How to Build an Incoming SMS/Text Flow

Use Flow Builder to direct smrtPhone on where to route your inbound messages

Ellen Sluder avatar
Written by Ellen Sluder
Updated over a week ago

One of the best things about smrtPhone is the total control you have over how incoming text messages (SMS/MMS) are routed, improving your ability to create an optimal customer experience.

You tell the system how to route inbound communications by designing Call Flows and SMS Flows and assigning phone numbers to them.

  • You can assign multiple numbers to a single flow

  • Each phone number can only be assigned to one call flow and one SMS/text flow

It's helpful to think of Flows as a series of questions the system will ask to determine how to route the call/text and you get to program the answers - all of which will happen in an instant. When a call or a text comes in on a specific phone number, your smrtPhone system will look for the flow assigned to that number and do what you've programmed it to do.


Where You Manage Flows

You will find our drag-and-drop Flow Builder in the Admin menu, under Flows.


How to Build an SMS/Text Flow

To build an SMS Flow, you must already have a Call Flow enabled for the same name. However, the Call Flow can be blank, or it can go directly to a Hangup!

Then, you click the Create an SMS Flow button on that same line.

Similar to how the Call Flow Builder works, you simply drag the SMS Applets into the dialogue box.

The Applet Options Available:

  • ⏳ Business Hours - Determines if different actions/routing should happen at different times of day/days of the week

  • πŸ“© SMS Inbox - Sends the message to a specific user or team inbox

  • πŸ“¨ Save & Reply - Sends the message to a specific user or team inbox and sends a pre-programmed automated message back

  • πŸ“‘ Menu - Gives customers options for information via keypress


After You Have Built a Flow

After you have built an SMS flow, you must test it to make sure it behaves the way you expect.

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