SMS message templates allow you to send personalized messages to your customers, automating processes and optimizing communication. For example, you can create a welcome campaign template that will be automatically sent whenever a new customer registers.

In this guide, we will show you the step-by-step process to register new templates, edit existing ones, and ensure everything works correctly.

⚠️ Attention: This feature is only available to users with Operator or Admin profiles.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure the SMS channel is integrated into your account on Zenvia Customer Cloud. This integration is necessary for you to create and send your message templates.

SMS Templates

To begin, go to Settings > Message Templates > SMS.

On this screen, you will be able to:

• Manage existing templates
• Create a new SMS template

Next, see the detailed instructions for each of these actions.

Manage SMS Templates

1. Use the search or filters to locate existing templates;
2. On the templates screen, you will see: Template ID, Name, Status, and Last Updated;
3. In options  , you can:
   1. Edit Template: Modify the content and settings of the existing template.

   2. Copy Json: Obtain the JSON code of the template for use in other integrations or systems.

   3. Copy Template Id: Copy the unique identifier of the template for reference or use in other parts of the system.

   4. Delete Template: Remove the template from the system if it is no longer needed.

💡 Tip: Click on the Trigger Report button to generate reports on the triggers for the current month or previous months.

Create a New SMS Template

To create a new SMS template:

1. Click on the Create New Template button and complete the following information:
   1. Template Name: This field should be defined uniquely for the organization. Choose a name that makes the template distinguishable, in case you have multiple message templates. Examples: welcome | payment_update | delivery_status. Remember that special characters and numbers are not allowed in this field.
   2. Language: Specify the language of the message content. The selected language must match the text and content inserted in the message.
   3. Account Alias: It is the name that identifies the SMS integration within your account. This alias can be found in the message that appears under Settings > Channels > SMS > "You are connected with your account [alias name]."
   4. Email: Define the email address to which Zenvia should send update information about the registered template.
   5. Category: In this field, indicate what the message template's function will be. It should be equivalent to the message's topic/subject. Learn about the Template Categories.
2. After completing all fields, click on Next.

Template Content

In the Message Body field, write the content you want to send. For example, a welcome message could be something like "Hello! Welcome to our community. We have received your message and will contact you as soon as possible. We are happy to have you with us!"

You can also use variables to personalize the message. See below.

Variables in the Template

A variable is the message information that will be replaced by your customers' personalized data.

To include a variable, simply use two curly brackets, the variable name, and close the curly brackets, as shown in the example: "Hello, {{name}}! Welcome to our community. We received your message at {{hours}} and will contact you as soon as possible. We are happy to have you with us!"

When you insert a variable into the message body, the screen will automatically display additional fields for you to enter example values.

These examples are used to simulate the information that will be displayed to the recipient. This way, you can preview how the final message will appear to the recipient.

The examples for the variables {{name}} and {{hours}} could be, respectively, Maria and 10:30 AM.

The character limit for the message is 660, including fixed text and variable content. If, after the variables are replaced, the final message exceeds the 660-character limit, an error will occur, and the message will not be sent.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the sum of the fixed text and the variable values remains within this limit. We recommend keeping messages short and to the point.

⚠️ Attention: If you receive the error message "Sorry, we couldn't save your template" when finishing the message template registration, check the following points:

• Unique Names: Ensure that each name is unique within the same channel. Duplicate names are not allowed.
• Variables: Avoid using special characters in the variables (such as $, commas, spaces, hyphens, tildes, percentages, etc.). These characters may not be recognized correctly, which can cause errors in template creation.

Now you just need to click on Finish and your template will be created and automatically approved.

Template Categories

Understand each of the template categories and their functions:

Done! Now you know how to create SMS message templates.