Create an SMS number list in Tessitura

Import SMS numbers from Tessitura directly into WordFly. We will review where this data is in Tessitura and how to pull it into a list. This article is a general guide. If you need help with SMS list or output set criteria, please reach out to Tessitura support.

Collecting SMS mobile numbers in Tessitura

You should be collecting SMS opt-ins just as you would email opt-ins if you plan on marketing with SMS. The SMS opt-in should never be pre-checked. It is also very important to collect country code or at least the subscriber's country so that you can discern the country code.

Important note: In WordFly, all SMS numbers must have a country code to be considered valid numbers. 

Example of a number without a country code:

5555555555

Example of a number with the UK country code:

445555555555

Mobile phone number in Tessitura

You may need to create a new SMS phone type to distinguish this number from Phone 1 and Phone 2 on the Tessitura constituent record if you cannot use one of those existing phone types for the SMS mobile number.

New phone types can be configured directly in your Tessitura System Tables. Go to TR_PHONE_TYPE and set up a new type, ID, and description for your mobile number.

Example,

SMS opt-in check on subscriber record

On the subscriber record in Tessitura you will see mobile phone information appear under the General tab in the Phone section.

Example,

*In this screenshot the mobile phone is labelled 'Cell phone' but it would be called whatever was set up under TR_Phone_Type and then selected here under the Phone sections.

Create list criteria that pulls subscribers with SMS mobile numbers in Tessitura

Both a Tessitura Extraction and List Manager list can be used for SMS mobile Campaigns in WordFly. Let’s review both a suppression and allow segment from an Extraction to illustrate an example.

Extraction SMS suppression segment example

Extraction SMS criteria segment example

*This segment will pull every SMS subscriber that has a mobile number beginning with a proper country code.

Create an output set that pulls subscriber's SMS mobile numbers in Tessitura

In Tessitura, every list must have an output set than defines the unique data that is pulled with the list. To create a new output set, go to the Output set builder under Tools. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select New. Then start pulling in criteria from the left side to create an output set that contains your mobile number phone type.

Sample output set:

Do you need to create a new output set element for your unique mobile phone?

You may consider setting up a new mobile phone number output set element in Tessitura System Tables TR_QUERY_ELEMENT. You only need to do this if you do not have your mobile phone type available to pull from the default output set criteria options.

Here is some sample set up guidance for creating a new output set element for mobile number in TR_QUERY_ELEMENT:

Description - Mobile Phone No
Category – Address
Data Select – !.phone    
Data From – (select a.customer_no, MAX(a.phone) as phone  from [dbo].[t_phone] a where [type] = 5 group by a.customer_no)    
Data Where – NULL
Single Row – Y

Import your SMS Tessitura list into WordFly

Learn how to import your SMS mobile number list from Tessitura directly into WordFly by reviewing this article: Send an SMS campaign