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Messaging

Your own SMS number for two-way texting.

Messaging

What it is

Messaging gives your organisation its own mobile number, so texts to clients, subbies and crew come from a number that is yours, and their replies land in the project's comms rather than in somebody's phone. It is where an admin searches for a number, buys it, sets the signature that goes on every text, turns WhatsApp on for the number, and releases the number when it is no longer wanted.

Before you start

  • You need to be an admin. Buying a number spends the organisation's money, so the page is admin-only.
  • One number per organisation. If you already have one, the search is for a replacement, not a second line.
  • WhatsApp needs the number registered as a WhatsApp sender in the Twilio Console first (Messaging → Senders → WhatsApp senders), which requires Meta business verification. The switch here only tells Base the registration is done.

How to

Buy a number

  1. Under the search, enter an area code (for example 2) and, if you want particular digits, a contains pattern (for example 1234). Both are optional.
  2. Press the search button. Australian mobile and local numbers that match are listed with their locality.
  3. Press the buy button on the one you want.

The number becomes your organisation's SMS number straight away, and the page confirms that replies will land in project comms. Base then offers to set up automatic text handling for the new number; you can accept or dismiss it.

Set the signature

  1. In the Signature box on your number, type a short sign-off, for example your business name. Recipients cannot see a sender name on a text, so this is how they know who it is from.
  2. Press the save button. The preview under the box shows how a text will end.

The signature is appended to every text sent from the number. It cannot be empty.

Turn WhatsApp on for the number

  1. Register the number as a WhatsApp sender in the Twilio Console first.
  2. Press the WhatsApp switch.

Sends and replies on the number now work over WhatsApp too, and WhatsApp replies land in project comms like texts.

Release the number

  1. Press Release on the number and confirm.

Inbound replies to that number stop routing to Base. This cannot be undone; the number goes back to the pool.

What happens on its own

  • Every text from the number carries the signature. Replies are matched to the project the conversation belongs to and appear in its comms.
  • The number is billed monthly for as long as you hold it.
  • The assistant can search for numbers, set the signature and switch WhatsApp when you ask. Buying a number and releasing one need your explicit yes in the chat, because one spends money and the other cannot be undone.

Things that surprise people

  • Searching is free; buying is a monthly charge. The confirmation names the number before anything is charged.
  • The signature is mandatory, and the save button stays disabled while the box is empty. Texts from a bare number with no name are the complaint this rule exists to avoid.
  • Switching WhatsApp on without the Twilio registration does nothing useful. Base does not register the sender for you.
  • Releasing a number is final. Texts already sent are kept in comms; new replies to the old number go nowhere.
  • Integrations carries a shorter version of the SMS card beside the other connections.
  • Comms for where the replies land.