Send SMS action
Summarize
Summary of Send SMS action
The Send SMS action in ServiceNow allows you to send SMS text messages via your instance's email server to specified users or groups. Recipients must have their SMS device configured to receive these messages. This action is available as part of Workflow Studio, and only users with the flowdesigner or admin role can add this action to a flow and set up configuration details.
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Key Features
- Recipients: Specify users or groups by dragging from the data panel; hard-coded addresses are not supported.
- Message: Enter the text directly or use the data panel to drag a pill for message content.
- Dynamic Inputs: Add dynamic values for each input by dragging from the Data panel.
- Outputs: Generated outputs, such as the Email record created for the SMS message, can be used as inputs in other flow components.
- Error Handling: Clearly defined error messages will assist with troubleshooting issues such as missing recipients or messages, inactive users, and the need for proper SMS device configuration.
Key Outcomes
Due to the deprecation of the email-to-text gateway by major service providers, it is advised to transition to using Notify for SMS notifications. Notify allows integration with third-party services, such as Twilio, and requires setting up supporting workflows. For guidance on SMS email notifications, refer to the ServiceNow knowledge base article.
Send an email-based SMS text message to specified users or groups using your instance email server. Recipients must have an SMS device configured to receive the message.
Roles and availability
Available as a Workflow Studio ServiceNow core action. Users with the flow_designer or admin role can add an action to a flow and define configuration details.
Deprecation of email-to-text gateway
Email-to-text service is now deprecated and no longer supported by service providers such as AT&T and Verizon. It is recommended to use Notify for sending SMS notifications.
Notify provides support for sending SMS notifications through integration of third-party services, such as Twilio, and requires configuration of supporting workflows. For more information, see How to setup a SMS email notification in ServiceNow [KB0712569] knowledge base article.
Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Recipients | Recipients of the SMS text message. Specify a user or group by dragging a pill from the data panel. Note: Hard-coded addresses are not supported. |
| Message | Content of the SMS text message. You can enter text directly or drag a pill from the data panel. |
Inputs
Provide a value for each input that your flow needs. To add dynamic values, you can also drag and drop pills from the Data panel or select them from the pill picker.
- Recipients
- Data type: String
Recipients of the SMS text message. Specify a user or group by dragging a pill from the data panel.
- Message
- Data type: String
Content of the SMS text message. You can enter text directly or drag a pill from the data panel.
Outputs
These outputs appear in the Data panel. You can use them as inputs elsewhere in your flow.
- Data type: Record
The Email record created for the SMS message.
Error messages
| Error | Description |
|---|---|
| Recipients are required to send SMS | Appears when no user or group is entered in the recipients field. |
| Message is required to send SMS | Appears when no message is entered in the message field. |
| While parsing the recipients, found hardcoded addresses: %s which were ignored as they are not supported | Appears when hard-coded address is entered in the recipients field. |
| While parsing the recipients, no active users or groups were found for sys_id(s): %s | Appears when one or more inactive users or groups are entered in the recipients field. |
| No active SMS device was found for users(s) with sys_id(s): %s | Appears when no SMS device is configured and found for one or more recipients. |
| Email sending is currently disabled. Please enable it via the property to send SMS using email gateway | Appears when email sending is disabled. |