Note: From October 1st, 2025, we introduced new plans that better reflect how our customers use Deputy: Lite, Core, and Pro. If you're an existing customer, look out for an email with all the details you’ll need. Learn more about the new plans and what this change means for you .

This article outlines how to transition your team communication and shift coordination from personal text messages to Deputy.

Before you read

Target audience: This article is users with System Administrator, Location Manager and Supervisor access.
Feature restrictions: Ensure your team has downloaded the Deputy mobile app and enabled push notifications so you can use the features below.

This article covers:

Why move away from SMS communication?

Managing a team through text messages can quickly become difficult to track. Messages get missed, there’s no central record, and it’s hard to confirm who saw what.

Deputy helps keep everything in one place. You get a clear history of your schedule, visibility into who has seen your messages, and a reliable record of any changes made.

How Deputy can help

Fill an open shift in minutes

Use the open shifts feature in the Schedule tab to offer shifts, instead of messaging team members one by one.

Go to the Schedule tab and select the shift that needs coverage.
Click Open Shift.
Choose to notify Recommended team members or all eligible staff.
Click Publish.

Deputy will send a push notification to your team. The first person to claim the shift is assigned automatically, and the schedule updates in real time.

Use internal messaging for daily updates

Use Deputy’s built-in Messaging and News Feed tools to keep work-related conversations in one place.

For team-wide updates

Use the News Feed to share announcements, such as operational updates or changes to the day’s schedule. You can require team members to Confirm Receipt, giving you a record that the message has been seen.

For direct messages

Use Messaging for one-on-one and group conversations. It works similarly to texting, but keeps communication within Deputy. You’ll also be able to see when messages have been read.

Note: Deputy Messaging (Standard) is available on all Deputy plans. Deputy Messaging+ (Premium) is an optional add-on that offers advanced messaging features. Check out how the features compare in our Pricing plans.

Manage shift swaps and stay compliant

Handling shift swaps through SMS can lead to gaps in your records. Deputy's shift swaps feature ensures every change is tracked.

Team member action: A team member requests a shift swap in the app.
Manager action: You receive a notification to Approve or Decline.
Record keeping: Once approved, Deputy logs the change automatically.

This creates a clear audit trail, so you can always see who worked a shift and why.

Tips for a smooth transition

Encourage push notifications: Make sure your team has push notifications enabled so they don’t miss updates. This also reduces reliance on SMS.
Adopt an “app-first” approach: If a team member contacts you by text about work, reply through Deputy instead. This helps move communication into a single, consistent channel.
Use “Must Read” for important updates: For key announcements or policy changes, use the News Feed > Announcements feature. Team members will be prompted to acknowledge the message before they can clock in.