How do I configure sending an SMS message from an interaction plan?

Using the Send SMS applet, you can send an SMS message to up to 100 recipients when Vonage Contact Center routes a call through the applet. You can configure the applet to use a combination of static and dynamic values for the from and to numbers, and the message content. Dynamic values are determined at run time, that is, when Vonage Contact Center routes each call through the call plan.

To use any dynamic elements in the Send SMS applet, you must configure data sources. These data sources must contain the required values for the elements when Vonage Contact Center routes the call to the applet.

To use the Send SMS applet, perform the following tasks:

1. Create a Send SMS applet. For information about creating an applet, see Creating an applet. Your new Send SMS applet appears.
2. Define the API key and API secret. For details about creating a key and secret in Vonage's API dashboard, see Using the Vonage Dashboard for Account management. The Send SMS applet sends messages using Vonage's Messages API and requires your API credentials to do so.

3. Define the From number. The value in From number appears on a recipient's device—where applicable—as the sender of the SMS message.The From number field can contain text, digits, or a combination. You can include both static values and dynamic values from data sources.
   To use a dynamic value from a data source, type the dollar sign ($). A list of available data sources appears. Click the data source that will contain the required value at run time.
   The resulting value can be a maximum of 11 characters or 20 digits. Vonage Contact Center removes spaces at run time. If the value exceeds the maximum, Vonage Contact Center does not send the message.

4. Define the To number(s). The value or values in the To number(s) field are the telephone numbers to which Vonage Contact Center sends the SMS message.
   Vonage Contact Center will send the SMS message to a maximum of 100 destination numbers. If you specify more than 100 numbers, Vonage Contact Center sends the message to the first 100. Separate multiple values with a comma.
   You can specify numbers in local and international formats, but all numbers must have the same destination country. To send messages to numbers with a different destination country, create another Send SMS applet.
   You can include both static values and dynamic values from data sources. To use a dynamic value from a data source, type the dollar sign ($). A list of available data sources appears. Click the data source that will contain the required value at run time.
5. Define the destination country. The destination country is the country in which the telephone number is valid.
   You can define a static or dynamic destination country:
   • To define a static destination country, click the required country in the Destination country list. Vonage Contact Center will validate the static numbers in the To number(s) field when you click to save the applet. If any of the numbers are invalid, an error appears and Vonage Contact Center does not save the applet.
   • To define a dynamic destination country, select the Dynamic destination country check box. Click the data source that will contain the required value at run time in the Destination country data source list. The data source must contain the appropriate three character ISO country code for the destination country at run time. For ISO codes, see https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#search/code.
   Vonage Contact Center uses the destination country to validate the numbers in the To number(s) field at run time. If any numbers are not valid, Vonage Contact Center does not send the SMS message to those numbers. If you provide one or more numbers in national format, Vonage Contact Center uses the destination country to translate the number accordingly at run time.

6. Define the content of the SMS message in the Message field. You can provide text, digits, or a combination using both static values and dynamic values from data sources.
   To use a dynamic value from a data source, type the dollar sign ($). A list of available data sources appears. Click the data source that will contain the required value at run time.
   The Message field can contain a maximum of 255 characters. Note that the resulting message, with populated data sources, can be more than 255 characters.

   Depending on the number of characters in your message, the applet may send the SMS in multiple segments. Each segment can contain up to 160 characters; the exact number of characters depends on the alphabet you are using in the message. The segments are reassembled into a single SMS message on reaching the recipient. Each segment is charged as one SMS message.

   
   

7. In the Next applet section, click the applet that Vonage Contact Center routes the interaction to after the Send SMS applet.

8. Click Update. Configure the rest of your call plan as required.

   If you are using any dynamic elements, Vonage Contact Center must route interactions through the applets which populate the data sources, before the Send SMS applet needs them.

   Now, when Vonage Contact Center routes a call through the Send SMS applet, Vonage Contact Center sends the configured SMS message to valid numbers in the To number(s) field.

For more information about the Send SMS applet, see Send SMS applet.