (with rich formatting and attachments), SMS (with character counting and URL shortening), and Voice (automated phone call reminders). Each channel has specialized features to maximize engagement and deliverability.

Templates save massive amounts of time while ensuring consistency across your demo reminders. Here's what makes them powerful:

• Automatic Personalization: Every message feels custom-written with merge variables
• Brand Consistency: All your reminders maintain the same professional tone
• Multi-Channel Support: Reach recipients via email, SMS, or voice calls
• Sequence Integration: Templates work seamlessly with automated sequences
• Time Savings: Write once, use for hundreds or thousands of demos
• A/B Testing Ready: Create variations to test what drives better attendance

Email templates are the most feature-rich option, supporting:

SMS templates are optimized for mobile delivery with these features:

Voice templates create automated phone call reminders:

Merge variables are placeholders in your templates that get replaced with actual data when messages are sent. For example, {{first_name}} becomes "Sarah" for one recipient and "Michael" for another.

Variables are written with double curly braces like {{variable_name}}. They're case-sensitive and must match exactly. If a variable's data isn't available for a recipient (like {{phone}} when no phone was provided), it's replaced with an empty string.

Skardu provides 14 merge variables organized into three categories: Contact Info (recipient details), Meeting Details (demo timing and links), and Rep Info (your information).

Here are best practices for using merge variables in your templates:

• Always use {{first_name}} in greetings: "Hi {{first_name}}" feels much more personal than "Hi there"
• Include meeting time clearly: Use {{meeting_time_short}} for quick reminders, {{meeting_time_long}} for first confirmations
• Make meeting links prominent: {{meeting_link}} should be easy to find and click
• Test with missing data: Preview templates assuming some variables might be empty
• Use company names when available: {{company_name}} adds context and shows you did research
• Sign with your name: {{rep_first_name}} makes reminders feel human, not automated

Navigate to the Templates page from the sidebar, then:

1. Click the "Create Template" button in the top-right corner
2. The template editor modal opens, showing all available fields
3. The editor defaults to Email type - switch tabs if creating SMS or Voice
4. Choose whether to use the visual editor or upload a custom HTML template (email only)

The editor provides real-time previews and validation as you build your template. Required fields are marked, and warnings appear for potential issues like missing subject lines or oversized attachments.

Give your template a descriptive name that indicates its purpose and timing:

• Good names: "24-Hour Email Reminder", "1-Hour SMS Alert", "Week-Before Voice Call"
• Bad names: "Template 1", "New Template", "Test"

Clear naming helps when building sequences later, as you'll select templates from a dropdown. You can always rename templates later by editing them.

For email templates, you'll need two components:

SMS templates require concise, impactful messaging due to character limits:

• Start with a greeting: "Hi {{first_name}}" uses only 15-20 characters
• State the purpose immediately: "Quick reminder: Your demo..."
• Include the time: {{meeting_time_short}} is more concise than {{meeting_time_long}}
• Add the meeting link: Enable URL shortening to save ~30 characters
• Sign briefly: End with just your first name or initials
• Watch the counter: Green = 1 segment (160 chars), Orange = 2 segments (320 chars), Red = 3+ segments

Remember: "Reply STOP to opt out" is auto-added and uses about 25 characters. Factor this into your total when aiming for a single segment.

Voice templates should sound natural when read aloud by text-to-speech:

• Use conversational language: Write how you'd speak, not how you'd write formally
• Keep it short: Aim for 30-60 seconds maximum (about 150-300 words)
• Include pauses: Use commas and periods to add natural breaks in speech
• Spell out numbers: "two PM" not "2 PM" for better pronunciation
• Avoid complex variables: {{meeting_time_short}} works well, but long URLs sound awkward
• Test different voices: Try "alice", "Polly.Matthew", or "Polly.Joanna" to find what fits your brand

Example: "Hello {{first_name}}. This is {{rep_first_name}} calling from {{company_name}}. I wanted to remind you about your product demo scheduled for {{meeting_date}} at {{meeting_time_short}}. Please check your email for the meeting link. Looking forward to speaking with you. Goodbye."

Email templates support file attachments up to 10 MB total. To add attachments:

1. In the template editor, scroll to the Attachments section
2. Click "Add Attachments" to open the attachment picker
3. Upload new files or select from previously uploaded files
4. Review the total size indicator - it shows X.X MB / 10 MB
5. Remove attachments by clicking the X icon next to their name

Supported file types: PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx), images (.jpg, .png, .gif), text files (.txt), CSV, and ZIP archives.

Best practices: Keep attachments under 5 MB for better deliverability. Large attachments may trigger spam filters. Consider hosting large files externally and including a link instead.

For advanced email designs, upload custom HTML templates:

1. On the Templates page, click "Upload HTML" instead of "Create Template"
2. Select your .html or .htm file (max 500 KB)
3. The template editor opens in Code View mode showing your HTML
4. Insert merge variables using the variable tabs below
5. Toggle to Visual Preview to see how it renders
6. Save the template - it's marked with an "HTML" badge

HTML Requirements: Use inline CSS for styling (not external stylesheets). Avoid JavaScript (it's stripped for security). Test across email clients as rendering varies. Include alt text for images in case they don't load.

Mark your most-used template as the default for each channel:

• Click the star icon next to any template to set it as default
• Default templates appear first in sequence step dropdowns
• Only one template per channel (email/SMS/voice) can be default at a time
• Setting a new default automatically removes the default status from the previous one

Default templates are ideal for your standard 24-hour reminder that most demos will use. Create variants for different timing or recipient types, but keep one solid default.

To modify a template after creation:

1. Find the template in your Templates list
2. Click the Edit icon (pencil) on the template card
3. The editor opens with all current content loaded
4. Make your changes to name, content, attachments, or settings
5. Click "Update Template" to save

Impact on sequences: Editing a template immediately affects all sequences using it. Changes apply to future messages, not messages already scheduled. If you need to A/B test variations, create a new template instead of editing the existing one.

Use the three tabs at the top of the Templates page to filter by channel:

• 📧 Email Templates: Shows all email templates with subject lines, attachment counts, and HTML indicators
• 📱 SMS Templates: Displays SMS templates with character counts and segment indicators
• 📞 Voice Templates: Lists voice templates with voice selection and language settings

This organization makes it easy to find the right template when building sequences or reviewing your template library for gaps or opportunities to consolidate.

Remove templates you no longer need:

1. Click the Delete icon (trash can) on the template card
2. A confirmation modal appears warning that deletion is permanent
3. If the template is used in sequences, you'll see a list of which ones
4. Update or deactivate those sequences first, then try deleting again
5. Confirm deletion - the template is immediately removed

Cannot be undone: Deleted templates are permanently removed from the system. If you might use a template again later, consider just not including it in active sequences rather than deleting it.

Beyond just using {{first_name}}, here are advanced personalization techniques:

• Reference their company: "Looking forward to showing you how we help companies like {{company_name}}..."
• Acknowledge their role: If you capture job titles: "As a {{job_title}}, you'll appreciate..."
• Use their timezone: {{meeting_time_short}} automatically shows the correct time for their location
• Make it conversational: "Hi {{first_name}}, it's {{rep_first_name}} from {{company_name}}" sounds human
• Reference the demo type: "Your {{demo_title}}" reminds them what they booked

Email subject lines are critical for open rates. Follow these proven patterns:

• Include timing: "Tomorrow at 2 PM" or "In 1 Hour" creates urgency
• Use action words: "Reminder", "Confirmed", "Starting Soon" set expectations
• Personalize when possible: "Sarah, Your Demo Tomorrow" performs better than generic
• Keep it short: Under 50 characters ensures full display on mobile
• Avoid spam triggers: Don't use ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation!!!, or words like "FREE"
• Test variations: Try different formulas to see what gets higher open rates

Examples: "Reminder: Demo Tomorrow at {{meeting_time_short}}" | "{{first_name}}, Your Demo Starts in 1 Hour" | "Confirmed: {{demo_title}} on {{meeting_date}}""

Effective template content follows this structure:

Use different channels strategically in sequences:

• 24-48 hours before: Email (gives them time to prepare and reschedule if needed)
• 1-2 hours before: SMS (high urgency, immediate visibility on mobile)
• Same-day alternatives: Voice calls for high-value demos or VIP clients
• Post-demo: Email follow-up (allows for longer content and attachments)

Don't over-communicate: 2-3 touchpoints per demo is usually sufficient. More than that feels spammy and may annoy recipients.

Continuously improve your templates:

• Send test messages to yourself: See exactly what recipients see
• Check mobile rendering: 60%+ of emails are opened on mobile devices
• Review failed messages: Look for patterns - do certain templates have higher failure rates?
• Track attendance impact: Do certain templates correlate with better show rates?
• Update regularly: Refresh content every 6 months to prevent message fatigue
• Get feedback: Ask colleagues or customers what resonates

Sequences are multi-step reminder campaigns that automatically send messages to demo attendees at strategic times before their scheduled meetings. Instead of manually sending individual reminders, you create a sequence once with multiple touchpoints (like an email 24 hours before, an SMS 2 hours before, and a voice call 30 minutes before), and Skardu executes it automatically for every demo that matches your rules.

Think of sequences as your automated reminder workflow. For example: When someone books a demo on your Calendly, Skardu detects it, identifies the matching sequence rule, and schedules all reminder messages based on your sequence steps. The entire process runs hands-free - you set it once, and it works for hundreds or thousands of demos without any manual intervention.

Sequences solve the most time-consuming part of demo management: consistent, timely follow-up. Here's what makes them essential:

• Complete Automation: No manual work after initial setup - reminders send automatically
• Multi-Channel Reach: Combine email, SMS, and voice calls in one sequence for maximum visibility
• Strategic Timing: Send messages at optimal times (24h before for preparation, 1h before for urgency)
• Consistent Experience: Every attendee gets the same professional reminder series
• Reduced No-Shows: Multi-touchpoint sequences cut no-show rates by 30-40%
• Failover Protection: Backup integrations ensure messages send even if primary fails
• Business Hours Enforcement: Respect recipient timezones and avoid sending at odd hours

Every automated reminder system in Skardu consists of three interconnected parts:

How they work together: You create templates with your message content → Build sequences that organize templates into timed steps → Set up scheduler rules that watch your calendar and trigger sequences when demos are detected. Once configured, the system runs completely automatically.

Here's exactly what happens when someone books a demo with you:

1. Demo Detection: Skardu monitors your connected calendars every 2-5 minutes. When a new event appears that matches your scheduler rule criteria (specific calendar + keyword match), it's detected as a potential demo.
2. Rule Matching: The system checks all your active scheduler rules. If a rule matches (calendar ID + optional keyword), that rule's sequence is selected for execution.
3. Message Scheduling: Skardu looks at each step in the matched sequence and calculates the exact send time based on the demo's meeting time and the step's timing configuration (e.g., "24 hours before" → calculates actual timestamp).
4. Message Creation: For each step, the system creates a scheduled_message record with the template content, merge variables replaced with actual demo data, and the calculated send time. Integration IDs (email, SMS, voice) are attached for delivery.
5. Automated Sending: At the scheduled send time, Skardu's background processes pick up pending messages and send them via the configured integrations (SMTP for email, Twilio for SMS/voice). If primary integration fails, backup integration is attempted.
6. Status Tracking: All messages track their status (pending → sent → delivered OR pending → failed). You can monitor delivery in the Messages page and troubleshoot issues if needed.

Zero manual work required: After initial setup, this entire workflow runs 24/7 without any human intervention. You can have 10 demos or 1000 demos per month - the system scales automatically.

To create a new sequence:

1. Navigate to Sequences in the sidebar navigation
2. Click the "Create Sequence" button in the top-right corner
3. The sequence builder modal opens, showing name/description fields and an empty steps list

The sequence builder is where you'll define your automation strategy. You can return to edit sequences later, so don't worry about getting everything perfect on the first try.

Give your sequence a descriptive name that explains its purpose and structure:

• Good names: "3-Step: Email + SMS + Voice", "24H Email Only", "VIP Client 5-Touch Sequence"
• Bad names: "Sequence 1", "Test", "New Sequence"

Add an optional description explaining when to use this sequence or what makes it unique. Descriptions help when you have multiple sequences and need to remember which is which months later.

Click "Add Step" to create your first reminder in the sequence:

Click "Add" to save the step. It appears in your sequence's step list with a step number (Step 1, Step 2, etc.).

Build out your complete reminder sequence by adding more steps:

• Recommended 2-step sequence: Email 24 hours before + SMS 1 hour before
• Recommended 3-step sequence: Email 48 hours before + Email 24 hours before + SMS 2 hours before
• Aggressive 4-step sequence: Email 48h before + Email 24h before + SMS 2h before + Voice call 30min before

Step order matters: Steps execute in the order you create them. While multiple steps might have the same timing (two emails 24 hours before), they'll be created in sequence order. You can reorder steps by deleting and re-adding them, or edit existing steps to change timing.

Skardu offers four timing types for sequence steps, each suited for different use cases:

Skardu automatically handles timezone detection and business hours enforcement to ensure messages arrive at appropriate times:

Scheduler rules are the bridge between your calendar and sequences. They watch for new demo events and automatically trigger reminder sequences when matches are found. Here's how to create your first rule:

1. Navigate to the Scheduler page using the sidebar navigation. This is where all your scheduling automation rules live.
2. Click "Create Rule" in the top-right corner. The rule builder modal opens with multiple configuration sections.
3. Select your calendar integration: Choose from your connected Calendly accounts. The dropdown shows all active calendar integrations you've added in the Integrations page.
4. Choose calendar scope: You can either monitor a specific calendar (e.g., "Sales Demos", "Discovery Calls") OR select "All calendars" to watch every calendar in that integration. Specific calendar selection is more precise and reduces false positives.

Keywords help you target specific types of meetings without creating dozens of rules. Here's how keyword matching works:

The final step is connecting your email and SMS/voice integrations to the rule. This determines which accounts Skardu uses to send the reminder messages:

The Scheduler is Skardu's automation engine that connects your Calendly calendar with your reminder sequences. Instead of manually triggering sequences for each demo, Scheduler Rules automatically detect when meetings are booked and start the appropriate reminder flow.

Once configured, Scheduler Rules work 24/7 in the background - whenever someone books a meeting on your Calendly account, the system instantly detects it and schedules all reminder messages based on your configured sequences.

Each Scheduler Rule defines the automation logic:

Skardu now supports creating multiple rules for the same Calendly account, differentiated by event type. This powerful feature allows you to:

• Different sequences for different meetings: Use a formal sequence for "Executive Demo" and a casual one for "Quick Chat"
• Different communication channels: Send emails only for webinars but use SMS + Email for high-value demos
• Customize timing per event type: More aggressive reminders for premium meetings, lighter touch for consultations
• Target specific scenarios: Create rules that match your exact workflow needs

When creating a Scheduler Rule, you can choose between two filtering approaches:

When a meeting is booked, Skardu checks all active rules for that calendar account. If there's a specific event type rule matching the booking, it takes priority. If no specific rule matches, the catch-all rule (if one exists) is used.

This priority system ensures you have maximum flexibility: create catch-all rules for general coverage, then add specific rules to override behavior for important event types.

Before creating a Scheduler Rule, ensure you have:

• Connected Calendly: At least one Calendly account integrated (see Integrations)
• Email Integration: SMTP provider connected if using email channel (see Integrations)
• Created Sequence: At least one active reminder sequence (see Sequences)
• Optional SMS/Voice: Twilio integration if using SMS or voice channels

Click the "Create Rule" button on the Scheduler page to launch the setup wizard. Here's what each step covers:

The Scheduler page displays all your rules in a table showing:

Use the toggle switch on each rule to activate or deactivate it:

• Active (Green): Rule is live and processing bookings in real-time
• Inactive (Gray): Rule is paused; matching bookings are detected but no sequences are triggered

Deactivating a rule is useful for temporarily pausing automation (e.g., during holidays, while updating sequences, or for testing purposes) without deleting the rule configuration.

Click the trash icon to permanently delete a rule. This action:

• Stops the rule from processing any future bookings
• Does NOT cancel already-scheduled messages for past bookings
• Cannot be undone - you'll need to recreate the rule if deleted by mistake

The system will ask for confirmation before deleting to prevent accidental removal.

Recommended setup progression:

1. Create one catch-all rule covering all event types
2. Monitor performance for 1-2 weeks
3. Identify event types that need special handling
4. Add specific rules for those event types
5. Keep catch-all rule as safety net

Create sequences that match your rule strategy:

• VIP/Enterprise Sequence: More frequent, multi-channel, personal touch
• Standard Demo Sequence: Balanced approach for typical bookings
• Quick Call Sequence: Minimal, low-pressure reminders
• Group Meeting Sequence: Different tone for webinars/training

Before activating rules for production:

• Create test bookings in Calendly
• Verify the correct rule is triggered
• Check that messages are scheduled properly
• Confirm send windows are respected
• Test failover by temporarily deactivating primary integrations

Regularly review your rules:

• Check which rules are triggering most frequently
• Review sequence performance in Messages page
• Look for event types being caught by catch-all that should have specific rules
• Update sequences based on recipient feedback
• Deactivate rules for event types no longer in use

Compliance isn't just about following the law—it's about respecting your recipients' preferences and maintaining your sender reputation. Skardu helps you stay compliant by:

• Automatically honoring opt-out requests across all channels
• Tracking opt-out methods and timestamps for audit trails
• Supporting per-sender opt-outs (granular control)
• Providing easy re-enable options when recipients opt back in

The compliance dashboard shows two key metrics for each channel (Email, SMS, Voice):

• Currently Opted Out: Total number of contacts who are currently opted out
• Re-enabled: Contacts who were opted out but have been re-enabled in the last 15 days

Skardu supports per-sender opt-outs, meaning contacts can opt out from specific sender addresses or phone numbers rather than blocking all communications from your account. This granular approach provides:

• More flexibility for recipients (they can choose which senders to block)
• Better deliverability (contacts who want to hear from one rep can still receive messages)
• Clearer audit trails (you know exactly which sender-recipient pairs are opted out)

The Compliance page has two main tabs:

• Opt-Outs: Shows all currently opted-out contacts
• Re-enabled (Last 15 Days): Shows contacts who were recently re-enabled

Within each tab, you can switch between Email, SMS, and Voice channels to view opt-outs specific to each communication method.

Each opt-out record shows how the recipient opted out:

You should only re-enable contacts when:

• The recipient explicitly requests to receive communications again
• They filled out a new consent form or booking
• The opt-out was added by mistake (rare)

To re-enable a contact:

1. Go to the Opt-Outs tab on the Compliance page
2. Select the appropriate channel (Email, SMS, or Voice)
3. Find the contact using the search bar (search by sender or recipient)
4. Click the "Re-enable" button next to the contact
5. Confirm the action in the modal that appears

Once re-enabled, the contact will immediately appear in the "Re-enabled (Last 15 Days)" tab and will be able to receive messages from that sender again.

If you need to opt out a re-enabled contact again, go to the Re-enabled (Last 15 Days) tab, find the contact, and click "Opt-Out Again". This will move them back to the Opt-Outs list.

Use manual opt-outs when:

• A contact verbally requests to opt out (phone call, in-person)
• A contact sends an email requesting removal
• You need to proactively add internal email addresses or test numbers
• You want to prevent messages to specific recipient-sender pairs

To manually add an opt-out:

1. Click the "Manual Opt-Out" button at the top right of the Compliance page
2. Select the channel (Email, SMS, or Voice)
3. Enter the From identifier (your sender email or phone)
4. Enter the To identifier (recipient email or phone)
5. Click "Add Opt-Out"

The system will immediately prevent any messages from being sent from that sender to that recipient on the specified channel.

The "Test Opt-Outs" button allows you to:

• Verify that opt-out links in emails work correctly
• Test SMS STOP keyword functionality
• Confirm that opted-out contacts can't receive messages
• Check webhook integrations for opt-out events

Click the "Export CSV" button to download your opt-out list. The CSV includes:

• From and To identifiers (email addresses or phone numbers)
• Opt-out timestamps
• Opt-out methods
• Current status (Opted Out or Re-enabled)
• Re-enabled timestamps (if applicable)

Keep these exports for compliance audits and regulatory requirements.

• Always include a clear unsubscribe link in every marketing email
• Honor opt-out requests within 10 business days (Skardu does this instantly)
• Never re-enable contacts without explicit permission
• Include your physical mailing address in email footers
• Use accurate "From" names and email addresses
• Avoid misleading subject lines

• Obtain prior express written consent before sending SMS or making automated calls
• Include clear opt-out instructions in every SMS (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe")
• Process STOP requests immediately (Skardu does this automatically)
• Respect "quiet hours" (no calls before 8 AM or after 9 PM recipient local time)
• Keep detailed records of consent and opt-outs

To protect your sender reputation:

• Keep opt-out rates below 0.1% for emails
• Monitor the Compliance page at least weekly
• Respond promptly to any direct opt-out requests
• Never purchase email lists or phone numbers
• Use double opt-in when possible for maximum compliance
• Export and archive opt-out lists monthly for records

The Compliance page includes an auto-refresh feature that:

• Automatically checks for new opt-outs every 10 seconds
• Shows a notification when new opt-outs are detected
• Updates the statistics and lists without requiring a page refresh
• Can be toggled on/off using the checkbox at the top of the page

A small indicator at the bottom shows when the data was last updated and whether auto-refresh is active.

The Subscription page is where you manage your Skardu plan after you've signed up. To access it:

1. Click Subscription in the dashboard sidebar
2. View your current plan status and details
3. Manage payment methods and billing settings

Skardu offers three types of plans:

The main status card displays:

• Plan Name: Shows "Monthly Subscription", "Annual Subscription", or "Lifetime Deal"
• Status Badge: Current status (Active, Trial, Past Due, etc.)
• Plan Type: Whether you're on Monthly or Annual billing
• Next Billing Date: When your subscription renews

Your subscription can have different statuses:

If you have a Lifetime Deal plan, the subscription page shows:

• A congratulatory message confirming lifetime access
• Your license key for your records
• No billing date or payment information (one-time payment only)

For Paddle subscriptions (Monthly/Annual), you can manage your subscription through the Paddle customer portal:

1. Go to the Subscription page in your dashboard
2. Click the "Manage Subscription" button
3. The Paddle customer portal will open in a new tab

The portal is hosted by Paddle (our payment processor) and provides secure access to your billing information.

In the Paddle customer portal, you can:

• Update Payment Method: Change your credit card or payment details
• View Invoices: Download past and upcoming invoices
• Update Billing Address: Modify your billing information
• Cancel Subscription: End your subscription (you'll retain access until the end of your billing period)
• Reactivate Subscription: Resume a cancelled subscription before it expires

To update your payment method:

1. Open the subscription management portal
2. Click "Update Payment Method"
3. Enter your new card details
4. Click "Save"

Your new payment method will be used for all future billing cycles immediately.

To access your invoices:

1. Open the subscription management portal
2. Navigate to the "Invoices" section
3. View all past invoices with dates and amounts
4. Click "Download" to get a PDF copy

Invoices include your company name, billing address, and detailed charge information for accounting purposes.

When you start a 14-day trial:

• You get immediate access to all premium features
• A payment method is required, but you won't be charged until the trial ends
• Your subscription page shows the exact date your trial ends
• You'll receive an email notification before the trial ends

To cancel your trial:

1. Go to Subscription page
2. Click "Manage Subscription"
3. Click "Cancel Subscription"
4. Confirm the cancellation

You'll retain access until the end of your trial period, and you won't be charged at all.

To cancel your subscription:

1. Navigate to the Subscription page
2. Click "Manage Subscription"
3. In the Paddle portal, click "Cancel Subscription"
4. Confirm your cancellation

When you cancel your subscription:

• You'll continue to have access until your current billing period ends
• Your status will show "Cancelled" with an end date
• No future charges will be made
• Your data remains accessible until the subscription expires
• You can reactivate anytime before the subscription expires

If you cancel but change your mind:

1. Go to the Subscription page
2. Click "Manage Subscription"
3. Click "Reactivate Subscription"
4. Confirm reactivation

Your subscription will resume at the end of your current period with no interruption to service.

All paid plans (Monthly, Annual, and LTD) include:

For billing questions or issues:

• Email us at support@skardu.io
• Include your account email address
• Describe your billing question or issue
• We typically respond within 24 hours

The Settings page is your control center for managing your account preferences. To access it:

1. Click Settings in the dashboard sidebar
2. View all your account information and preferences
3. Update settings as needed

The Settings page provides control over:

• Account Information: View your email, user ID, and account creation date
• Timezone Preferences: Set your timezone for accurate message scheduling
• Data Export: Download all your data in JSON format
• Account Deletion: Permanently delete your account and data

The Account Information section displays read-only information about your account:

• Email Address: The email you used to sign up with Skardu
• User ID: Your unique identifier in the system (useful for support requests)
• Account Created: The date you created your Skardu account

Your email address is tied to your authentication and cannot be changed directly in the Settings page. To update your email:

1. Contact support at support@skardu.io
2. Request an email change with your new email address
3. Verify your identity through the process we provide
4. We'll update your email and send confirmation

Your timezone setting is crucial for:

• Message Scheduling: Ensures reminders are sent at the right time
• Time Display: All timestamps are shown in your local time
• Business Hours: Respects your working hours for sending messages
• Demo Timing: Correctly calculates when to send "24 hours before" reminders

Skardu automatically detects your browser's timezone to help you get started quickly:

If the detected timezone is correct, simply click "Use browser timezone" to apply it instantly.

To manually select your timezone:

1. Type in the search box to find your city or timezone (e.g., "London", "Tokyo", "Pacific")
2. Or browse the dropdown menu organized by region
3. Select your timezone from the filtered results
4. Click "Save Timezone" to apply

Timezones are organized into helpful categories:

• Popular Timezones: Most commonly used timezones worldwide
• Americas: North and South American timezones
• Europe: European timezones including GMT and CET
• Asia: Asian and Pacific timezones
• Africa: African continent timezones
• Australia: Australian and Oceania timezones

Each timezone shows its offset from UTC (e.g., UTC-05:00 or UTC+09:00) to help you choose the right one.

Once you've selected your timezone:

1. Review your selection (a preview shows Current → New timezone)
2. Click the "Save Timezone" button
3. Wait for the success confirmation
4. Your timezone is now active!

Here's how Skardu uses your timezone:

Skardu provides full data export capabilities so you always have a copy of your information:

• Export includes all your data: demos, messages, templates, recipients, and more
• Data is exported in standard JSON format for easy processing
• Exports are rate-limited to 1 per hour to prevent abuse
• The download is immediate - no waiting for email delivery

To download your data:

1. Navigate to the Settings page
2. Scroll to the "Data & Privacy" section
3. Click the "Export Data" button
4. Wait a moment while the export is prepared
5. Your browser will download a JSON file (e.g., my-data-2025-01-15.json)

The file will be saved to your default downloads folder.

To protect system resources and prevent abuse, data exports are limited:

• 1 export per hour per account
• If you try to export again too soon, you'll see a rate limit message
• The message shows exactly when you can export again

The exported JSON file contains structured data that you can:

• Open in any text editor to view raw data
• Import into spreadsheet applications (Excel, Google Sheets)
• Process with custom scripts or tools
• Archive for compliance or backup purposes

For security, sensitive information like API keys and passwords are not included in exports.

Account deletion is permanent and irreversible. Here's what you need to know:

• 24-Hour Grace Period: After requesting deletion, you have 24 hours to cancel
• All Data Deleted: Demos, messages, templates, recipients, and all settings are permanently removed
• Integration Disconnection: All connected integrations are automatically disconnected
• No Recovery: Once deleted, your account cannot be restored

Before deleting your account, consider these steps:

1. Export your data using the Data Export feature (see above)
2. Disconnect integrations manually if you want to preserve those connections elsewhere
3. Cancel your subscription to ensure no future charges (if applicable)
4. Download any important attachments you've uploaded

To schedule account deletion:

1. Navigate to the Settings page
2. Scroll to the "Delete Account" section
3. Click the red "Delete Account" button
4. A confirmation modal will appear
5. Read the warnings carefully
6. Type DELETE in the confirmation field
7. Click "Delete My Account" in the modal

After scheduling deletion:

• You'll be immediately signed out of your account
• You'll receive an email confirmation with a cancellation link
• Your account enters a "pending deletion" state
• For the next 24 hours, you can cancel the deletion by clicking the link in the email
• After 24 hours, deletion is automatically executed and cannot be stopped

If you change your mind during the grace period:

1. Check your email for the deletion confirmation message
2. Click the "Cancel Deletion" link in the email
3. You'll be taken to a confirmation page
4. Your deletion is cancelled and your account is restored
5. You can log back in immediately

All your data remains intact if you cancel before the 24-hour period expires.

Once the 24-hour grace period expires:

• Your account is permanently deleted
• All data is irreversibly removed from our systems
• Your email address becomes available for new signups
• Integrations are fully disconnected
• No future billing will occur