Note for accounts using Sales Records: This article includes a Legacy components section with additional information that applies to your account.
If your AMS+ account has a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone number, you can send SMS text messages to Agent and Individual contacts to schedule appointments, send reminders, and communicate directly.
For more on SMS texting in AMS+, including training and related resources, see this feature overview.
Requirements
- Your agency's AMS+ account must have at least one VoIP phone number. Learn more.
- To send texts from Individual Records:
- You must be logged into AMS+ as an Agency User or Agent CRM User.
- You must be assigned to a Security Group with the Individual Visible permission.
- If you're an Agent CRM User, you need access to Individual Records assigned to your Accessible Agent, and optionally unassigned records.
- To send texts from Agent Records:
- You must be logged into AMS+ as an Agency User.
- You must be assigned to a Security Group with the Agent Visible permission.
- In addition, you may need access to Agent Records assigned to your Accessible Agent.
In this article
Consent and opt-in requirements
The FCC requires documented permission before sending SMS messages.
Before sending a text message:
- Obtain valid opt-in consent.
- Verify compliance with your state regulations.
- Keep a record of each recipient's consent.
- Enter the recipient's mobile number in the Cell Phone field on their record.
SMS messages are not sent to numbers in the Home Phone field.
If a recipient has opted out, you can't text them again through any method in AMS+ until they opt back in. See How opt-in and opt-out behavior works for SMS text messages in AMS+ for the full list of opt-out and opt-in keywords and how to check a recipient's status.
Send SMS text messages
You can only send SMS messages for:
- Agent Records
- Individual Records
The record must contain a valid mobile number in the Cell Phone field.
Send a direct text from an Agent Record or Individual Record
- Open the Agent Record or Individual Record and go to the Detail tab.
- In the Contact Info section, confirm a number is entered in the Cell Phone field.
- Select the arrow icon next to the cell number.
- Select the Send Text Message option.
Send texts using Enhanced Automated Workflow
Note: Texting actions in Enhanced Automated Workflow are currently available to beta testing participants only.
You can also send a text automatically with a texting action in Enhanced Automated Workflow. When a record meets the workflow's conditions, the text sends without you having to send it manually.
These texts follow a fixed 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM CT sending window instead of your individual hours from My Account > Account, with no way to change it. See Sending outside allowed hours below for what happens when a text falls outside that window.
See What to set up for texting actions in Enhanced Automated Workflow in AMS+ for the subscription, compliance, and record requirements involved.
SMS message length and segments
Each SMS message segment can contain up to 160 characters.
- Messages longer than 160 characters are sent as multiple segments.
- Messages with emojis or special characters may be split into multiple segments automatically.
| # of characters | # of texts |
| 1-160 | 1 |
| 161-320 | 2 |
| 321-480 | 3 |
Sending outside allowed hours
Each user's ability to send SMS messages is limited to a specific time window, set using the Text Messages Are Allowed Between field in My Account > Account. This window can follow the account's default hours or a custom range set for that user.
If a text message is sent outside this window, AMS+ reschedules it to send at the start of the next allowed window.
If you change your allowed hours after a message has already been rescheduled, the message still sends at its originally scheduled time. AMS+ does not check for updated hours before sending a message that's already been rescheduled.
Enhanced Automated Workflow sending window
Note: Texting actions in Enhanced Automated Workflow are currently available to beta testing participants only.
The per-user sending window set in My Account > Account doesn't apply to texts sent by a texting action in Enhanced Automated Workflow. Instead, those texts can only send between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM CT, and there's currently no way to change that window. If a workflow text would go out outside that window, it's held and sent once the window opens again.
Testing text messages
If testing with a colleague, friend, or family member, send a realistic message.
Example:
- Hi #FIRSTNAME#, Hit me back when you get this message. Thanks! #AGENTNAME#
Avoid sending messages such as "TEST" or "SAMPLE," as carriers may flag them as spam and block delivery.
Legacy components
The following content applies only to accounts still using Sales Records. If you're unsure whether this applies to you, check your subscription package on the Subscription page. Accounts on Enhanced Records will show a package type that includes "+ Enhanced Records" (e.g., Accelerate + Enhanced Records). If your package does not include "+ Enhanced Records," this section applies to you.
Legacy components in this section:
- Send a direct text from a Sales Record — accounts using Sales Records
- Send texts using Legacy Sales Automated Workflows — accounts using Sales Records
- Sales Enablement Visible permission — accounts using Sales Records
Send a direct text from a Sales Record
- Open the Sales Record.
- Select the Send Text button.
Inbound and outbound text messages appear on the Notes tab of the Sales Record.
You can also create text templates for Sales Records for frequently used messages. Learn more.
Example template content:
- "Here's my calendar to choose from #AGENTCALENDARLINK# -#AGENTNAME#"
Send texts using Legacy Sales Automated Workflows
You can configure Sales Legacy Sales Automated Workflows to send SMS messages when specific events occur in AMS+, such as:
- A Sales Record status change
- A lead reaching a specific age milestone (for example, 26 or 65)
To set up Legacy Sales Automated Workflows with texting actions, you must be logged into AMS+ as an Agency User and be assigned to a Security Group with the Manage Users and Manage Automated Workflow permissions.
Sales Enablement Visible permission
To send texts from Sales Records and to set up Legacy Sales Automated Workflows with texting actions, you must be assigned to a Security Group with the Sales Enablement Visible permission.