Use the template notification SMS action to send a concise, provider-managed text message using information from the service. It is best for short confirmations, reminders or status updates where a person has supplied a valid mobile number and expects contact by text.

Text messages have limited space and are easy to misdirect. Keep them brief, avoid sensitive information, and provide a clear next step without assuming the person can respond.

Decide whether SMS is appropriate

Before adding the action, confirm that the person has chosen or is entitled to receive text messages, the service has a mobile-number field with suitable validation, and the message remains useful without confidential details.

flowchart TD
  A[Valid mobile number] --> B{Permission or relevant route?}
  B -- Yes --> C[Resolve template values]
  C --> D[Send short SMS]
  B -- No --> E[Do not send]

Use email or an in-service confirmation for longer explanations, attachments or information that needs a record people can revisit. An SMS can point to a secure route, but should not contain private form answers.

Configure the action

1. In Page actions, add the template notification SMS action.
2. Give it an Action ID and descriptive name, for example send_appointment_reminder.
3. Enter the configured Notification template ID for the SMS template.
4. In the recipient setting, supply the mobile number with a field reference or other Liquid expression.
5. Add each template variable key and its matching value.
6. Set the trigger and any execution conditions.
7. Test with an approved QA number and representative, non-sensitive values.

Although the Builder uses the same general recipient and template settings as notification email, the recipient here is a telephone number. Ensure the field and hint clearly ask for a mobile number in the format your organisation supports.

Write for a small screen

Keep template values concise. Long names, references and dynamically generated instructions can make a message hard to read or split across several screen lines. Test with the longest realistic values, not only a short demo record.

Good SMS content usually identifies the service or organisation, states the update, and gives one clear next step. Avoid including a full address, detailed decision, account data or any value that would create a privacy risk if the phone is shared.

Use conditions to respect the route

Attach execution conditions when the message should be sent only for a relevant route. For example, an appointment reminder should run only when an appointment exists and the person has indicated that text contact is acceptable.

Conditions control whether the action runs; they do not validate the mobile number or show a page. Keep validation on the telephone field and use a separate, clearly named condition for consent or route eligibility.

Test timing and delivery

For a response to a submitted answer, send after validation. For a final confirmation, use the service-completion trigger. Avoid page-load triggers for notifications that must be sent only once, because revisiting the page can create additional messages.

Test a valid number, invalid number, blank optional number, route with no permission, changed contact preference and returning to the page. Confirm that the message received is complete, understandable and contains the correct substituted values.

Test checklist

• The recipient resolves to the intended mobile number.
• The field collecting the number has clear validation and supporting guidance.
• The route has a clear, auditable reason to send a text message.
• Template values are short enough for a readable message.
• No sensitive information is included in the message.
• Conditions prevent messages on ineligible routes.
• Re-entering or resuming the journey does not send unintended duplicates.

Related guidance

• Shared action settings
• Text components
• Use conditions and branching
• Template notification email actions