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Integrating with Twilio

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Madhuri Dange

As of January 31, 2023, 5pm Pacific Time, Twilio no longer supports the "....SMS/Messages.json" resource endpoint. It has been replaced by "..../Messages.json" resource endpoint. Organizations using the Twilio integration must download the updated DLLs (Twilio.dll and AptifyTwilioIntegration.dll) and replace the existing files. Contact Aptify Technical Support to get access to the latest Twilio feature.

Starting with 5.5.3, Aptify includes integration with the Twilio, a cloud communication company that allows developers to integrate telecommunications capabilities into their applications to make and receive phone calls and text messages.

The current Twilio integration with Aptify includes support for sending text messages through Aptify bulk messaging system as well as through a process flow. Aptify is currently evaluating additional features like voice response. If you are interested in additional integration points with Twilio, please contact Aptify Technical Support to create a feature request case. 

This topic includes the following sub-topics related to configuring Aptify to integrate with Twilio and how to utilize the Twilio integration within Aptify. 

Creating a Twilio Account

Before sending text messages from Aptify using Twilio, you must first have an active Twilio test account tied to at least one device with a valid phone number that can receive text messages. Setting up a Twilio test account is something you can work with prior to your Aptify integration of Twilio. You can send test text messages, to numbers that you configure your Twilio test account to support directly from the Twilio site.  Once you have determined that Twilio is right for your organization, you can create a production account (which may include fees) or transfer your test account to a production account.

If you have questions about activating a production Twilio account or other questions about pricing, etc., visit www.twilio.com for more details.

If you have not already done so, follow the steps below to create a Twilio test account: 

  1. Go to www.twilio.com.
  2. Enter the necessary information (Name, Company is optional, email, username password).
  3. Click Get Started.
  4. Once in, it will ask you for a cell number to send a text to (this will help determine what Twilio number you get and in what area code).
  5. You’ll be asked to enter a verification code from the text you receive.
  6. Once a valid verification code has been entered, you will get a number. 
    • You can also choose your own from a list available. 
  7. The next screen will allow you to make/send SMS and voice message. You can also head directly to your account where you can do other things like:
    • Add additional numbers to send text/voice message to.
    • View the sms/voice logs.
    • View your Account SID and Auth Token values.   

Note down your Account SID and Auth Token information. These values are required for configuring your Aptify system to support Twilio.

Configuring Aptify to Support Twilio

To configure your Aptify system to send a text message using Twilio, you first need to configure your organization's Twilio account information (including Account SID, Auth Token and Twilio number). Then, depending on your organization's needs you can choose to configure the Twilio Message Systems record to send message messages using Aptify Bulk Messaging dialog (in both Desktop or Web) and/or through the stock Process Flows record included with Aptify. This topic describes these steps and includes the following sub-topics:

Configuring a Twilio Accounts Record

Follow these steps to configure your Twilio account information in Aptify.

  1. Log into Aptify as an administrator user.
  2. Go to the Twilio Integration application.
  3. Open a new record from the Twilio Accounts service.
  4. Enter a Name for the Twilio account.

  5. In the Account ID field, enter your Twilio Account SID.

    • To retrieve your Twilio Account SID, log into your Twilio account at twilio.com and expand the Show API Credentials section on the Getting Started page. 
  6. Enter your Auth Token.
    • To retrieve your Twilio Authentication Token, log into your Twilio account at twilio.com and expand the Show API Credentials section on the Getting Started page. 
  7. If desired, enter the organization you want to tie to this Twilio account.
    • This field links to the Organization service.
    • This is not a required field at this time and is for tracking purposes only. 
  8. Save and close the Twilio Accounts record.

Configuring a Twilio Numbers Record

Follow the steps below to add a Twilio number to send text messages from through Aptify.

  1. Log into Aptify as an administrator user.
  2. Go to the Twilio Integration application.
  3. Open a new record from the Twilio Numbers service.
  4. Enter the Twilio Account associated with this number.
    • You must create a Twilio Accounts record prior to creating a Twilio Numbers record. See Configuring a Twilio Accounts Record for more information. 
    • This field is tied to the Twilio Accounts service. 
  5. Enter your number assigned by Twilio in the Number field using a standard phone format.
    • Supported formats include: 
      • (123) 456-7890
      • +1 123-456-7890
      • 123-456-7890
  6. Specify the Rank for this number.
    • This field is reserved for future use. However, it is a required field and must be populated. 
  7. Save and close the Twilio Numbers record.

The Voice URL and SMS URL fields are reserved for future use.

 

Configuring Messaging to SMS Messages Through Twilio

Once you have configured Aptify with your Twilio account information, you can start sending text messages using Aptify bulk messaging functionality from both the Aptify web interface and Desktop client.

You can also send a text message using Aptify process pipeline functionality. See Sending a Process Flow to Send SMS Messages Through Twilio for more details.

 

Follow the steps below to activate the Twilio Message Systems record.

  1. Log into Aptify as an administrator user.
  2. Go to the Message Systems service.
    • This service is found under the Framework and Message Administration services. 
  3. Open the Twilio SMS record.
  4. On the General tab, select the Active checkbox.
  5. Go to the Attributes tab and open the TwilioAccountsRecordID record.
  6. Enter the ID of your Twilio Accounts record.
  7. Save and close the Message Systems record.
     

If you want to send text messages automatically using Aptify Scheduled Messaging service, go to the Scheduling tab and populate the necessary fields. See Scheduling Messages for Future Delivery for more information about this feature.

Before sending text messages from Aptify using Twilio, you must first have an active Twilio test account tied to at least one device with a valid phone number that can receive text messages.  See Creating a Twilio Account for details.

Sending SMS Messages Using Aptify Messaging

Defining a Message Source Aptify Twilio integration supports sending text messages through Aptify bulk messaging system from both the Aptify Desktop and Web interfaces. This topic outlines the how to send a text message using Aptify messaging system.

These steps assume that your system has already been configured to use Twilio. See Configuring Aptify to Support Twilio for details.

  1. Open a view of a service that has messaging enabled. 

    • Your system administrator must enable messaging for a service if it is not currently available.

    • In the Aptify Desktop interface, you can also open the Aptify messaging dialog directly from a record by selecting the email icon that appears next to the Email control.

  2. Select the recipients for a bulk message from the records in the view. Only the selected records are added to the message’s recipient list. If no records are selected, then the sys­tem will generate messages for all records in the view.
  3. Select Messaging from the view's toolbar using one of the following options:
    • In the Web interface, select Messaging from under the More drop-down menu.
    • In the Desktop interface, select the Messaging icon. 
  4. In the Aptify desktop interface, if prompted, select the appropriate Message Source and click OK.
    • The Aptify Web interface does not support more than one message source at this time, the default message source is always used.
    • Your system administrator can create a message source to ensure that text messages are only sent to valid numbers. See Defining a Message Source for more details.
  5. Enter a Subject.
    • This is a required field for all messages sent through Aptify, however, when sending a text message, only the text on the Plain Text tab will be sent. 
  6. Go to the Delivery tab (or Options > Delivery in the Aptify Desktop interface) and select the Twilio SMS as the message system.
    • If you want the Twilio SMS message system to be automatically select when sending a text message, you could utilize Aptify message template service to set the default message system. See Creating a New Message Template for more information. 

  7. Go to the Plain Text tab and enter the message you want to send.

    • In the Aptify Web interface, you are currently required to populate both the Plain Text and HTML Message tab, however, when sending text message, only the text on the Plain Text tab will be sent.

    •  In the Aptify Desktop client, once the Twilio SMS message system is selected, the HTML Message tab is disabled. 

  8. Go to the Addressing tab (or Options > Addressing in the Aptify Desktop interface) and make sure the appropriate To field is selected.  Text messages can only be sent to valid phone numbers, not email addresses.
    • In what Email field you select, a valid phone number must be entered in a standard phone format.
      • Supported formats include: 
        • (123) 456-7890
        • +1 123-456-7890
        • 123-456-7890 
    • You can dedicate an Email field (for example, the Email3 field on the Person entity) for phone numbers, or you can also add phone number fields to the Message Source, so they are available in the messaging interface.
    • Your system administrator can create a message source to ensure that text messages are only sent to valid numbers. See Defining a Message Source for more details.
      • Keep in mind that the Aptify Web interface does not support more than one message source at this time, the default message source is always used. 

  9. Click the Send Messages button on the form’s toolbar to send the messages.

    • The text from the Plain Text tab is sent to the recipients. 

    See Creating a New Message Template for more information on other options available when using Aptify bulk messaging dialog.

    Sending a Process Flow to Send SMS Messages Through Twilio

    Once you have configured Aptify with your Twilio account information, you can use the stock Twilio SMS process flow provided by Aptify (Send SMS Message via Twilio) to send text message when certain events occur or create your own process flow using the Send Twilio Message process component.  For example, you could configure the process to send a message to a particular number when a Person record is updated.

    You can also send text messages using Aptify bulk messaging functionality from both Aptify Desktop and Web. See Configuring Messaging to SMS Messages Through Twilio.

    Below is an overview of testing the Aptify Twilio SMS process flow using the Process Flow Run feature.

    1. Log into Aptify Desktop interface as an administrator user.
    2. Go to the Process Flows service.
      • This service is found under the Process Pipeline service. 
    3. Open the Send SMS Message via Twilio process flow.
    4. Under the Debug menu, select the Run option.
    5. In the Value field of the To input property, enter a valid phone number (using a standard phone format) to receive the text message.
      • The number you enter must be verified through your Twilio account. Log into your Twilio account at twilio.com and go to the Numbers page > Verify a Number for more details.
      • Supported formats include: 
        • (123) 456-7890
        • +1 123-456-7890

        • 123-456-7890 

    6. In the Value field of the Message record and enter the text of the message that will be sent as an SMS message. 
    7. In the Value field of the AccountID record and enter the ID of your Twilio Accounts record
    8. Run the debugger.
    9. Verify your test message was received. 

    Concerning the Send Twilio Message Process Component

    The Send Twilio Message Process Component currently only supports sending a message to one number. If you are interested in sending a text message to more than one number at a time through this process component, contact Aptify Technical Support to create a feature request case. 

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