When setting up communication jobs, you can send SMS along with emails to reach your members faster and easier.
Communication jobs using SMS allow you to reach your members in their pockets, no matter where they are. When your members don't have time to read their emails, you can still reach them with key information in a timely manner, so they never miss out on hearing from you.
Please note: SMS is currently only available for use with DD Rejection communication jobs. We are actively working on expanding this offering.
Please review the section on editing a communication job if adding SMS to an existing job.
How does SMS work with communication jobs?
SMS is easy to set up and use. Once activated in your account, you can order bundles of credits through your account manager. Then, you can set up new or existing communication jobs with an SMS message to send alongside (or instead of) your emails.
How do SMS credits work?
Every SMS message sent uses at least one credit. The number of credits per message is based on the number of characters. The first 160 characters of your message uses one credit, and subsequent credits take 153 characters each.
When using placeholders, the number of characters cannot be calculated accurately until the message is sent and the placeholder information is filled. Please keep this in mind when writing your SMS messages.
You must have credits in your account to send SMS messages. You can order these through your account manager.
How to activate SMS
You can activate SMS in your account yourself through the Operator application. When you activate SMS you will receive a free 50 credits to help you get started.
- Log into Operator.
- From the left-hand menu, select Automation Portal then either Dashboard or Communication Jobs.
- Select Activate SMS.
- Enter your Sender name. This is the name that your members will receive texts from. It must be 3-11 characters.
- Click Confirm.
How to use SMS in communication jobs
Creating a new job
This example includes email as an optional channel.
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Go to Automation Portal > Communication Jobs.
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Create a new communication job and enter the name.
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Select any of the DD Rejection job types and click Next.
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Select the frequency (repeating), and the channels (email and SMS).
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Select the email template, review and/or edit the SMS contents, and click Next.
Please note: If you have more than one language enabled, you can edit the text for each language separately by changing the language in the dropdown.
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Set the schedule for the communication job sending and save.
Sending a test SMS
When creating a communication job with SMS, there is an option to send a test SMS. This is a one off message sent to the number entered. It will not populate placeholders because there is no member record attached to the sending, but it allows you to receive a copy of the message to review.
To send a test SMS, when creating or editing a communication job:
- Click Send Test SMS under the SMS content section.
- Enter a mobile phone number.
- Click Send Test.
A confirmation will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Adding SMS to an existing job
If you already have communication jobs set up for DD Rejection, you can simply add SMS as a channel to these existing jobs.
Please note: If the job was set up before SMS was available, then you will need to set the job type, channels, and contents from scratch, as these are new options.
- Go to Automation Portal > Communication Jobs.
- Select an existing DD Rejection job.
- Select the job type.
- Select the email and SMS channels.
- Re-select the email template.
- Review and/or edit the SMS contents.
- Click the save icon in the top-right.
