How to set up a Twilio SMS inbox in Front

Overview

Twilio is a service that provides phone numbers to send and receive SMS and calls, built on an API meant for global scale. Front's Twilio channel integration allows you to send and receive SMS messages in an inbox in Front using a regular phone number or a shortcode, and use all the collaborative features of Front just like with email.

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Instructions

Follow the steps below if your Front account was created after Apr 17, 2023 (your settings sidebar has both an Inboxes and Channels section).

Step 1

Click the gear icon on the top right of Front and into the Company or Personal settings tab, depending on which space you are working with.

Step 2

Click on Inboxes on the left menu and Add an individual inbox or Add a shared inbox, depending on which space you're in.

Step 3

Fill out the name and description of your inbox. Click Create.

Step 4

Click Channels on the left menu.

Step 5

Under SMS and telephony, choose SMS and click Connect.

Step 6

Go to the Twilio website, and log in.

Step 7

You should now be looking at your Twilio console dashboard, which is where you will find your Account SID and Auth Token. Copy and paste those into your Front Twilio settings.

Step 8

Now, select a phone number from the dropdown.

Step 9 (optional)

If you don't see the number you need or if the number is a shortcode, check the box on the bottom that says Enter number manually.

You'll see a new field appear where you can enter the number you need. From your Twilio console, copy and paste the number you'd like to use into the Front inbox setup. If it's a regular phone number, the format should include the country code and the area code, like this: +1 (123) 456-7890.

Step 10

Click Continue. We will then automatically validate these credentials with Twilio. If you receive an error, please double check that you have entered everything correctly.

Step 11

Choose the inbox that the channel's conversations will be routed to.

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Instructions [legacy]

Follow the steps below if your Front account was created before Apr 17, 2023 (your settings sidebar has an Inboxes section and does not have a Channels section).

Step 1

Click the gear icon on the top right of Front and into the Company or Personal settings tab, depending on which space you are working with. Admins can also access user settings by following these steps.

Step 2

Click on Inboxes on the left menu and Add an individual inbox or Add a shared inbox, depending on which space you're in.

Step 3

Fill out the name and description of your inbox. Click Create.

Step 4

Choose SMS from the channel menu.

Step 5

Go to the Twilio website, and log in.

Step 6

You should now be looking at your Twilio console dashboard, which is where you will find your Account SID and Auth Token. Copy and paste those into your Front Twilio settings.

Step 7

Now, select a phone number from the dropdown.

Step 8 (optional)

If you don't see the number you need or if the number is a shortcode, click the link on the bottom that says Can't find your phone number in the list? Enter it manually.

You'll see a new box appear where you can enter the number you need. From your Twilio console, copy and paste the number you'd like to use into the Front inbox setup. If it's a regular phone number, the format should include the country code and the area code, like this: +1 (123) 456-7890.

Step 9

Click Verify Account. We will then automatically validate these credentials with Twilio. If you receive an error, please double check that you have entered everything correctly.

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FAQ

Does my Twilio history import into Front?

Yes, Front will import 100 of the most recent message of your Twilio history into the Archived tab of the inbox. If you've used another SMS platform, that portion of the history might be importable via API, but feel free to contact us and we'll take a look.

Do Front and Twilio have a full two-way sync?

Not fully. All inbound messages should be received by Twilio and sent to Front. Any outbound messages sent directly from Twilio will only be imported into Front after a new inbound message is received in the conversation. Front will import up to 15 previous messages for any conversation.

Why did my messages stop coming into Front?

Check that the webhook in your Twilio settings is filled in with the Front webhook. Since Twilio only allows one webhook per phone number, connecting other apps to this phone number may override Front's webhook, thus stopping Front from receiving your messages.

Why can't I send SMS?

If you ever experience issues sending an SMS message in Front, check the Twilio console for the status of the message you sent. For reference, here's a dictionary of errors and warnings you may experience using Twilio.

How many contacts can I message at once?

Front allows you to send a single SMS message to 200 contacts at a time. On sending an SMS to a group of recipients, each recipient will receive their own individual copy of the message, in a 1:1 conversation between your SMS channel, and their number. 

I'm trying to compose a Twilio message to a specific contact. Why isn't my contact showing up in the recipient field?

Only contacts that have an associated phone number will show up as suggested recipients when sending in a Twilio channel. In order for your contact to appear, you will need to first add their phone number by editing their contact information. 

What are Twilio A2P 10DLC numbers and does Front support them?

A2P 10DLC (Application-to-person 10-digit long codes) are part of an industry-wide initiative to improve consumer trust around business messaging. Numbers registered as A2P 10DLC will generally see higher deliverability rates. See Twilio's documentation here to learn more.

Teams can add Twilio A2P 10DLC numbers to Front. You'll need to copy your registered campaign's sample messages into Front message templates to ensure compliance. You'll also need to ensure that your campaign's Messaging Service is configured to Defer to Sender's Webhook to ensure inbound messages arrive in Front.

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Pricing

This feature is available on all plans. Some legacy plans may not have access to Twilio SMS channels.