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 channel activated and configured with a connector 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 a text template from those already created in the campaign to send to customers. If you do not want to use a template, you can include the message to send to customers directly in the list when importing it.

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 can create a custom schedule for the Hub. If you keep the default configuration without a custom schedule, the Hub will work 24 hours.

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 Statistics menu, go to Outbound Hubs. 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.
Parameters	You can include custom parameters to use in forms.
Content	If no template is selected in the Hub configuration, specify the message to send here.
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.

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 row of your file appears, 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.
• Templates vs. direct content: You can use predefined text templates or include the content directly in the imported list. Templates are useful when the message is the same for all recipients.
• Connector required: The campaign must have an SMS connector configured and working correctly before creating the Hub.
• Custom schedules: If you do not configure a custom schedule, the Hub will work 24/7. Define schedules that align with your customers' preferences and mass SMS sending regulations.
• Variables in templates: You can use variables in templates (such as {name}, {company}) that will be replaced with each contact's data from the list.
• 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 (Statistics > Outbound Hubs). 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. These variables will be automatically replaced with each contact's data included in your imported list.

What is the difference between using a template or direct content?

Templates are useful when all messages will have the same base content, allowing you to reuse them across multiple Hubs. Direct content in the list is useful when each message may have different or personalized content.

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.