#Bubble plugin :: Sociocs - Send Text Messages
This plugin itself is FREE, however, it requires a FREE TRIAL or PAID account on Sociocs to use the necessary API for this plugin.
#Introduction
This plugin allows sending text messages from your Bubble app.
Enable two-way conversations with your Bubble app users with the Sociocs inbox. For example, you send an order confirmation from your bubble app, which is also visible in your Sociocs inbox. When your user/customer replies to that message, it comes to the Sociocs inbox, from where you can reply back.
This plugin offers two actions, you can use either or both depending upon your use case.
Send Sociocs Message - To send outbound message.
Save Sociocs Incoming - To add an incoming message from your user/customer (e.g. a form submission or a simulated entry to save details which can be useful later.)
#Supported channels
- SMS (with Twilio)
- WhatsApp (with Twilio)
- WhatsApp (with Gupshup)
#Plugin Installation
In the Bubble dashboard, go to "Plugins".
Click on "+ Add Plugins".
Search for "Sociocs - Send Text Messages".
Click on "Install".
#Plugin Configuration
#Sociocs
Sign up or log in on app.sociocs.com.
Connect "SMS (with Twilio)", "WhatsApp (with Gupshup)", or "WhatsApp (with Twilio)" channel on the "Connect a new channel" page. If you are an existing user, after logging in, click on "Channels" menu on the top, click on "+" button to go to the "Connect a new channel" page.
Go to "Profile & settings -> API".
Find "API Key" (referred to as "api_key" in Bubble editor steps below). If you're using Sociocs API for the first time, you need to enable it by clicking on "Enable API" button. You will need this key later.
Under the "Provider and Channel Key for the API calls" section, select the channel you would like to use for communication. You should see values for "provider", and "channel_key", which you will need later.
#Bubble Editor
Go to the "Sociocs - Send Text Messages" plugin in the Bubble Editor.
Add "api_key", "provider", and "channel_key" parameters in the installed bubble plugin.
Bubble also shows fields for adding dev keys (i.e. "api_key - dev.", "provider - dev.", and "channel_key - dev."). You can leave them blank.
#Bubble workflow setup
#Bubble Editor - Workflow tab/page
Add a new action at the step where you would like to send a message to the user.
This is an optional step. You can save certain information (e.g. order details) in Sociocs before a message is sent to a user/customer. This info could be useful when user/customer replies with questions. Your user/customer doesn't see or receive it. In Sociocs Inbox, this info shows as an incoming message from the user. You can skip to next step if you do not wish to save any details.
In the action popup, select "Save Sociocs Incoming".
Enter the "From" (required), "Name" (optional) and "Text" (required) fields to use in all the actions or set them to use dynamic values.
To send message to the user
In the action popup, select "Plugins -> Send Sociocs Message".
Enter the "To" (required), "Name" (optional) and "Text" (required) fields to use in all the actions or set them to use dynamic values.
You can also send images or a file to the user. If you will be using values from the database, ensure that either the "Data type" is publicly accessible, OR under "Privacy" tab, "Everyone else" has access to "Find this in searches" and image and/or file field.
- To send one image, enter "Image URL" or set it to use a dynamic URL value.
- To send multiple images, set "Image URLs" to use a dynamic URL values.
- To send a file, enter "File URL" or set it to use a dynamic URL value. Support for file types in the SMS/MMS clients is very limited, so all your recipients may not be able to see/open the received file.
Whenever you're using a WhatsApp channel to initiate a message, please make sure the message text is approved as a template by WhatsApp, and enter it exactly as the approved template's text.
You can submit the template for approval on the website of the provider you used (e.g., Twilio) for creating your WhatsApp account.
That's it, you are all set to send messages to your users!