SMS

Connect an SMS channel to ChannelX so text messages arrive as conversations in your shared inbox. ChannelX supports two providers — Twilio and Bandwidth — and lets you send pre-approved Twilio content templates.

Create an SMS inbox

1. Go to Settings → Inboxes → Add Inbox.
2. Click the SMS icon.
3. Choose your API provider and fill in the required fields (see below).
4. Add agents to the inbox.

Once created, messages start arriving in your ChannelX dashboard.

Using Twilio

Choose Twilio from the provider dropdown and enter your Twilio credentials and number, then click Create Twilio Channel.

Using Twilio Studio

If you run a custom conversation flow in Twilio Studio, overwriting the webhook URL directly will break it. Instead, add a Make HTTP Request widget at the handoff point in your flow and point it at the ChannelX webhook, the same way you would for a Twilio WhatsApp inbox.

Using Bandwidth

Choose Bandwidth from the provider dropdown, fill in the required fields, and click Create Bandwidth Channel.

Twilio content templates

Twilio content templates let you send pre-approved WhatsApp message templates through your Twilio WhatsApp Business channels in ChannelX. They let you initiate conversations and send structured messages that comply with WhatsApp's policies.

Note

Content templates apply to Twilio WhatsApp channels. They are created and approved in the Twilio Console, then synced into ChannelX.

Supported template types

• Text — Simple messages with optional variables in {{1}}, {{2}} format (up to 100 variables, multi-language).
• Media — Image (JPEG/PNG, max 5 MB), video (MP4/3GPP, max 16 MB), or document (PDF/Office, max 100 MB) headers, with support for dynamic media URLs.
• Quick reply — Interactive button responses handled by WhatsApp.
• Call-to-action — URL button templates, with variables supported in both the message text and button parameters.

Prerequisites

• An active Twilio account with WhatsApp Business API access.
• Templates created and approved in the Twilio Console.
• A Twilio WhatsApp channel configured in ChannelX.
• A verified WhatsApp Business profile.

Creating templates in Twilio

1. In the Twilio Console, go to Messaging → Content Template Builder.
2. Click Create new template and choose a type (text, media, or quick reply).
3. Configure the template for its purpose and submit it for WhatsApp approval.
4. Wait for approval (typically 5 minutes to 24 hours). Approved templates receive a ContentSid and are ready to use.

Syncing templates to ChannelX

Templates sync automatically when you open the content templates modal in a conversation or start a new conversation on a Twilio WhatsApp channel. To sync manually, go to Settings → Inboxes, select your Twilio WhatsApp inbox, and click Sync Templates.

Using templates in conversations

1. Open a conversation with a WhatsApp contact and click the template icon in the composer.
2. Select WhatsApp Templates and pick a template (use search to find one quickly).
3. Fill in any required variables or media, then send.

Best practices

• Keep messages concise and use variables for personalization (under 10 variables for best experience).
• Host media on reliable servers over HTTPS, and optimize file sizes.
• Follow WhatsApp Business Policy guidelines and respect user consent.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Template not appearing	Not approved by WhatsApp, or not synced	Check approval status in the Twilio Console; run a manual sync
Template sync failed	API connection or invalid credentials	Verify your Twilio credentials and retry
Media not loading	URL not accessible or wrong format	Use a public HTTPS URL and check the format and size limits
Variables not working	Wrong format or missing values	Use {{1}}, {{2}} numbering and fill every required field

Current limitations

Twilio content templates are not yet supported in campaigns. List picker, catalog, and carousel templates are not supported. Templates allow a maximum of 100 sequentially numbered variables, and media must be publicly accessible.