SMS Types

SMS has its own registry of message types, separate from correspondence types. Each type knows which customer opt-in it respects, which sending path uses it, and what its message says.

What you need: the Credit Control section and permission to see SMS types. Editing a message body needs edit permission on SMS types; without it the body is shown read-only.

The list

Columns are the type, its opt-in, whether it has its own body or inherits the platform default, how many were sent in the last 30 days, and what uses it.

Tags flag types that are available to chase stages and those that are scheduler-only, meaning they are sent by a background process rather than chosen by an operator.

Editing a message body

Opening a type shows how many have been sent, which opt-in governs it, and whether chase stages use it. Where they do, a note reminds you that changes apply to those sends immediately.

The Delivery panel states who receives it: contacts who have enabled the named SMS preference, and whether it is available to chase stages.

The Message body box takes plain text only. The available merge fields are listed under it, covering the provider name, account number, amount, due date, reference, last digits of the instrument, summary text, invoice number, invoice download link, payment link and status.

Two things about merge fields: only the fields that this type’s sending path actually fills are substituted, and a field the path does not fill may block the send. Use the ones listed for the type you are editing.

A single SMS segment is 160 characters, or 67 where the message contains special characters. Longer bodies send as several segments and are charged as several messages, so keep them short.

Save body stores it. Revert to default body removes it so the type inherits the platform default again.

Important: this page reads and writes the platform-wide body only. Any group, department or user overrides you have configured are never read, replaced or deleted here.

Where SMS is used

• Chase stages with an action type of Send SMS name an SMS type. See Chasing.
• Payment notifications - invoice issued, invoice due, expected payment due, promise due, and card, Direct Debit and auto-topup collection notices - are sent by the scheduler and reported on the Automation page.

Marketing SMS is not sent from these types. It would need its own type and its own consent field, never one inferred from a credit-control opt-in.

Provider setup

The SMS provider settings live in the platform settings under the SMS module, alongside a test destination. Test and demo platforms cannot text real customers, so trying a message on a test system is safe.