Send batch campaigns
The below guide will assist you with creating and sending batch SMS.
Last updated
The below guide will assist you with creating and sending batch SMS.
Last updated
From your login screen, select Compose from the top left panel of the screen.
Select Bulk SMS
You will then be navigated to the Import Batch screen as pictured below:
You will now be able to upload your batch file from the above screen. To do this, select Upload a File. From here, you can navigate to your batch file in .csv (recommended format) and select it.
Best Practice: Always compose your message text in a plain text editor such as NotePad for Windows and TextEdit for Mac before copying it into your Excel File.
Number Formatting: Always include the correct country prefix when sending messages. For example, use 27831230007 for recipients in South Africa.
Once you have selected your desired batch file, you will be navigated to the screen below. This next step requires selecting your file's first row of usable data. This row will be highlighted as per the image below. Once you have matched the row, you may proceed by selecting the Next Step.
On this page, we will ask you to let us know what data makes up each column of the .csv file you uploaded. As you can see, you will also be given the option to Compose your message if your batch file .csv does not contain one. If you followed the file format, the page should be set up similarly to the screen below.
Once you are satisfied with the setup, you can proceed by selecting the Next Step option.
The next step in the process would be to apply your final settings for your SMS send. Some notable options:
Campaign Name
This is the name of your batch file or campaign that you'd like to use.
From
This is a custom number that you can select as the source number for the SMS.
This number can be anything you need to it be and will be used to cross-reference incoming messages back to a campaign if you need to track this. The value can either be alpha or numeric.
Start sending campaign
This option allows you to select when the batch will be started:
Immediately - sends the batch immediately once the steps have been completed.
When I click ‘Start’ - saves the batch for a manual start at a later time.
At a scheduled date and time - Sends the batch at the date and time selected.
Advanced Options
This allows you to view and set advanced options for the batch send such as speed (TPS), filtering options, removing duplicates (checked by default), and batch splitting options for bigger campaigns.
The From value can be alpha or numeric and will not be displayed on the handset unless it is a sender ID requirement for international messages outside South Africa. Please refer to our country regulation list for more information.
After you've created the batch, you'll be taken to a batch preview page where you can review your message content, settings, and total billable messages. Enter your mobile number in the SEND TEST field and press the SEND button to send a live test to confirm that you are satisfied with your final text (optional).
Always note your total billable messages in the Preview screen to determine whether your message parts are accurate, or if any Unicode characters are present in your message text.
You can continue by selecting Finish.
You will be taken to the campaign status page once the batch has been created. If you choose an immediate start, this page lets you track the campaign's progress.
For sending at a later stage, return to Campaigns to manually begin your batch send. Here you can see a list of your campaigns. Start Batch by selecting the drop-down arrow next to the desired campaign name. Your batch will now start sending.
