Frequently asked questions

If your question isn't here, send us a message and a person will answer it.

The basics

What is eHelpLab?: A free account that keeps track of everything you've applied for. You add each application, we hold the details and the confirmation number, we count how long each one has been waiting, and we tell you which ones have gone quiet long enough to be worth chasing — along with the message to send.
Who is it for?: Anyone in the United States, 18 or older, who has applied for something and doesn't want to lose track of it. It is a consumer product. You do not need to be a business or represent one.
What kinds of applications can I track?: Any kind. A job, an apartment or rental, a school or program, a permit or license, a government service, a membership, a volunteer position. The follow-up windows are set per category, so a rental and a scholarship get judged on completely different timelines.
Is it free?: Yes. There is no fee, no paid tier, and we never ask for payment information. The pricing page explains how the company is funded.
Will this affect my application?: No, in either direction. We are not the place you applied. We don't contact them, we don't speak for you, and we don't influence any decision. eHelpLab is a private record you keep for yourself.

Stall detection and follow-ups

What does "stalled" actually mean?: It means an application has been silent past the point where continuing to wait quietly is likely to be the best use of your time. Each category has its own threshold — 21 days for a job application, 5 days for a rental, 45 days for a school program. It is our judgment, not a verdict from the place you applied.
Where do your follow-up windows come from?: They are eHelpLab product defaults, based on how each kind of process typically runs — not industry statistics or a standard anyone else observes. Our reasoning for each one is written up in the guides, and every window is editable per application if yours works differently.
Can I turn stall flags off?: Yes. You can change any window, set your own reminder date instead, or switch stall detection off entirely and just use the list.
Do you send the follow-up message for me?: No, and we won't. We write the draft and fill in your dates and confirmation number. You copy it, edit whatever you want, and send it yourself from your own email. We never contact the place you applied.
What's in a follow-up template?: A short message written for that specific category and timing, with your details filled in. There is a firmer escalation version for when the first goes unanswered, and phone scripts for the categories where calling works better than email.

Adding applications

How do you know about my applications?: You tell us. You add each one yourself — where you applied, what for, and when. Nothing is in your account unless you put it there.
Do I have to type everything in?: No. Forward us your confirmation email and we read the company, date, and reference number out of it, then show you what we found before saving. You can forward several at once to backfill applications you already submitted. Your forwarding address is set up with your account.
Will you read my inbox?: No. The only thing we ever see is an email you deliberately forward to us. We have no access to your mailbox and are not asking for any.
So how would you know there's an update on my application?: Today, we wouldn't — and we don't claim to. What we know is what you told us plus the calendar, which is enough to tell you an application has gone silent past its window and to hand you the follow-up. If a company replies to you, you'd tell us, either by forwarding the email or by answering the Y/N check-in text.
Are you building automatic update detection?: Yes, and it isn't available yet. The plan is a mail filter we generate from your own list — the specific senders for the places you applied — that you paste into Gmail or Outlook once, so their replies reach us as they arrive. We will never ask you to forward your whole inbox, and such a filter would only ever cover companies you added yourself.
What about decisions that come in the post?: That's what the virtual mailbox is for, and it's in development rather than available. Permits, licences, benefit determinations, and the adverse action notice a landlord owes you after a screening report all still arrive on paper. The plan is a street address you can use on applications: we receive the mail, scan the envelope, match it to the right application, and text or email you that it landed. Then you decide per item — open and scan, forward it on, hold it, or shred it.
Will the virtual mailbox need anything from me?: Yes, one thing, and it's worth knowing now. In the US a mail-receiving service can only accept mail on your behalf once you've filed a USPS Form 1583 authorization with verified ID. It's a one-time step, but it's a real one — which is why this can't just be switched on for an existing account when it launches.
Why should I bother saving the confirmation number?: Because it is what makes a follow-up work. A message that opens with a date and a reference number reaches a person who can look you up. One that says "I applied a while ago" gets forwarded and forgotten.
Can I get my data out?: Yes, any time. Export everything you've added to CSV — applications, dates, confirmation numbers, notes. Export is free and always will be.

Your account and privacy

Why do I have to verify my phone number?: Because what you've applied for is personal, and we won't send it to a number we haven't confirmed belongs to you. We text a one-time code at sign-up. If you never enter it, we stop there and you hear nothing further.
What's actually in a text from you?: A short, general note that something changed, and a link back to your account. Messages greet you by name and identify us so you know who's texting. We don't send sensitive information — nothing explicit or specific, no account numbers, no documents. The full record lives in your account, which only you can reach.
Do you sell or share my phone number?: No. We do not sell, rent, or share your phone number or personal information with third parties. Your number is used only to send the updates you opted into.
Do you evaluate or score me?: No. We don't score, rate, or rank you, and we don't look at anything beyond what you typed into your own account and the calendar.
How do I delete my account and my information?: Contact us and ask. We remove your account and personal information from our system, and we'll confirm when it's done. You can also email info@ehelplab.com with "Delete my account" in the subject line.
I never signed up. Why did I get a message?: You shouldn't have. We only create accounts for people who sign up themselves, and we only message numbers that have been verified with a one-time code. If you got a message and don't recognize why, reply STOP to end all messages and contact us so we can look into it and remove your information.

Alerts: email or text

Do I have to use text messages to get alerts?: No. Email is a full alternative and it's the default channel — everything the account does works over email alone. The mobile number field is optional, so if you don't want texts, leave it blank and choose email instead.
What are my options exactly?: Four independent switches: Account Notifications by email, Marketing Messages by email, Account Notifications by text, and Marketing Messages by text. All four start off. Pick any combination, including none, and change it at any time from your notification settings.
Can I get alerts by both email and text?: Yes. Turn on both and an alert reaches you twice. Some people want exactly that for a stalled application, which is why they're separate switches rather than one preference.
Is there any difference between an email alert and a text alert?: The trigger is identical — both fire on the same events. A text is short and links back to your account. An email has room to carry more inline, including the follow-up draft itself.
Do I need to verify my email too?: Yes. We send a confirmation link when you sign up, and nothing else goes to that address until you click it. It's the same principle as the one-time code we text to a mobile number — we don't send your applications anywhere we haven't confirmed belongs to you.
How do I stop email alerts?: Every email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom. You can also turn any channel off in your notification settings, or email us and we'll do it for you. Stopping email alerts never affects your text settings, your account, or any application you've submitted.
Do email alerts cost anything?: No, and unlike text there are no carrier charges either. If message and data rates are your concern, email is the channel with no cost attached at all.

Text messages

What texts will I get?: Only what you opted into. Account Notifications are texts about applications you added — a check-in on one that's been waiting a while, a reminder you set yourself, or a note that there's an update to review. Marketing Messages are occasional offers and news from eHelpLab. Both start off.
When do the messages start?: After you confirm your mobile number with the one-time code we text you at sign-up, and only if you checked Account Notifications or Marketing Messages. If you never confirm the code, we stop there.
How often will you text me?: Message frequency varies, based on how many applications you're tracking and how long they've been waiting. Marketing Messages are occasional.
Does it cost anything to receive texts?: We don't charge you, but message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile plan.
How do I stop the texts?: Reply STOP to any message and they end immediately. You can also turn them off in your notification settings. Reply HELP to any message to get our contact information. Stopping texts never affects an application you've submitted.
Can I use the account without giving you a phone number?: Yes, and you'll still get alerts. The mobile number field is optional; without it you simply won't get text updates, and email covers everything instead. Nothing else about the account changes.

Getting help

How do I reach a person?: Use the contact form and we'll get back to you by email. You can also email info@ehelplab.com or call (801) 383-0413 during business hours. Contacting us never signs you up for text messages.
My application hasn't moved in a while. Can you push it along?: No — we're a record you keep for yourself, not a middleman. We never contact the place you applied. What we can do is tell you it has stalled and hand you a follow-up written for that situation, so reaching out yourself takes thirty seconds instead of an afternoon.
Where can I read the details?: The privacy and security page covers how we protect your list in plain language. The Privacy Policy covers what we collect and how we use it, and the Terms of Service cover the account and the messaging program.

Ready when you are

Create a free account, or reach out first — both are fine.

Create a free account Contact Us