FAQ

You can send messages up to 700 characters with SMS-Magic. If you are sending long messages, corresponding credits will be deducted from your account. For example, if you are sending a message of 350 characters, three credits will be deducted.

Long messages are broken into multiple parts and are concatenated after they are delivered at the recipient’s mobile phone.

The maximum number of characters for one SMS depends on the selected language. For instance:

• 160 characters for only English messages = 1 SMS credit.
• 70 characters for Unicode messages = 1 SMS credit.

Using the characters from the following list of ASCII characters are treated as GSM (i.e. Normal):

• a-z
• A-Z
• 0-9
• ~!@#$%^&*()-_=+][?<>,’.”:/\{}

Any other characters is treated as a Unicode (e.g. £). Therefore, if your message contains even a single unicode character then the message is treated as a unicode message and charged accordingly.

The use of the same Sender ID might vary, based on compliance and regulations of the country where the messages are being sent. We provide global UK virtual numbers for you to use in sending your messages.

Yes, you can reschedule a pre-scheduled SMS. Just open the SMS details and change the time and date. Then click Schedule.

Number lookup service can be used to validate numbers. Currently, we don’t have native integrations on Salesforce but the same can be enabled on request.

Following are the major scenarios which needs to be checked if you are facing issues with Delivery:

• Number is Invalid and Not Specified in Correct Format – To avoid delivery failures we recommend keeping mobile numbers in the international format. For instance, within the UK the numbers you start with a 0 when calling or SMS (i.e. 01509 813888). However, for an international call or SMS to the UK you need to add the prefix (44) and remove the leading 0 (i.e. +44 1509 813888).
• Carrier Spam Filters – Most carriers prefer to use regulations to control the flow of spam. In developing markets, however, technology is used to filter out unwanted texts and velocity. These filters, however, are not perfect and can lead to filtering out legitimate SMS traffic, as well. Some filters even send back a fake handset delivery confirmation. You think your message is delivered, but it is not. Furthermore, filter technology is in constant evolution, and associated algorithms change constantly. Keeping track of which carriers filter and how, is a complex task.
• Invalid Sender-ID – Frequently seen when trying to use non-authorized Sender ID in North America, where a long virtual number or short code is required.

The “Rejected” delivery status happens when the messages are not delivered by the carriers due to Number Blockage or Velocity Block of Numbers. Most carriers prefer to use regulations to control the flow of spam. In developing markets, however, technology is used to filter out unwanted texts and velocity. These filters will send back “Rejected” status if the message is undelivered due to Spam Filtering.

There are 2 types of block status by carriers:

• Permanent block – You cannot use the Sender-ID as it is blocked permanently. You need to use a new number to send messages.
• Temporary block – Your Sender-ID is restricted from sending messages for a few hours for not complying with the telecom regulations of a country. Once the block is lifted you can send messages again.

If the vendor fulfils our on-boarding criteria then we can integrate it with our application. Presently, we can integrate with all major vendors.

Depending on the country’s telecom compliance and regulations certain type of messages can be sent to DND activated numbers. For example, in India, you can send transactional messages to DND numbers but not promotional messages. To send transactional messages, you need to use a registered template and Sender ID.

Our SLA promises a 90%+ delivery rate. If your delivery rate is below this, you can switch your carrier, for a higher delivery rate.

Messages are mostly delivered instantly.

Yes, you can send special characters in your messages, for example, Emojis, Non-English characters. This constitutes a Unicode message. Every 70 Unicode characters is equivalent to 1 SMS credit.

There is no limit on the number of texts you can send with SMS-Magic. However, you need to be careful while sending SMS messages in bulk on long codes. Carriers can block your Sender ID in case you cross a threshold limit, which is more than 10 messages a minute.

In the US, most carriers support 10 messages a minute. To send messages at a higher speed, we recommend you use multiple numbers instead of using a single number or leverage Short Code for US.

We can notify you over email or SMS whenever you receive an incoming SMS in Salesforce. While setting up alert on an incoming SMS, you can also specify to whom you want to send a notification. For example, if you send a text to one of your Lead records then you can define whether you would like to notify the owner of the Lead record or last sender of outgoing message.

You have two choices:

• Bring Your Own Number (USA) – Register the number with carriers, to use it as a Sender ID.
• Missed Call on Special Number – The carrier provides a special number where a customer gives a missed call. This number only receives missed calls. You can then send required details via SMS to customers, in response to their missed call.

A long code that you share with another company is a shared long code. Both of you will be receiving incoming messages on the same number. We will differentiate responses based on keywords and send you the responses that have come for you.

Transactional messages have information about your services for customers who are already using them, like bank account balance updates. Promotional messages are ones that promote your brand, such as offers.

You can view country wise summary by downloading reports from SMS History. We don’t send a country wise SMS summary on email.

Yes, we do support API integrations. You can read more about our API Docs here.

Yes. Your data with SMS-Magic is fully secure and private. You can read about Security and Privacy here.

• 1 SMS credit is deducted for every SMS within 160 English characters.
• Messages sent in non-English languages have a different length i.e. for Unicode messages, it is 70 characters per credit.

Messages with a character length of more than 160 characters are considered as long messages and 1 SMS credit is credited for every 153 characters.

Yes, you can send pictures, gif or links using SMS-Magic. However, attachments like pdf or any other document type cannot be sent. Currently, we provide MMS functionality for US and Australia only.

You cannot use Hyperlinks in the text body.

Reach out to our Customer Success team to re-send your messages when you exhaust your SMS credits.

Refer to Question 1.

Yes, you can configure automated messages with respect to different conditions. You can also schedule messages.

You can perform bulk texting in different ways while working on varied platforms:

Salesforce

There are three ways for Bulk/Mass texting:

• Use Send Bulk SMS button available on the object’s List view. With this button, you can send messages to upto 200 records in one go.
• Use the Campaign object belonging to Salesforce. We provide Bulk SMS button on Campaign which works for classic as well as Lightning. You can only send messages to Leads and Contacts as Salesforce allows only these two objects to be added as Campaign Member. You can reach out to 50k records in one go.
• Use Bulk Campaign option provided with Converse Apps to send bulk messages from any object.

ZOHO

In Zoho, we provide Send Bulk SMS button on module’s list view from where you can send messages to 100 records simultaneously.

SMS-Magic Portal

We also provide the feature of running campaigns from SMS-Magic portal by uploading the CSV file.

Yes, SMS-Magic can be integrated with Pardot or Marketo. Please note only automated messages can be triggered in this case.

Long Code

Long numbers, as the name implies, are long telephone numbers which can be up to 16 digits in length but are usually the length of a standard telephone number. Long numbers are cheaper to use than short codes and allow you to receive replies from the recipients.

Short Code

A shortcode is a memorable number between 3 and 7 digits in length. They are ideal for marketing campaigns and promotions where you want people to remember your number. Short codes are country specific.

Yes, SMS-Magic Converse can be integrated with Salesforce1.

Yes, images/ gif as well as Videos can be sent through SMS-Magic.

• Maximum Supported MMS Size (In KBs):5000
• Supported File Formats: Animation:(Gif), Application:(pdf), Audio:(AMR), image:(JPG, PNG, JPEG, VCF), video:(MP4)

Opt-In compliance 

If the compliance is Opt-In, you can only reach out to your recipients via SMS if you received their consent for sending text messages and if the Opt-In field in that record is true.

Opt-out compliance 

By default, we provide the SMS Opt – out field on Lead and contact object. You can add the opt-out disclaimer message at the end of the message body and setup up an automation process which would automatically check the SMS Opt-out field present on the record whenever there is a reply with opt-out keyword.

We also have Opt-out functionality on SMS-Magic portal where you can configure the opt-out keyword.

We provide the following notifications for Incoming message:

• Email notifications can be activated for Last sender or User to whom senderID is assigned.
• Browser notification.
• Creation of task under Activity History on receiving response.

This will be country specific e.g. In India you cannot send promotional messages to DND activated numbers.

Yes. Refer the URL below to access the reference documents for the same.

https://api.sms-magic.com/doc/

VOIP, toll-free, Google voice numbers can be text enabled only for US, as of now.

No.

Our customers are spread across the Globe and are part of different industries (real estate, health care, finance, education, no-profit etc).

Yes. You can use the Salesforce standard report functionality to create different reports as per the requirement.

Yes, you can configure appointment reminder messages. For example, you can send reminder message one day or one hour before the appointment.

Yes, with the help of Converse Apps (which can be integrated with Salesforce Automation tool – process builder/ workflow), you can configure and run  Surveys.

Yes, automated messages can be triggered based on keyword.

Yes.

Refer to the topic on Add a Sender ID in the SMS-Magic Converse Salesforce Admin Guide.

The following SMS History fields are available in the managed package:

• Campaign – Lookup of Campaign object
• Case – Lookup of Case object
• Contact – Lookup of Contact object
• Conversation – Lookup to conversation
• Converse App – Lookup to Converse app if message is triggered from converse app
• Converse App Action
• Converse App Task
• Country – If the country settings is All and country code is added to mobile number, shows the country name
• CreatedOn – Created date
• Delivery Error Message
• Delivery Status – Delivery report of outgoing message
• Direction – Shows direction of the messages IN for incoming and OUT for outgoing
• Disable SMS On Trigger
• External Field – Unique ID of the record
• Lead – Lookup of Lead object
• Message Credits – Shows how many SMS credits were consumed for that SMS
• Message Type – Shows if it is SMS /MMS
• MMS Subject – If it is MMS, show the subject of MMS.
• Mobile Number – Shows the mobile number used for sending the outgoing message
• Name
• ObjectType – Shows the object name from where the outgoing text was triggered
• Opportunity – Lookup of Opportunity object
• Previous Message – This field populated the lookup of last outgoing message in case of an incoming message
• SenderId – Shows the senderID used for sending/receiving message
• Sent Status
• SMS Template – Lookup of the SMS template used
• SMSText – Shows the message body of SMS
• Source – From where the message was triggered
• Status – Shows the overall status of message
• Status Message
• Text Unicode – Shows if the text was considered unicode
• Unformatted Phone Number – Unformats the mobile number
• User

The following Conversation Fields are available in the managed package:

• Account
• Campaign
• Case
• Contact
• Converse App
• Converse App Action
• Inbound Number
• isUnread
• Last Incoming Time
• Last Message Direction
• Last Message Time
• Last Outgoing Time
• Lead
• Mobile Number
• Mode
• New Count
• Object
• Opportunity
• Purpose
• Sender
• State

The SMS-Magic Account Id and remaining SMS credits are displayed on the SMS Home or Converse Home tab.

Any user who would be triggering manual or automatic message, needs an SMS-Magic license to send messages.

Please note that for automated messages, the user who would be fulfilling the criteria (mentioned in the automation flow) needs to have the SMS-Magic license. In short, when the conditions are satisfied by the respective user, as per Salesforce functionality, that user will become the owner of History record and our logic checks if that user has SMS- Magic license.

Yes, Sender IDs can be assigned to a user or a profile in the SMS-Magic Converse version. Refer to the Sender Id and assignment section in the SMS-Magic Converse Salesforce Admin Guide.