Your Influence Professional system has the ability to send SMS text messages to candidates or contacts, and to record these Messages as Journals within the system. It is possible for Candidates/Contacts to reply to these messages and for Influence to receive & Import these replies into the system, and to create an Alert in your Alert Manager.
To learn how to use, send and receive SMS in influence you find out here.
NOTE:
As at 01/01/2019 (Onwards) our preferred SMS TEXT supplier is Firetext
| NOTE: When using Firetext as the SMS supplier several additional features are available such as Scheduled SMS sending, and the ability to send PDF files as attachments on text messages, and multiple reply numbers for Multi-Office systems. |
For specific info about setting up the system to work with FIRETEXT please see our article:
Firetext Setup <<- Please click here for Firextext Setup Article.
SMS Providers
Your Influence database can integrate with a number of SMS providers to give users the ability to send SMS (Text) messages directly from within the Database. Our preferred provider is Firetext as they provide the best & most economical service. Other providers are listed below: (Click a supplier to jump to that section)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FIRETEXT (preferred SMS supplier)
As our preferred supplier, we have a dedicated guide for setting up the integration with Firetext. Simply click below to see the guide.
Firetext Setup Guide <<- Please click here to see the Firetext SMS Setup Guide.
Firetext is our leading supplier because of advanced features such as SMS scheduling, ability to attach PDF documents to an SMS message and the ability to upload a database of names/mobile numbers so that replies can show the NAME of the responder.
BULK SMS
This was originally the preferred supplier, but has now been supplanted by Firetext. This integration can still be used, but does not provide as many facilities as Firetext.
Internal Information: From 14-Jul-2021
For Bulk SMS users, we will need to set the environment variable BULK_SMS_URL
(this overrides the hardcoded setting).
It will need to be set to https://api-legacy2.bulksms.com
This can be done in WebAdmin - Select KCML System configuration and then general environment.
| (All Influence DIRECT servers will have this done - customers with Influence installed on their own server will need to contact us. ) |
ICETRAK
When using Icetrak as your SMS supplier messages are submitted to Icetrak as an email (which they then turn into an SMS message).
| Journals, Flag(10) | This needs to be set to I (Icetrak) | |
| JNL, Text(7) | This needs to be left | |
| JNL,Text(14) | This needs to be left - The system will then look at the email address on the UserID to use as the 'Login' for Icetrak.
| |
| JNL,Text(15) | This needs to contain the 'PIN' for the API, and will be used for all users. (Hence why it is the same for all user in Icetrak's setup) |
HOW IT WORKS
1) We send SMS messages to Icetrak using the API (As part of the call to the API we need to send userID, API 'PIN' and message itself with Mobile No)
2) They turn this into an SMS and send it on to the mobile; they keep a record of the user/email that sent the message.
3) If the recipient replies to the text, then Icetrak will send an email containing the reply to any 'user' (email) that has sent a message to that number in the last 24Hrs
PLUS If you speak to Icetrak and request it they can also send a copy of the reply as a nominated email e.g. [email protected]
| (NOTE: When determining where to send replies, Icetrak can setup certain rules, such as "Replies will be sent to the email address which has most recently sent a message to that number. IF there have been no messages to the number within 24hrs, then they look back over the last 7-days and send emails to any users who have sent messages in the last 7 days.") |
Text Local
This SMS provider is not commonly used, and so no specific guidance for system setup has been written. Please contact us if you wish to use this supplier.
Text Marketer
Text Marketer can be used as an SMS provider, setting the following parameters
| Journals, Flag(10) | This needs to be set to T (TextMarketer) | |
| JNL, Text(7) | This needs to be left | |
| JNL,Text(14) | Needs to be checked - may not be correct This needs to be left - The system will then look at the email address on the UserID to use as the 'Login' for Text Marketer.
| |
| JNL,Text(15) | This needs to contain the password for your Text Marketer Account. | |
| Jnl,Text(16) | This need to be left BLANK (It can be used for API integration instead) | |
| JNL,Text(17) | Set this to the 'Name' that they want to use on SMS messages, e.g YourAgency Ltd |
Message Media
Message media is an SMS message provider that allows simple sending of SMS messages. They do not offer any of the advanced features of other suppliers such as Firetext
| When sending bulk SMS messages using Message Media as the SMS provider users sometimes receive the following error message: |
Error returned from Message Media: Request failed to parse correctly. Please ensure input is valud and try again. Phone No = +44xxxxxxxxxx
REASON: This is caused by having in the message being sent.
e.g. The message below will be fine, as it is written as a single line, with No
| Please can you let me know availability over the next 3 weeks. Thanks. john@prospero |
Whereas, the message below will FAIL, because the user has put carriage between the lines.
| Please can you let me know availability over the next 3 weeks. Thanks. john@prospero |
There is another limitation with Message Media too......
| NOTE: Within Influence you do not get a count of remaining credits. (You would need to login to your MessageMedia account to see this - see below) |
The screen above shows the Available Credit count at the top of your MessageMedia login.
Parameters
| Journals, Flag(10) | This needs to be set to M (Message Media) |
| JNL, Text(7) | This needs to be left BLANK |
| JNL,Text(14) | This needs to be left BLANK |
| JNL,Text(15) | This needs to be left BLANK |
| Jnl,Text(16) | This need to be left BLANK |
| JNL,Text(17) | This can be used to hold a 'Reply' number if you wish (Please speak to Message Media to organise/confirm the reply number allocated to your account.) |
| JNL,Path(8) | The API key for your MessageMedia account, e.g. something like fQdaPfscrjx9oxQmxABz This will be separate/individual for EACH different Influence system. Please contact Message Media to find out the API key for your account. |
| JNL,Path(9) | This is the 'Secret' Key for your MessageMedia account, e.g. something like: bDXf2xy9wGBAhgBaqzTQmGBHUzvjXu This will be separate/individual for EACH different Influence system. Please contact Message Media to find out the Secret Key for your account. |
See below for Older Systems - Setup using BulkSMS as the Text Supplier
What you Will Need
- You will need to create an account at www.bulkSMS.com, and pay for some texts
- You will need a Licence File for your influence system to allow it to integrate with the web site.
- (There are two versions; Basic SMS allows you to send SMS messages, Premium SMS allows you to send SMS messages and receive replies in Influence)
(Licences are priced per user per year – each user that needs to send SMS texts from Influence will need a licence)
- You will need to setup the Parameters in Influence so that it knows the username/password for the web site for sending SMS messages.
- You will need to decide which users you wish to allow to send SMS messages.
1) Setting up your BulkSMS account.
Go to www.bulkSMS.com
Click the REGISTER button and create a new account. (Note the username/password you setup)
Having setup your account, login to the web site, and from the “My Account” page, choose the option “Change Sender ID”.
Change this to something sensible (e.g. XYZ Recruitment Ltd)
Finally, buy some credits and then log out of the web site.
2) Setting up your Influence system.
Call Influence support, and request (buy) a licence file for either the Basic or Premium SMS system.
We will email you a licence file (named PCG_Lic.txt). Save this onto your desktop
Login to Influence as the Administrator (ADM) user. Choose Links >> Install Licence File
Drag & Drop the PCG_Lic.txt file from your desktop onto the Licence File path, and click OK.
The system will then import the licence file.
Next go to the parameters section
(Depending if you are using Influence Classic or Influence PRO this will be in Tools >> Database Management >> Parameters or Maintenance> Setup > Parameters )
Then choose File > Open, and select JNL – Journals.
Select the FLAGS tab, and set parameter 10 to “B”
Select the [TEXT] tab, set parameter 14 to the User_ID from the BulkSMS web site.
Select the [TEXT] tab, set parameter 15 to the Password from the BulkSMS web site.
Select the [TEXT] tab, change parameter 18 from +44 to 44 (i.e. No plus.)
Then Click [OK], to save the parameters, and log out of the Influence system.
Controlling which users can send SMS messages
Login to Influence as the Administrator (ADM) user.
Choose Maintenance > Setup> User profiles.
Select each user in turn, go to the [ACCESS & CONTROL] tab, and tick the “Allow use of Bulk SMS” box for those users who are allowed this feature. Remember to tick [Apply] after each user.
When finished, click [OK] to save the changes, and log off of the system.
Sending SMS Messages from Influence.
Select a record (Candidate or Contact), and either click their Mobile phone number from the list of Candidates/Contacts, or click drill into an individual record and click the Mobile Phone icon.
Having clicked the Journal icon, the system will pop-up a journal screen.
Create the Journal, typing a subject, and the body of the text.
Ensure that the Method is set to SMS Text Message.
If you want replies, then remember to tick the SMS is Repliable tick box.
Then click OK to send the SMS and record the journal in Influence.
Receiving SMS replies into Influence.
If you are using a TRIAL licence - You will need to import any SMS replies into Influence manually
Choose Links >> Get Bulk SMS replies.
This will then search for replies on the BulkSMS web site, and will use these to create TASKS against the originating Journal entry in Influence.
These imported tasks will show in the Alert manager (in Bright Yellow)
They can then be handled, re-scheduled or postponed just like any other task.
| Note: If you are using the full version of the Premium SMS system, then the manual import is not necessary. Influence support will setup an automatic (daemon) process that constantly scans for SMS replies and imports them into influence without the need for user intervention. |
| REMEMBER: If you change your login or password to the BulkSMS web site you must also change the parameters in Influence so that you will be able to login. |
If you have any queries or problems, please contact Influence Support for help.
Tel: 0845 371 5273
SMS
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