Can I send Text Messages through RecDesk?

  Overview

In this article you will discover what options you can use to text your clients. RecDesk allows you to send SMS Text messages from Program Rosters, Membership Lists, and Leagues and their Teams. Members must Opt in for Text Alerts on their Member profiles in order to receive an SMS text messages. See How do I Create or Edit a Member Account?

Sending SMS Text Messages from Programs/Memberships/Leagues:

You have two options for sending SMS Text Messages from RecDesk:

• Email (default and most popular option) - this option opens an email with each recipient's email algorithm for their mobile phone number. Once you send the email, the text message will be delivered by each member's phone carrier.
• Plivo or Twilio (less common option) - Cloud-based API platforms for SMS Text Messaging that can speed up the delivery of your text messages. Both of these options will charge a nominal fee per each text message sent.

How to use Plivo for SMS Text Messaging:

1. See Plivo pricing here under Regular, Outbound SMS - Plivo Pricing
2. Sign up for free here - Create a Plivo Account
3. Once you have an account - follow these steps to buy a phone number:
   • Click Numbers, then click Buy Number.
   • Choose Country and filter by Location. Then enter your State.
   • Make sure you check off only the feature SMS.
   • Choose a number from the list and click Buy.
   • Then click Buy This Number (then pay for the number and add money to your account).
4. Once you have your phone number, follow these steps to get it configured into RecDesk:
   • Log into RecDesk Director and click on the Admin Tab
   • Click Settings
   • Under SMS Settings, choose Plivo from the SMS Provider drop down
   • Enter your Auth ID from Plivo (see below)
   • Check off Show next to Token and enter Token from Plivo (see below)
   • Enter Phone Number that you just bought from Plivo (include country code, but no spaces or hyphens; ie 19596660906)
   • Click Save.
   • You must not be in a trial account and must add at least $25 worth of credits to your Plivo account in order to send text messages to multiple people at once.

How to use Twilio for SMS Text Messaging:

1. See Twilio pricing here under Text Messages - Twilio Pricing
2. Sign up for free here - Create a Twilio Account
3. Once you have an account - follow these steps to buy a phone number:
   • Click Buy a Number.
   • Choose Country and choose Location from the drop down. Then enter your State.
   • Make sure you choose Capabilities of only SMS and click Search.
   • Choose a number from the list and click Buy.
   • Then click Buy This Number (then pay for the number and add money to your account).
4. Once you have your phone number, follow these steps to get it configured into RecDesk:
   • Log into RecDesk Director and click on the Admin Tab.
   • Click Settings.
   • Under SMS Settings, choose Twilio from the SMS Provider drop down.
   • Enter your Account SID from Twilio into the Account Id.
   • Click the eyeball icon to view your token and then copy/paste into Token.
   • Enter Phone Number that you just bought from Twilio (include country code, but no spaces or hyphens; ie 19596660906).
   • Click Save.

  Notes:

The default email method option is free but can vary greatly from one carrier to another.