Overview
The Send SMS Message automation action for Twilio in SmartSuite allows you to automatically send SMS notifications based on workflow triggers.
If you're new to automations, check out our guides on creating an automation and managing automations for more details.
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | Solution Managers or Administrators |
Related Reading |
What is an Action?
An automation action is a task executed when predefined conditions are met:
When something happens (the Trigger) and these conditions are met, then this event (the Action) occurs.
For Twilio, this means automatically generating and sending SMS messages based on your workflow needs.
Setting Up the Automation
Prerequisites
To use Twilio automation, ensure you have:
An active Twilio account.
Solution Manager or Administrator permissions in SmartSuite.
Note: To learn more about permissions, visit our roles and permissions guide.
Accessing Automations
To access automation settings:
Click on Automations in the Solution drop-down menu.
Open the Automations dialog.
Click Add Automation to create a new automation.
Configuring the Twilio Action
Step 1: Choose a Trigger
A trigger determines when the automation runs. Examples include:
When a Record is Created: Sends an SMS message when a new record is added in SmartSuite.
When a Record is Updated: Notifies a user when a SmartSuite record is modified.
Step 2: Select the Send SMS Message Action
After selecting a trigger, navigate to the Integrations section.
Choose Twilio from the action list.
Select Send SMS Message to configure the message details.
Sending a Twilio SMS Message
Step 1: Connect Your Twilio Account
Click Connect to authorize SmartSuite with Twilio.
If prompted, log in to your Twilio account.
Provide the required credentials:
Account ID: Found in Twilio > Settings > General > API Credentials.
Auth Token: Found in Twilio > Settings > General > API Credentials.
Accept the permission request.
Once connected, close the dialog window.
Note: You can disconnect your Twilio account at any time by clicking Disconnect in the settings.
Step 2: Configure the SMS Message Details
From Phone – Select the phone number to send from (configured in Twilio).
Phone Number – Enter the recipient's phone number(s).
SMS Message – Compose the message content.
Use static values or dynamically map fields from the triggering record.
Click Save Automation to apply changes.
Tip: You will be prompted to activate the automation. Select Yes, switch it on to enable it immediately.
Practical Use Cases and Scenarios
1. Customer Support Notifications
Scenario: A support team wants to send real-time SMS updates when a new ticket is created.
Solution: Set up a When a Record is Created trigger to send an SMS notification via Twilio.
2. Appointment Reminders
Scenario: A business wants to send SMS reminders to customers before scheduled appointments.
Solution: Use the When a Record is Updated trigger to send a reminder when the appointment date approaches.
3. Urgent Alerts for Operations Teams
Scenario: An operations team needs to be notified instantly about system outages.
Solution: Configure an automation to send an SMS alert to the operations team when a system failure is detected.