To integrate the SMS Messaging Add-On into your NetForum application, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
The SMS Messaging group item under the Marketing module contains an ‘Add Recurring SMS’ group item link that can be used for scheduling an SMS messaging task. This option is also available through the List Individuals form > Communicate menu > Send SMS/Text Message link > Add SMS Messaging Details form > Create Recurring Messages button.
This article is divided into the following sections:
Scheduling a Recurring SMS Message Task
To schedule a recurring SMS messaging task, complete the following steps:
1. Go to Marketing module and expand the SMS Messaging group item. Click the Add Recurring SMS group item link. This will display the Add Recurring SMS form.
Alternatively, you can access the Add Recurring SMS form by completing the following steps.
1. Go to the CRM module and expand the Individuals group item.
Or
Go to the Sales module and expand the Contacts group item.
2. On the List Individual form, click the Communicate menu on the Action bar.
3. Click the Send SMS/Text Message link from the drop-down menu.
This will display the Add SMS Messaging Details form.
The Add SMS Messaging Details form displays:
- The total number of records selected from the List Results.
- The number of records selected that are Opted in to receive SMS messages.
- The count of unique phone numbers opted in to receive SMS messages.
4. Click the Create Recurring Messages button if you wish to schedule recurring SMS messages. This will display the Add Recurring SMS form.
5. On the Add Recurring SMS form, enter the message name or description in the SMS/Message Description text box field for the message to be sent. This will not be seen by the customer; it is for internal reporting purposes only.
6. The List Type field is a read-only field displaying the Individual list type by default.
Note: If your iWeb application has a custom object set for the SMS messaging feature (that is rooted back to the Individual object) and the same object is added to the SmsCustomObject system option, then the List Type field will let you select an option for the Recurring SMS Task.
7. Select a query that you wish to use for the Recurring SMS task in the Data Source field. The Data Source drop down field contains a list of already created queries available for selection. The Data Source field also provides you an option to create a new query or make changes to the selected query. Each time the Recurring SMS task executes, it retrieves the latest query details, ensuring that the data remains current.
8. Optional: If you wish, you can merge individual values into the message. Pick the field from the Available Fields drop down, then copy the associated value from the Selected Text field and paste it into the SMS Body.
For example, if you wish to display the full name of the customers in the SMS body, then you should select the individual’s full name related value, i.e., {ind_full_name_cp}.
9. Enter the message you wish to send in the SMS Body text box field.
Below the SMS Body text box, the Count field displays the character count. The character count will increase as you type.
- Space: Character count considered is 1
- Enter: Character count considered is 2
The character count will also consider the message present in the Opt Out/Help Message field.
The Opt Out/Help Message of 'Reply 2 to Opt Out. Reply 3 for Help’ will automatically be appended to the SMS message. Instructions for how to opt out and get help are required for TCPA compliance.
Note: An SMS message unit is 160 characters. That doesn’t mean you can’t send longer messages, it just means that longer messages will be broken into multiple message units, or segments. Those segments will be delivered together, but since SMS billing is in units, that number is important to keep in mind. For example, if you have a message that is 220 characters long, it will be sent as two messages (two units, from a usage perspective). If any merge fields are included in the SMS body, the number of messages is an estimate only and may be inaccurate.
Under the Scheduling section, the Task Type field is populated by the system. This field is read-only and specific to the task you chose to schedule.
10. Enter the date (MM/DD/YYYY) and time (HH:MM:SS AM/PM) in the Run Task Datetime field. The date and time values must be separated by a space.
- Clicking the
icon will schedule this task to run as per the value set in the ScheduledTaskDefaultDelayMinutes system option from the current time.
11. Expand the Recurrence drop-down menu and select how often you would like this SMS Messaging Task to run.
If the process is only to be run one time, select the Once option. Choosing one of the regularly scheduled recurring options will display additional fields that correspond to the frequency you selected. Complete the necessary fields for your recurrence option. When the task runs at each recurrence schedule, the latest records will be fetched based on the query conditions.
12. Under the Notify E-Mail Conditions section, enter the Email address you wish the notification Email to be delivered to in the Notify E-Mail field.
- If the user has an Email set on their profile, the Email listed on their profile will be pre-populated in this field.
13. Set the conditions that will send a notification Email by selecting the appropriate Notify Conditions checkboxes. The conditions you have available are:
- On Start?
- On Success?
- On Failure?
- On Completion With Errors?
14. Click the Save button, A confirmation pop-up appears prompting the staff user to confirm their action before proceeding with scheduling the SMS messages task.
The confirmation pop-up shows the SMS Body content, number of messages that will be sent, and the time and date of the task to be scheduled.
- SMS Body: Displays the message that will be sent.
- Predicted no of message units to be sent: Displays the number of messages that will be sent.
- Scheduled date and time: Displays date and time according to SQL server.
15. Click the OK button. The task is scheduled, and the user will be redirected to the SMS Message profile. Clicking the Cancel button will take the user back to the Add SMS Messaging Details form to make additional changes as needed.
Scheduling a One-Time SMS Message Task
Using the Find, Query, or List Individual search options on the Individuals group item, a staff user can filter a list of individuals and then select records to whom they want to send SMS messages through the SMS Message Schedule Task. The Communicate action menu on the List Individual form contains a Send SMS/Text Message link for scheduling the SMS Message Task.
To Schedule an SMS Message, complete the following steps:
1. Go to the CRM module and expand the Individuals group item.
Or
Go to the Sales module and expand the Contacts group item.
2. Use the Find or Query group item link, search for the individuals to whom you would like to send an SMS message.
3. Once the list of individuals is displayed, you can select the records to whom you wish to send the message. If you do not select any records, then all records on the list will be selected.
4. On the List Individual form, click the Communicate menu on the Action bar.
5. Click the Send SMS/Text Message link from the drop-down menu.
This will display the Add SMS Messaging Details form.
The Add SMS Messaging Details form displays:
- The total number of records selected from the List Results.
- The number of records selected that are Opted in to receive SMS messages.
- The count of unique phone numbers opted in to receive SMS messages.
6. Enter the message name or description in the SMS/Message Description Textbox field for the message to be sent. This will not be seen by the customer; it is for internal reporting purposes only.
7. Optional: If you wish, you can merge individual values into the message. Pick the field from the Available Fields drop down, then copy the associated value from the Selected Text field and paste it into the SMS Body.
For example, if you wish to display the full name of the customers in the SMS body, then you should select the individual’s full name related value, i.e., {ind_full_name_cp}.
8. Enter the message you wish to send in the SMS Body text box field.
Below the SMS Body text box, the Count field displays the character count. The character count will increase as you type.
- Space: Character count considered is 1
- Enter: Character count considered is 2
The character count will also consider the message present in the Opt Out/Help Message field.
The Opt Out/Help Message of 'Reply 2 to Opt Out. Reply 3 for Help’ will automatically be appended to the SMS message. Instructions for how to opt out and get help are required for TCPA compliance.
Note: An SMS message unit is 160 characters. That doesn’t mean you can’t send longer messages; it just means that longer messages will be broken into multiple message units, or segments. Those segments will be delivered together, but since SMS billing is in units, that number is important to keep in mind. For example, if you have a message that is 220 characters long, it will be sent as two messages (two units, from a usage perspective). If any merge fields are included in the SMS body, the number of messages is an estimate only and may be inaccurate.
Under the Scheduling section, the Task Type field is populated by the system. This field is read-only and specific to the task you chose to schedule.
9. Enter the date (MM/DD/YYYY) and time (HH:MM:SS AM/PM) in the Run Task Datetime field. The date and time values must be separated by a space.
- Clicking the
10. Under the Notify E-Mail Conditions section, enter the Email address you wish the notification Email to be delivered to in the Notify E-Mail field.
- If the user has an Email set on their profile, the Email listed on their profile will be pre-populated in this field.
11. Set the conditions that will send a notification Email by selecting the appropriate Notify Conditions checkboxes. The conditions you have available are:
- On Start?
- On Success?
- On Failure?
- On Completion With Errors?
12. Click the Save button. A confirmation pop-up appears prompting the staff user to confirm their action before proceeding with scheduling the SMS messages task.
The confirmation pop-up shows the SMS Body content, number of messages that will be sent, and the time and date of the task to be scheduled.
- SMS Body: Displays the message that will be sent.
- Predicted no of message unit to be sent: Displays the number of messages that will be sent.
- Scheduled date and time: Displays date and time according to SQL server.
13. Click the OK button. The task is scheduled, and the user will be redirected to the SMS Message profile. Clicking the Cancel button will take the user back to the Add SMS Messaging Details form to make additional changes as needed.