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Inbound text triage

Texts to a business number arrive from customers and strangers alike. This workflow makes sure a customer’s text reaches the person who knows them, and that an unknown number is asked who they are instead of being ignored.

The Inbound text triage workflow on the canvas: Text received, then Find the sender, then Known sender?, then To manager, then Unknown: reply, then To front desk

Before you start

  • A BaseCloud number that receives texts

The workflow

Step Task Type What it does
1 Text received Text Message Received Starts when a text arrives on any of your numbers
2 Find the sender Match to Client(s) Looks for a contact with the sender’s number
3 Known sender? If Statement Takes one path for a known customer and the other for an unknown number
4 To manager Workflow Note Sends the text to the customer’s responsible manager
5 Unknown: reply SMS Asks an unknown sender for their name and address
6 To front desk Workflow Note Tells the front desk about the unknown number

About the variables

Values such as {{task_36397_…}} carry the number of the task they come from, so yours will differ. Do not type them: click into a field and pick the value from an earlier task.

1. Text received

Task: Text Message Received. Starts when a text arrives on any of your numbers.

Field Set it to
Receiving number (optional) Leave blank

2. Find the sender

Task: Match to Client(s). Looks for a contact with the sender’s number.

Field Set it to
Action Match to Client
Find the client by Contact cell number = {{task_36397_from_number}}

3. Known sender?

Task: If Statement. Takes one path for a known customer and the other for an unknown number.

The If Statement task named Known sender?, opened to its settings

Field Set it to
Condition {{task_36398_client_matched}} exactly matches true

4. To manager

Task: Workflow Note. Sends the text to the customer’s responsible manager.

Field Set it to
Action Create Note
Client ID {{task_36398_match_client_id}}
Note Type Note
Priority High
Due Date Now
Tag Users {{task_36398_match_client_responsible_manager}}

Message

Text from {{task_36398_match_contact_name}}:

{{task_36397_message}}

5. Unknown: reply

Task: SMS. Asks an unknown sender for their name and address.

Field Set it to
Client Leave blank
To (phone number) {{task_36397_from_number}}

Message

Thanks for your message. We could not find your number on our system. Please reply with your name and address and we will get right back to you.

6. To front desk

Task: Workflow Note. Tells the front desk about the unknown number.

Field Set it to
Action Create Note
Client ID 555
Note Type Note
Priority Medium
Due Date Now
Tag Users Tiger Lily

Message

Text from an unknown number ({{task_36397_from_number}}):

{{task_36397_message}}

They were asked for their name and address.

Make it yours

  • Limit the trigger to one number under Receiving number.
  • Add an AI Prompt task to draft a suggested reply into the note.