SMS works inside Automated Programs the same way email does - as a step in a flow. Add a Send SMS step to confirm a sign-up, remind a lead about an upcoming event, or follow up when an action is taken on the site. This article walks through adding a Send SMS step to an existing Automated Program.
Who does this: Marketing ops or demand gen building an Automated Program
Time needed: 10-15 minutes to add and configure a Send SMS step
Why this matters: Triggered SMS lands with the right context at the right time. An automated confirmation the moment a form is submitted, or a reminder the day before an event, outperforms a batch send for timeliness. Putting SMS inside the Automated Program means the same journey handles both channels together.
In plain English: Open your Automated Program, add a Send SMS step at the point in the flow you want, compose the message with the same composer tools you use for one-off sends, save.
Add a Send SMS step
- Go to Automation > Automated Programs and open the program you want to edit.
- On the Build tab, click Program flow, then click + where you want the Send SMS step.
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In the Add New Step dialog, click Send SMS.
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Give the step a name. In the Message Composer, write the SMS.
- Click the Preview icon
to see how the SMS renders on a mobile device.
- Click the Link Shortener icon
to insert a short link. (See How to Use the SMS Link Shortener and Tracker.)
- Click the Personalization icon
to insert a merge field. (See How to Use SMS Personalization.)
- Click the Add Opt-Out Text icon
to append "Txt STOP to OptOut" to the message.
- Click the Preview icon
- Click Submit.
Note: Triggered SMS only sends during the hours set in SMS > Settings > Allowed SMS Hours. A message triggered outside that window queues and sends at the start of the next permitted window. See SMS Settings for details.
Next steps
- Automated Programs: the overall Automated Programs workflow.
- SMS Settings: Allowed SMS Hours and other sending guardrails.
- How to Use SMS Personalization: personalize the SMS in the step.