Who can do this?
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All users and access levels
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Requires Halaxy credits
When you send one-way SMS reminders to your patients, your default sender name appears as Halaxy. If you want to display your practice name or a practitioner's name instead, you can set an SMS custom name. This helps recipients identify your practice and improves appointment attendance rates.
SMS custom name requires a monthly subscription and costs 50 credits per month. You can cancel your subscription any time.
Note
Practitioners who want to have their own custom SMS name subscription (different from the practice group) must have their own individual Halaxy credit settings.
Important
From 1 July 2026, SMS custom names must be verified in line with updated requirements from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to help prevent SMS scams.
To continue using a custom name, you’ll need to submit documentation confirming your right to use that name. You can follow the same steps outlined in this guide as when registering a new SMS custom name.
If verification isn’t completed, SMS messages will be sent with Halaxy as the sender name instead.
Custom names are required to be registered to businesses to help curb fraudulent activity over SMS messaging. To get approved, your chosen SMS custom name should be aligned with your registered business name. For example, this can be an acronym, contraction or trade name.
To purchase a subscription, you must:
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Register your SMS custom name
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Upload relevant documentation as proof of your right to use the custom name.
Prepare the following documents before proceeding:
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An ASIC Business Summary or an up-to-date screenshot from Australia Business Register contacts page.
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A valid ID (e.g. driver's licence, passport.)
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Please allow up to 3 days to process and approve your registration.
You are not charged until your first registration is approved and your subscription is activated.
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Click Settings > Reminders.
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Under the practice group setting or practitioner setting, for Custom Name, click Buy Name.
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In the pop-up, follow the registration process.
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1 - Overview: Click Next.
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2 - Registration: Enter the SMS Custom Name you want to register. (See the format requirements for custom names below.) Select your practice location and a user from your practice as the registrant. If you have multiple locations, you can select one location to register for your group. Click Next.
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3 - Review: Review your information and ensure it is correct. Click Submit.
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Complete the next steps. See the fields below for your reference.
Field
Description
Business name
The registered name of the practice or organisation
Entity type
The type of entity the practice is registered under (e.g. corporation, government, sole proprietorship).
Business registration number
The official registration number associated with the practice (e.g. ABN, business number, company registration number).
Business website URL
The official website for the practice or brand using this SMS sender name.
If there is no website available, search and use your practice's Halaxy online directory profile
Business contact phone number
A contact phone number for the practice.
Description of the use of the Sender ID
A brief explanation of how this custom name will be used.
Example you can use: "We will use the sender ID to send appointment reminders, notifications, or schedule updates."
Sample SMS message
An example of an SMS message that will be sent using this custom name.
Example you can use: "This is a reminder message for your upcoming appointment tomorrow at 10 am. Reply Y to confirm."
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In the review and submit step, click Submit registration, then click Finish.
Your SMS Custom Name has been submitted for registration and now has a status of Pending. Please allow 1 to 2 days for approval.
After your registration is approved, your subscription begins and its status changes to Active.
To view your registration status and history, click the clock with arrow icon.
Note
If you need to change your SMS custom name, you must first cancel your current subscription and begin a new registration process.
To get your SMS custom name approved, make sure it follows these requirements:
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Must contain between 3 to 11 characters
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Must contain at least 1 letter
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May contain letters, numbers and spaces.
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Must not contain special characters.
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Click Settings > Reminders.
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Next to Custom Name, click the
pencil icon.
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In the Edit Subscription Settings pop-up, select one:
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Cancel on expiry: End your subscription at the end of the current subscription month.
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Cancel now: End your subscription immediately.
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Click Save.
Your subscription will cancel according to your specifications. You can reactivate your subscription at any time.
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