SMS Hubs

With this guide you will learn how to create and configure an Outbound SMS Hub to use in your campaigns to automate and improve customer service in an easy and fast way. Let's get started!

Before You Begin!

Before creating the Outbound Hub you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Have a campaign created.
• Have the SMS channel activated and configured.
• Have an SMS connector created and working.

TIP

You can verify the connector status in the Connectors module to make sure it is working correctly.

How to Create the Outbound Hub?

Is everything ready? Let's start creating the Outbound Hub! It is very simple and requires a basic configuration.

1. First, access the Administrator Menu and go to the Automations module.

2. Once here, click the New button in the upper right corner.

3. A form will appear where you must fill in the required information. Below is an explanation of each tab and its respective fields.

Once you select the channel, several tabs will appear where you can make modifications or keep the default configuration.

How to Configure the Hub?

Below we show you the available configurations.

Basic

In this tab you must enter and configure the basic information for the Hub.

• Enabled: here you can enable or disable the Outbound Hub — it can only function if enabled.
• Name: the name that identifies the Outbound Hub.
• Campaign: here you must select the campaign you want to associate with the Outbound Hub. Only campaigns that have at least one enabled channel will appear. For this case, the campaign must have the SMS channel activated and configured with a connector.
• Channel: depending on the selected campaign, the channels that the campaign has enabled and configured will be displayed. For this case, select SMS.

IMPORTANT

Once the Hub is created, you will not be able to modify any parameters in the Basic tab.

Configuration

Here you can configure the parameters related to the Hub's behavior.

• Template: here you can select the text template that will be sent to customers. It can be a campaign template or a global template. The message always comes from a template: the list cannot include the message text.

How to create a text template?

Check the campaign creation guide to learn how to create text templates step by step.

Schedule

In this section you define the hours in which contacts can be contacted. Enable Custom contact schedule to set specific times for each day, applied in each contact's local time zone (or the campaign's time zone if the record has none). By default, contacts can be contacted at any time in their time zone. In any case, the Hub only operates within the campaign schedule and while the channel is enabled.

Don't know how to create a custom schedule? Learn how to create one with this guide

How to Upload a List?

Outbound Hubs need lists of contacts to process messages. These must be uploaded through the Hub dashboard. Here's how to do it!

1. In the Analytics menu, go to Outbound hub. Here you must select from the list the Hub to which you want to upload a list.

2. Once you enter the Hub dashboard, press the "Upload list" button.

3. Once you press the button, a pop-up will appear with the list upload wizard.

Fields

Here you can see the required fields to correctly set up the list.

Field	Description
Number	A number to contact the customer is required.
Params	You can include custom parameters to use in forms. They also replace the ${key} variables of the template.
Timezone	If you want to include a custom timezone for the contact, add it in Continent/City or Country format, for example: America/Montevideo.
Priority	You can include the contact's priority.
Contact id	You can also include a contact ID to use in forms.

Select template

When you upload a list from the Hub dashboard, the wizard includes a Select template step to choose the template that will be sent. By default, the template configured in the Hub is selected, but you can choose a different one in that step. If the Hub has no template configured and you don't select one in that step, you won't be able to continue with the list upload.

Step 1 - Upload file

Here you must choose or drag the list from your computer. Optionally, you can add headers.

Step 2 - Match

Here you must match the fields with the information in the list. If you added headers to your list, check the "Include headers" option.

To match the fields, there are 2 columns. On the left, the first 3 rows of your file appear (without the header row, if you checked "Include headers"), and on the right, a selection to match the information with the label.

Step 3 - Summary

Here you can see which column each piece of data refers to, to verify that the list will be uploaded correctly with the data you want.

Important Considerations

Key points to keep in mind

• Basic section parameters are immutable: Once the Hub is created, you cannot modify the parameters in the "Basic" section (name, campaign, channel). Make sure to select correctly before creating.
• The message always comes from a template: The list has no column for the message text. Each SMS uses the template chosen in the Select template step when uploading the list.
• Connector required: The campaign must have an SMS connector configured and working correctly before creating the Hub.
• Custom schedules: If you do not enable Custom contact schedule, contacts can be contacted at any time in their time zone, but the Hub still only operates within the campaign schedule. Define schedules that align with your customers' preferences and mass SMS sending regulations.
• Variables in templates: You can use variables in templates with the format ${key} (such as ${name}, ${company}). Each one is replaced with the value of that key in the contact's Params column.
• List management: Lists are managed from the Hub dashboard, where you can import, activate, pause, and monitor sending progress.
• Timezone per contact: You can specify a different timezone for each contact in the list, useful when sending messages to recipients in different countries.
• Regulatory compliance: Make sure you comply with mass SMS sending regulations and that recipients have given their consent to receive messages.
• Character limits: Keep in mind SMS character limits (160 standard characters). Longer messages will be split into multiple SMS messages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I import the contact list?

Lists are imported from the SMS Hub dashboard (Analytics > Outbound hub). You must upload a file (CSV, XLSX, etc.) with at least one column containing the phone numbers of the recipients.

Can I use custom variables in SMS messages?

Yes, you can use variables such as ${name}, ${company}, ${city}, etc. in the template. Each variable is replaced with the value of that key in the contact's Params column of your imported list.

Can I include the message text in the list?

No. The list has no column for the message text: the content always comes from the template chosen when uploading the list. To personalize each message, use ${key} variables in the template and fill them through the Params column.

Can I pause SMS sending?

Yes, from the Hub dashboard you can pause active lists at any time, and resume them when needed.

Does the Hub respect the campaign's schedule?

Yes, the Hub always respects the campaign's schedule. Additionally, you can configure a custom schedule in the "Schedule" tab that will work within the campaign's schedule range. If you do not configure a custom schedule, the Hub will work during the entire campaign schedule.

What happens if an SMS fails to send?

Failed messages are recorded in the system and you can check them from the Hub dashboard. You can see the reason for the failure (invalid number, carrier rejected, etc.) and decide whether to retry.

How many characters can an SMS have?

A standard SMS has a limit of 160 characters. If your message exceeds this limit, it will automatically be split into multiple SMS messages. Keep in mind that this may increase costs.

Can I delete an SMS Hub?

Yes, you can delete a Hub as long as it does not have active lists in the process of sending. You must first pause or finish all active lists.

How does timezone per contact work?

You can include a "Timezone" column in your list with the Continent/City format (e.g., America/New_York). This allows the Hub to send messages respecting each recipient's local time.