Each customer record has two contact-preference flags:
| Flag | What it gates |
|---|---|
contactByEmail | Reminder emails, review requests, customer portal links by email |
contactBySms | Reminder SMS, review requests by SMS, customer portal links by SMS |
Both default to on for new customers. Untick either flag and Pistonlog skips that channel for them on future sends.
Where to set them
On the customer record's Info tab, under Communication Preferences: two switches, Contact by SMS and Contact by Email. Saved automatically as you toggle.
Transactional sends still go through
Some emails — invoices the customer specifically asked for, appointment confirmations they're expecting, password-reset and verification emails — relate to a specific live transaction and aren't gated by contactByEmail. The flag is about unsolicited outreach (reminders, review asks).
What's not in here today
Pistonlog has a single email flag and a single SMS flag — there's no separate "marketing vs transactional" or "appointments vs reminders" sub-toggle on the customer record. If a customer wants to opt out of reminder emails but stay subscribed to invoices, you'd communicate that via notes and exclude them manually when sending — the single-flag model doesn't differentiate.
Legal angle
For UK / EU customers, marketing communications need consent. The single channel flag is your simplest tool for honouring "please stop emailing me" — flip it off.