> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lassomoderation.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lassomoderation.com/moderator-toolkit/sending-messages.md).

# Sending Messages

Send Message lets moderators communicate directly with the users of your platform from within Lasso. Instead of silently removing content or banning a user, a moderator can explain a decision, ask for clarification, or point a user to your community guidelines. Messages are delivered on your own platform, for example as a direct message to the user or as a reply under a piece of content.

{% hint style="info" %}
Lasso does not deliver the message to the user itself. The message is sent to your platform through [webhooks](/developers/webhooks.md#send-message), and your platform decides how to deliver it (as a DM, a reply, an email, and so on). Make sure you have an active webhook configured under **Settings → API & Webhooks** and that your endpoint handles the `SendMessage` action.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/iTJLRLe2C1YHhk5WYgud" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### What you can use it for

* Explain why content was removed or a user was sanctioned.
* Send a friendly reminder about your community guidelines before taking harder action.
* Ask a user for more context on a report or a piece of content.
* Post an official moderator reply under a piece of content.

### Where to find it

Send Message is available anywhere you see the **⋯** menu on a user or a piece of content:

* **User page**: open a user and click the **⋯** menu next to their name, then choose **Send Message**. The message is sent to the user directly.
* **Content**: open a piece of content (from the content explorer or a user's content list) and choose **Send Message** from the content's **⋯** menu. The message is sent as a reply to that piece of content.
* **Review queues**: while reviewing, both the content card and the user panel have the same **⋯** menu, so you can message the user without leaving the queue.

<figure><img src="/files/9Zfo4vxMU4i3fnMyWiRZ" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Sending a message

1. Open the **⋯** menu on the user or content and choose **Send Message**.
2. Optionally pick a saved template from **Template (optional)**. The template's text is loaded into the message field, where you can still edit it before sending.
3. Write or adjust your message. You can use variables to personalize it:
   * `{{user_name}}` is replaced with the recipient's name.
   * `{{moderator_name}}` is replaced with your name.
4. Click **Send message**.

The variables are filled in when the message is sent, so the user receives the final text, for example "Hi Ada, please keep it friendly. Grace, the moderation team".

Every sent message is recorded on the user's or content's activity timeline with a **Messaged** badge, and in the audit logs, so your team can always see who sent what and when.

### Message templates

If your moderators send the same kinds of messages often, admins can create reusable message templates under **Settings → Moderation Preferences → Message Templates**.

* Templates are shared with the whole workspace.
* Each template has a **Name** (shown in the template picker) and a **Message**.
* Templates can contain the `{{user_name}}` and `{{moderator_name}}` variables.
* Moderators can always edit the text after picking a template, so templates work well as a starting point rather than a fixed script.
* Editing or deleting a template does not affect messages that have already been sent.

<figure><img src="/files/dlILNBQAtxwV6zpuS9Cu" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Delivering messages on your platform

When a moderator sends a message, Lasso sends a `SendMessage` action to your webhook endpoint. The payload contains the final message text (variables already resolved), the moderator who sent it, and either the user to message or the content to reply to. Your endpoint is responsible for delivering the message in your product.

If your webhook rejects the delivery, the failure is recorded on the action in the activity timeline, so moderators can see the message was not delivered.

See the `SendMessage` example on the [webhooks](/developers/webhooks.md#send-message) page for the full payload and delivery details.