Twilio

Twilio allows you to send and receive messages at scale with Messaging APIs. This makes it the perfect integration to send SMS messages from within MinistryPlatform directly to your congregation! Want to level up? You can receive inbound text messages, too! With a one-time configuration, you'll be good-to-go.

Twilio's pricing is based on your usage, with discounts for committed usage as you scale.

Integration Setup

A SPoC must complete one-time initial setup with Twilio in order to send text messages through MinistryPlatform or Check-In Suite.

Note: We recommend churches use Twilio's toll-free numbers, which are reliably received by cell phone carriers.

Set up a Twilio account for SMS. (You can use any Twilio number, but we recommend moving to a 1-800 number for a multitude of reasons, including faster sending.)
1. Create a Twilio account.
2. In Products > Programmable SMS, get a Twilio phone number.
3. Create New Project.
4. Name project.
5. Verify email.
6. Verify phone number.
7. Get a trial number.
8. Click Search for a different number to find a phone number in your area code.
9. Enter the desired area code.
10. Choose a number.
11. Click Buy.
12. Repeat this process to purchase multiple Twilio phone numbers.
Be sure to activate any phone numbers associated with your account by clicking Upgrade Project. Text messages will not be sent from MinistryPlatform until your number is active.
Continue the setup process for:
- New Message Tool – See Texting.
- Classroom Manager – See Participant Details.

Cost

There is no cost from ACS Technologies to set up this integration.

Fees from Twilio will be assessed as per each church's individual contract agreement. Be sure to ask about Twilio's not-for-profit pricing!

Troubleshooting

If, after following the steps above, you are not receiving texts sent by the tool, double-check each of the steps and values above to ensure no details were missed. If you're still not receiving texts (and the tool is not giving an error or warning), the issue is most likely with your Twilio account. See these troubleshooting articles (basic and advanced) from Twilio.

Carriers may automatically block messages that are not in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) guidelines. Be aware of your content, especially if it contains a link to be clicked. Avoid wording like "Click this link," and bit.ly links. Ensure your message has a footer with instructions for opting out. For more information on the TCPA, these articles may be helpful: TCPA Compliance and Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.

Sending links in your text message will likely get your text message filtered and blocked.

Tips & Tricks

Do I need more than one Twilio number?

The New Message Tool supports the use of multiple Twilio numbers, so add as many numbers as your church needs! A benefit of having multiple numbers is that it allows you to spread your text volume over multiple numbers, improving the speed and deliverability of your text messages.

The number used with these tools should be different from other numbers used with 3rd party applications (for example, Online Giving's text-to-give). If you already have a Twilio account in use by a 3rd party, you may need to purchase additional numbers to use with these tools. Please contact your 3rd party vendor for specific requirements.

Is there something I can do from my standpoint that would help process large quantities of text messages faster?

Twilio throttles things, so getting a Short Code can help to speed up Twilio's processing time. Short codes have a 8-12 week provisioning time.

You can also try to get a Twilio toll free number to speed things up by up to three times faster. For more information from Twilio regarding processing time please visit their Sending and Receiving Limitations on Calls and SMS Messages article. Toll free numbers are available in 5-7 days.

Long codes are turned off by Sprint if they see 200+ of the same message in one day.

Want to do something custom with responses sent to Twilio?

You can work with Twilio to update the auto-response sent to people who respond to texts. You can also work with a third party to create a custom web service that could do something more custom, like forward the message onto another number or auto-respond based on various criteria. For more information from Twilio regarding auto-responses, please see their article, Set up an SMS Auto-Responder with Twilio Studio.

Can I customize the message about opting in to texting that displays on the Sign Up screen?

If you use Twilio for texting, you may work with them to register your A2P (Application-to-Person) campaigns. (Learn more in Twilio's Help Center article, What is A2P 10DLC?.)

To help with compliance, people who sign up for a MinistryPlatform user account will see a default opt-in message on the Sign Up screen. If needed, you can customize this wording by updating the Application Label for Platform Client: oauth.smsDataWarning.