SMS Messaging — Overview

SMS - Text Messages

SMS Messaging — Overview

SMS Knowledge Base Series

  1. Overview (this article)
  2. Account Setup & Billing
  3. Sending SMS Messages
  4. Incoming SMS & Replies

CMS Cloud now includes built-in SMS text messaging, allowing you to send bulk text messages directly to your contacts' mobile phones. This article provides a high-level introduction to how SMS works in CMS, what you need to get started, and what to expect.

What Is SMS in CMS?

SMS (Short Message Service) lets you send text messages to your members' mobile phones — right from the same system you already use for emails, contacts, and transactions. Think of it as another way to reach your community, alongside your existing email tools.

Key Capabilities

  • Bulk messaging — Send a single message to dozens or hundreds of recipients at once.
  • Personalized messages — Automatically insert each recipient's first name, last name, and more.
  • Category filtering — Target specific groups using your existing member and family categories.
  • Delivery tracking — See which messages were delivered, failed, or are still pending.
  • Opt-out compliance — Recipients can reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe, and the system handles it automatically.
  • Prepaid billing — Simple pay-as-you-go model with no surprises.

How It Works

Here is a simplified view of how SMS messaging flows through the system:

1. Set Up Account & Phone 2. Add Funds Prepaid Balance 3. Compose Write & Target 4. Send Deliver to Phones After Sending Delivered Message arrives Reply Received Recipient responds Opt-Out (STOP) Auto-unsubscribed All activity is tracked and visible in your SMS history.

Getting Started

Before you can send your first text message, there are a few one-time setup steps. These are required by US phone carriers to prevent spam and ensure your messages are delivered reliably.

Step 1 — Register Your Organization

You will go through a short setup wizard in Settings → SMS where you provide basic information about your organization (name, address, website, EIN). This registers your organization as an approved text message sender.

Step 2 — Get a Phone Number

As part of setup, you will choose a local phone number that your messages will be sent from. Recipients will see this number when they receive your texts, and they can reply to it.

Step 3 — Add Funds

SMS uses a prepaid balance. Add funds to your account before sending. Each message costs a small per-message fee, and the cost is deducted from your balance as messages are sent.

Step 4 — Start Sending

Once setup is complete, you will find SMS under the Mail menu. Choose your recipients, write your message, preview, and send.

The full setup process typically takes about 10 minutes. Registration approval is usually automatic but may take up to a few business days in rare cases. See the Account Setup & Billing article for detailed instructions.

Where to Find SMS in CMS

Location What You'll Find
Mail → Send SMS Compose and send new text messages to your contacts
Mail → SMS History View all sent messages, delivery status, and reports
Settings → SMS Account setup wizard, phone number, balance, and billing

Key Concepts

Message Segments

A single text message can contain up to 160 characters. If your message is longer, it is automatically split into multiple segments. Each segment counts as one message for billing purposes.

For example, a 200-character message would be sent as 2 segments and cost twice the per-message rate.

Messages containing special characters (emojis, non-English characters) use a different encoding that reduces the limit to 70 characters per segment. The compose screen shows the current segment count in real time so there are no surprises.

Opt-Out Compliance

Every message you send automatically includes an opt-out notice (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe"). When a recipient replies STOP, they are immediately unsubscribed and will not receive future messages from your organization. This is a legal requirement and is handled automatically.

Prepaid Balance

SMS runs on a prepaid model — you add funds to your account and the cost of each message is deducted from your balance. You can view your current balance at any time in the SMS settings, and the system will alert you when your balance is running low.

Permissions

SMS is controlled by the SMS module. When enabled, all users can access SMS by default. Administrators can restrict access to specific users if needed.

SMS must be set up by an administrator before any users can send messages. The setup wizard is only accessible to users with admin privileges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost?

Pricing is available on the SMS Pricing page, accessible from the SMS settings area. Costs include a small per-message fee and modest monthly fees for maintaining your phone number and registration. All prices are in USD.

Can recipients reply to my messages?

Yes. Recipients can reply directly to the phone number your messages are sent from. Replies are tracked in the system. See the Incoming SMS & Replies article for details.

Can I schedule messages to send later?

Scheduling is planned for a future update. Currently, messages are sent immediately when you click Send.

Can I send picture messages (MMS)?

MMS support is planned for a future update. Currently, only plain text messages are supported.

What happens if a message fails to deliver?

Failed messages are logged and shown in your SMS history. Common reasons include invalid phone numbers or phones that are turned off. You can review failures in the batch report after each send.

Article ID: 3810, , Modified: Today at 1:30 AM

Was this article helpful?

Share this article

FacebookGoogle+TwitterOther Social NetworksPrint