Get Started with EnableX SMS

EnableX SMS API enables developers to send / receive SMS for any marketing campaign or to do deep integration of SMS in business applications.

Table of Contents

Send First SMS from EnableX

Send a quick test SMS and get a code snippet for ready use utilizing the Try Now option. After the account is set up, the trial campaign and test message content are provided in your account. You can send an SMS to your registered number or add a new number. [Read More…]

Get started with the SMS Service in 4 simple steps:

  1. Sign up to EnableX Portal
  2. Subscribe to SMS Service
  3. Go to the SMS Section and click Try Now
  4. Use the default Campaign to send SMS.

Go ahead, create Campaigns and schedule your SMS delivery. To test the SMS programmatically, use the code snippet in the request block. A sample request is shown below:

All the Steps are explained in detail below:

Project with SMS Service

You need to have a Project with SMS Service. You may either create a new Project with SMS Service or add SMS Service to any existing Project.

  • To create Project with SMS Service
    • Navigate: My Projects / Add Project
    • Add Project Name and Select Application
    • Enable “SMS ” to include SMS capability in your Project
    • Click “Create Project” to create the project
  • To add SMS Service to an existing Project
    • Navigate: My Projects
    • Click Project name to which you wish to add SMS Service. You reach the Project Dashboard. Alternatively, you can click the edit icon in front of the Project name to reach the Project Dashboard
    • Navigate: Services Subscribed
    • On the “Services Subscribed” form, enable “SMS ” to include SMS capability in your Project
    • Click “Save Changes” to save the change

Create Campaign

You need to create one or more Campaigns against the SMS Service of your Project either to send or receive SMS. A Campaign is a collection of settings that allows you to send or receive SMS as per your Project’s requirement, including Sender IDs, numbers, message body templates, country, etc.

Follow either of these steps to create your Campaign:

  • Navigate: SMS (My Projects Side Bar) > Dashboard – You reach your dashboard page.
    • Click the “Create Campaign” button – You reach a form to create your campaign.
  • Navigate: SMS (My Projects Side Bar) > My Campaigns – You reach a page with a list of all existing campaigns.
    • Click the “Create Campaign” button – You reach a form to create your campaign.

Note: Only paid accounts can create campaigns.

Setup Campaign

Settings for SMS

A campaign can be set up to send and receive SMS. To reach the Campaign Setting page, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to the Campaign Listing Page / Dashboard as explained in the above section.
    • Click the “Create Campaign” button – To reach the Campaign Setting Form.
    • Select the project name from the list of available projects. Click “the Add” button to add a new project. Add a project name and select the application.
    • Add a campaign name.
    • Add your country.
    • Select the required SMS Direction. For each SMS direction, there is a different Campaign Setting page.
      • SMS Out Only
      • SMS In Only
      • Both Ways – SMS Out & SMS In
    • Select the SMS Type.
      • Promotional – Select Promotional to send offers, discounts, or promotions. 
      • Transactional – If you are a Bank, select Transactional SMS type to send OTPs and alerts.
      • Service Implicit – Service Implicit SMS will be delivered to all recipients, irrespective of their consent preference to send OTPs, informational messages, booking and order alerts. 
      • Service Explicit – Select Service Explicit SMS to send offers, discounts, or updates regarding services to existing customers who have provided explicit consent to receive SMS from your business. 
    • Click the “Continue” Button – To reach the Campaign Setting Form.

Outgoing SMS

Try Now Option

The Try Now option lets you send a quick test SMS and get a code snippet for ready use. This service is free for trial accounts and you can send up to 10 Trial SMS. To send more SMS, top up the wallet and upgrade your account. 

As a Trial Account user, you can send an SMS to your registered numbers. You can also ‘Add New Number’ to send an SMS to the trial account. Add a new number and enter the OTP that you receive to proceed with the number registration.

Note: For the trial account users, the default Sender ID is ‘ENABLX’ and the SMS Template is ‘Test Template’.

For the paid account, the SMS sending charges will be deducted from your EnableX Wallet. You can select a Sender and Template ID from the approved list and further add the message body and recipient(s).

Settings for Outgoing SMS

SMS sending is regulated differently by different countries. The sender information shown on the recipients phone may be changed by the delivering telecom operator.

Note: To send SMS to mobile phones in India, the DLT process is mandatory. You require a registered Principal ID, Template ID and Sender ID.

Refer to the snapshot for the Outgoing SMS Setting form:

Explanation of the Form Elements:

  1. Sender-ID: Sender IDs are used to brand your outgoing SMSes instead of displaying your Phone Number. This is optional. [Read More…]
  2. Template-ID: An SMS template is a type of message template that contains content that you can define, save, and reuse to send messages. [Read More…]

Click the “Continue” Button – To reach the Final Test Run page.

On the Final Test Run page, the ‘SMS body’ and ‘From’ get pre-populated as per Template ID and Sender ID selection respectively. Simply, add the recipient list and required delivery option.

  • Add Recipient List. Download the sample template and upload the Recipient List in CSV format.
  • Select the required delivery option
    • Send Now: To send the SMS now
    • Schedule: Set the Date and Time to schedule the delivery

The code window displays the code snippet. To test the SMS programmatically, use the code snippet in the request block.

Settings for Incoming SMS

Once you select the ‘SMS In Only’ option for Incoming SMS while creating a campaign, you must add a number to receive the SMS.

Refer to the snapshot for the Incoming SMS Setting form:

Explanation of the Form Elements:

Explanation of the Form Elements:

  1. Long Code / Short Code: You may choose either of these. Choose any Phone Number/Short Code that you have purchased. In case you don’t have any, you might like to place an order to buy a Long Code or Short Code.
  2. Template-ID: An SMS template is a type of message template that contains content that you can define, save, and reuse to send messages. [Read More…]
  3. Keyword: In case you opt to receive SMS on a Shared Phone Number, you are required to add a Keyword to route incoming SMS. [Read More…]

Even in the case of multiple campaigns against the same dedicated number you can configure separate keywords against each of the campaigns to route the message to their respective Webhook.

  • Delivery Notification Webhook URL: Instant Delivery Notifications will be posted to the Webhook URL using HTTP Post.
  • Webhook URL Auth Information: We support only HTTP Basic Authentication to be used in your Webhook URL. Provide related access credentials here.

Click the “Continue” Button – To reach the Final Test Run page.

To test the incoming SMS flow, follow the steps below:

On the Final Test Run page, the ‘Template’ and ‘SMS body’ get pre-populated as per the Template ID selection. Simply select the Sender ID, add the recipient list and choose the ‘Send Now’ delivery option.

  • Select the Sender ID.
  • Add Recipient List. Download the sample template and upload the Recipient List in CSV format.
  • Click the ‘Send Now’ button – To send the SMS now.

The code window displays the code snippet. To test the SMS programmatically, use the code snippet in the request block.

Settings for Both Ways – SMS Out & SMS In

Refer to the section above on settings for incoming and outgoing SMS to create a campaign for both ways – SMS In & SMS Out.

Use API to send SMS

Use SMS API to send out messages. Use APP-ID and APP-KEY of your Project to authenticate yourself to access API.

Sample API Request to send SMS:

POST https://api.enablex.io/sms/v1/messages
Authorization: Basic XXXXXXX
Content-Type: application/json
{
       “from”: “+44xxxxxxxx”,
       “body”: “{$name} you are due to pay Rs. {$amount}”,
       “recipient”: [    
            {
                “to”: “+91xxxxxx”,
                “name”: “Kamal”,“amount”: “30” 
            }
        ],
       “type”: “sms”,
       “reference”: “XOXO”,
       “validity”: “30”,
       “type_details”: “”,
       “data_coding”: “plain”,
       “flash_message”: false,
       “scheduled_dt”: “2019-12-17T14:26:57+00:00”,
       “created_dt”: “2019-12-15T14:26:57+00:00”,
       “campaign_id”: “XX”,
       “template_id”: “37081401”
}

Managing Resources

With reference to the above section, you know that different types of resources you need to subscribe to by placing an order or request to get for free to receive and send SMS. Follow the sections given below to be explained on ordering and requesting processes:

Requesting Sender ID

Sender ID is used as SMS Sender name. It’s an Alphanumeric String of predefined length used as a Sender. For more details on what is a Sender ID and why it is needed, please refer to SMS FAQs.

ENABLX is auto-assigned as the Sender ID during the trial. Once the account is upgraded, you can request for adding your own Sender ID.

To place your request, follow this:

  • Navigate: (Main Menu) SMS / Settings / Sender ID
  • Click “Add Sender ID” – To reach the Sender ID Request Form

Alternatively, you can also request for Sender ID while creating a campaign or editing an existing campaign.

Request for Sender ID

  • Select your country.
  • Enter your Sender ID – An Alphanumeric Code used as Sender for SMS.
  • Add Sample SMS. Sender ID approval requires a Sample SMS.
  • Click the “Send For Verification” Button – To send the request for Sender ID approval to the admin. Once approved, the Sender ID is displayed in the Sender ID list.

On submission, the Sender ID request goes for verification, and in the interim, its status is ‘In progress’. Once verified, the Sender ID request is marked ‘Fulfilled’ while the rejected request is marked ‘Cancelled’.

Requesting SMS Template

An SMS template is a type of message template that contains content that you can define, save, and reuse to send messages.  

ENABLEX Test Template is auto-assigned as the template during the trial. Once the account is upgraded, you can make New Template Request to get your own dedicated SMS template.

To place your request, follow this:

  • Navigate: (Main Menu) SMS / Settings / SMS Templates
  • Click “New Template Request” – To reach Template Request Form

Alternatively, you can also request for SMS template while creating a campaign or editing an existing campaign.

Request for New Template Request

  • Select your country.
  • Add your Template Title – A title for reference.
  • Enter the SMS Body.
  • Click the “Submit” Button – To send the request for approval to the admin. Once approved, the template is displayed in the template list.

On submission, the template and content are posted for review and approval.’ Only approved template IDs are used to send out SMS.

Ordering Phone Number (Long Code / Short Code)

To use Incoming and Outgoing SMS Service, you need to get a Phone Number configured against your Campaign. You need to place an order for a Phone Number (Either Short Code or Long Code), you may opt either to choose one from EnableX Phone Inventory or get a new one.

To Place your Order follow this:

  • Navigate: (Sidebar) Number
  • Click: Buy a Number – To reach the Phone Ordering Form
  • Click: Place Order – Buy new Numbers by placing an order.

Refer to the snapshot for buying a number form:

Explanation of the Form Elements:

Given below explanation of different options to choose in the form:

  • Country – Choose the country from where you like to get the phone number
  • Services – Choose the service SMS for which you need to get the phone number
  • Type of Phone – Choose among the following:
    • Long Code
    • Short Code
  • Service Direction – In the case of Long Code, choose among the following support on the phone number:
    • Incoming Only
    • Outgoing Only
    • Both Incoming & Outgoing
  • Description – Enter details of your request.

Our Sales Team will connect with you to finalise the process. You will be presented with a list of available Phone Numbers from EnableX Phone Inventory with a Price to pay for the subscription. You are free to choose one from the given list or place an order for a new phone number.

Ordering Keyword

For onward delivery of Incoming SMS received through Shared Phone Number, a Keyword is used. A Keyword is a “short” Alphanumeric String that appears as the first word in the SMS body which is parsed to decide onward delivery through the respective Webhook URL. You need to place an order for Keywords for your Campaigns.

To place your Order follow this:

  • Navigate: (Main Menu) SMS / My Campaigns / Campaign – To navigate to the campaign
  • Click: Add Keyword – To reach Placing Your Order Form

Refer to the snapshot for placing an order for keyword:

In a single order form:

  • You can input 3 keywords in order of preference.
  • Add the description and ‘Submit Order’.
  • We would provision whichever is available first as per the given order.