💬 Documentation: SMS

💬 Definition — SMS module

The SMS module lets you send and receive text messages from the company numbers. It includes a per-number conversation inbox, single or bulk sending, templates and auto-reply bots (text menus). Every message is logged for history, audit and reports.

🗺️ Diagram

You can send SMS from three places — the Portal, the API and the Softphone App (TelHarbor UCaaS Desktop). Nothing connects directly to the mobile network: everything goes through UCaaS and the SMS providers.

Inbound: when the customer replies, the provider notifies UCaaS via webhook; the message appears in the inbox, the Softphone App and the history. If the number has an active bot, it replies automatically.

📘 Explanation (step by step)

1. Pick the sender number of the company you will send from (each number has its provider).
2. Write the message and destination (E.164, e.g. +12125550142). Single or bulk.
3. UCaaS validates, sends via the provider and logs the message with its status (sent, delivered, failed).
4. Inbound replies arrive via webhook to the number conversation inbox.
5. Optional: enable a bot to auto-reply with text menus and hand-off to an agent.
6. Via API: besides the inbox, you can send SMS programmatically from the TelHarbor API: POST /v1/sms/send. See the API Documentation.
7. Softphone App: you can also send and receive SMS from the TelHarbor UCaaS Desktop app, with its built-in conversation inbox.

Note: bulk SMS and some international destinations depend on the provider account settings.

🎬 Video: a tour of SMS

About three minutes: how to sign in securely (password and verification code), sending an SMS, the inbox and its filters, and replying from the conversation thread. It is narrated: turn the sound on.

Sample data with fictitious names and numbers. The SMS page itself is in Spanish; the narration explains it in English. Below, the same page explained point by point.

📤 Sending an SMS, point by point

The send form is at the top left; the overall status of the module is on the right.

Sample data: user, company, numbers and messages are fictitious (the phone numbers use ranges that cannot be assigned). The SMS page itself exists only in Spanish — only the surrounding menu and header are translated. Tap the image to see it full size.

1. 1
   From / Number

   The company number the message is sent from. Only the numbers your account is allowed to use appear here.

2. 2
   To

   The recipient number, in international format with the country code.

3. 3
   Message

   The text to send. If you expect a keyword reply, say so inside the message itself.

4. 4
   Send SMS

   Sends it and logs it in the inbox with its status. Refresh inbox reloads the list without reloading the page.

5. 5
   SMS summary

   The overall status of the module: received, queued, sent, failed, open threads and attachments.

📥 The inbox: everything in and out

Below the form, the complete message log with its filters.

Sample data: user, company, numbers and messages are fictitious (the phone numbers use ranges that cannot be assigned). The SMS page itself exists only in Spanish — only the surrounding menu and header are translated. Tap the image to see it full size.

1. 1
   How many there are

   The total messages logged with the filters applied at that moment.

2. 2
   Filters and search

   Direction (inbound or outbound), status, and a search by number or by message text. Filter applies your choice.

3. 3
   The columns

   Date and time, direction, from, to, the text, the status, the user who sent it and whether it carries an attachment.

4. 4
   The status of each message

   queued means it is queued, sent handed to the carrier, delivered it reached the phone, received it is inbound, and failed it could not be sent.

5. 5
   Actions

   View thread opens the full conversation with that contact and Reply writes back right away.

💬 The thread: the conversation with one contact

Tapping View thread opens the full conversation without leaving the page.

Sample data: user, company, numbers and messages are fictitious (the phone numbers use ranges that cannot be assigned). The SMS page itself exists only in Spanish — only the surrounding menu and header are translated. Tap the image to see it full size.

1. 1
   The conversation

   Every message with that contact in order: yours on the right and the customer on the left, each with its date, direction and status.

2. 2
   Which message it came from

   The number of the message you opened the thread from, so you can find it in the inbox.

3. 3
   Reply

   Write the reply here: it goes out from the same number used in the conversation, so the customer sees a single sender.

4. 4
   Send or reload

   Send reply sends it and adds it to the thread; Reload thread pulls in anything that arrived while you were typing.