Sequences
Message types, timing like J-1 10:00 or H-1, date variables, mention of every member, and what happens when you edit a sequence already linked to an event.
At the end of this page you have a sequence linked to your event, and every occurrence gets its messages at the right time without you touching WhatsApp.
What a sequence is
A sequence is a list of messages. Each message has a type, a timing relative to the live, and a content. A sequence is reusable: link it to several events, Groupilot computes the dates for each occurrence.
Message types
| Type | Content | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Text, with date variables | 10,000 characters |
| Image | .jpg, .jpeg, .png + optional caption | 16 MB |
| Video | .mp4, .mov, .3gp + optional caption | 40 MB |
| Voice note | .ogg, .m4a, .wav, .mp3 | 16 MB |
| Poll | Question + 2 to 12 answers, single or multiple choice | Question 255 characters, answers 100 characters each |
Timing
| You write | It means |
|---|---|
J-1 10:00 | The day before the live, at 10:00 |
J0 19:55 | The day of the live, at 19:55 |
J+1 09:00 | The day after, at 09:00 |
H-1 | Exactly one hour before the live |
H+2 | Exactly two hours after the live |
J timings are a clock time on a calendar day, in the time zone of the event. H timings are an exact duration from the start of the live. H+0 is not allowed: use J0 with the time of the live instead.
Date variables
In the text of a message, these are replaced at send time with the date of the occurrence:
| Variable | Result for a live on Sunday 9 November |
|---|---|
{J:jour} | dimanche |
{J:date} | 9 |
{J:mois} | novembre |
{J+1:jour} | lundi |
{J-1:date} | 8 |
The offset is in days. The names are rendered in French, whatever the language of your app.
Mention of every member
On a text message, the advanced option Ghost mention notifies every member of the community and shows them an @ badge, without the list of names appearing in the message. People who muted the community get the notification anyway.
Keep it for one or two key messages per sequence, typically "we are live". Using it on every message raises the risk of your number being restricted.
Steps
Create the sequence
Go to Sequences, New sequence, give it a name that says what it is for, such as "Sunday webinar".
Add the messages
For each message choose the type, the timing, then the content. Upload media from your computer. Drag messages to reorder them.
Link it to the event
Open the event, Sequence tab, pick the sequence. Groupilot plans one send per message for every future occurrence. Timings already in the past for an occurrence are skipped.
Check the planned sends
Open the Messages tab of the event: every send is listed with its date, status and a preview. See One-off messages and planned sends.
Example
| Timing | Type | Content |
|---|---|---|
J-2 18:00 | Video | "Here is what we cover {J:jour}" |
J-1 10:00 | Text | "Tomorrow {J:jour} at 20:00, live. Block the slot." |
H-1 | Image | "One hour to go" |
J0 19:55 | Text, ghost mention | "We are live in 5 minutes, here is the link: …" |
J+1 10:00 | Text | "Replay available until {J+2:jour} evening" |
Edit a sequence that is already linked
Editing a message does not change the sends already planned. They keep the content they had when they were planned. To push your edit:
- Open the sequence. A banner lists the events linked to it.
- Choose Resync. Groupilot shows, per event, how many sends will be updated, how many were edited by hand and will be kept, and how many are already locked.
- Pick the events and confirm.
What a resync never touches: sends already sent, sends that failed or are being retried, sends you edited by hand in the Messages tab, and anything whose time has passed.
Delete a sequence
Deleting a sequence does not cancel the sends already planned on the events that used it. Cancel them from the Messages tab if needed. Unlinking a sequence from an event (choose "none" in the Sequence tab) cancels the planned sends of the future occurrences.