Nutshell SMS is only available on Engagement Suite Pro plans.
In today’s mobile-driven world, connecting with customers where they are is crucial. Nutshell SMS allows you to send, receive, and manage text messages directly from Nutshell. As a paid add-on, this feature provides an additional communication channel alongside the existing options in Nutshell, and even lets you set up automated text messages to enhance your workflow.
Getting started
Prerequisite: An admin user must complete a one-time enrollment registration and get approval to start using Nutshell SMS.
Please note that this feature is only available in the USA.
Access SMS in our Engagement suite to begin your enrollment
Navigate to Engagement > Settings > SMS
This is where you’ll set up and configure text messaging for your organization.
Complete the enrollment process
On the SMS settings page, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to help you complete the enrollment process. Here's a quick overview:
Click on the ‘Enroll your brand and campaign’ card
This first step includes completing a detailed form that requires specific business and campaign information.
Ensure the information you submit matches exactly what is on your IRS EIN letter. This includes using your company’s full legal name, legal address, and the correct EIN number as listed.
Additionally, you will need to provide information about your chosen business representative who will serve as the point of contact overseeing accountability, quality assurance, and adherence to legal standards.
And lastly, you’ll need to provide campaign-specific information about the type of text messages that you plan to send your leads/customers. This includes:
A description of your texts:
You'll need to include who the sender is, who your recipients are, and why messages are being sent. For example: "We will send a welcome message and a discount offers from Acme Steamroller Company to customers who have opted in. Our team will interact with them via text to answer questions on business requirements."
How end-users will opt-in to receiving messages:
For example: "End users opt-in by visiting www.example.com and adding their phone number. They then check a box agreeing to receive text messages from Acme, Inc. Additionally, end users can also opt-in by texting START to (111) 555-3333 to opt in. Terms and Conditions at www.example.com/tc. Privacy Policy at www.example.com/privacy"
Actual examples of the texts you plan to send:
Example: "Hi! This is Andy from Nutshell. I wanted to see if I could answer any questions about your inquiry for a new warehouse roof. If you’d like to opt out of any other messages, just text STOP in reply to this message."
Once submitted, the registration will be reviewed by our data infrastructure provider. This review process may take from one day to two weeks to approve. Keep an eye on the SMS settings page to view your submission status which will show the respective status of your enrollment i.e. under review, approved, or rejected.
Choose a phone number
After your enrollment form is approved, you will need to generate and select a company-wide phone number for text messaging.
Simply add your area code, click ‘Generate numbers,’ and pick a number that looks good to you.
Start sending texts
Once the phone number is registered, you can initiate a new text conversation by clicking the 'Send a text' button on any Person, Lead, or Company page.
Alternatively, you can click on the 'Send text' button in the sidebar on any Person, Lead, or Company page.
This will open the sidebar and right at the bottom, you’ll be able to add your text message in the text field and choose from the available send options.
Managing your text threads
The SMS page in the main navigation menu is the hub of your organization’s text threads organized by thread status.
On this page you’ll see:
Text thread overview
Open: Active conversations
Needs reply: Threads that need to be responded to
Snoozed: Threads that are temporarily paused
Scheduled: Messages set to be sent at a later date
Closed: Conversations that are completed or opted out
Failed to send: Texts that weren't delivered
Thread assignment: Each thread shows who it’s assigned to. Admins can reassign threads if needed, while non-admins will only see their assigned threads.
Filter: Admins can filter text messages by team members, non-admins will only see threads assigned to them.
You can continue text conversations in the hub, but a new text thread can only be started on the person, lead, and company pages.
Receive notifications
When a thread is assigned to you or a response is received, you’ll receive a notification. This way you are up to date with the status of your conversation and can act accordingly.
Automate your text messages
You can set up automated text messages as part of your specific workflow.
To set up automated text messages, head to Pipelines.
Choose the pipeline and scroll down to Text automations
3. Click on the + card and set up your automated text message in the sidebar
You will manually add the text message, choose the sender, and set when the text
should start sending. In addition, you can add merge fields and fallback texts as
needed.
Ready to start using Nutshell SMS?
Head to the Billing page in Nutshell to sign-up for our Nutshell Engagement Pro plan, which is available as a per-user purchase. Once the plan is purchased, you can assign Engagement licenses to the team members who need access.
As admin, go to Settings > Users & teams. Select the team member you’d like to enable for SMS, then toggle on the Engagement license in their profile.
For more help or questions, please reach out to our support team. Enjoy managing your text communications with Nutshell! 🎉
FAQs
How long does the enrollment process take?
It typically takes 1 to 14 days for our data infrastructure to approve the enrollment. If there’s an issue, a support ticket will be created for assistance.
Is Nutshell SMS available outside the USA?
Right now, this feature is only available within the USA.
How many credits does a text message take?
Each SMS seat you purchase adds 150 messages to your company-wide message pool, and you have the ability to buy more monthly messages to add to your message pool.
For example: If you purchase 10 SMS seats, you will have 1,500 monthly messages in your company-wide credit pull to be used between your 10 SMS users.
You are only charged for each outbound message. Messages do not roll over from month to month.
Can I send text messages in bulk?
Bulk smses are currently not supported.
How can end-users opt out of receiving texts?
Users can opt-out by texting "STOP," which will notify you and prevent further messages to that number.
What happens when a text message thread is closed?
Closing a thread marks it as complete. You can still view the history, but no more messages can be sent from that thread. A new thread will need to be created.
Can I filter my text threads?
Yes, you can filter threads by status—open, snoozed, scheduled, or closed—and by assignee.
Can Nutshell receive incoming text messages if a thread doesn’t exist?
Yes, a new unassigned thread will be created and appear at the top of the Texts main hub page.
Are there templates for text automation in Pipelines?
Texts will need to be manually typed out, as there aren’t templates for now.
Can I see text threads on timelines?
Absolutely, you’ll see threads right at the top of a Person, Company, or Lead timeline. Clicking on it will open the sidebar where you can view the full conversation.
Can I respond to text threads assigned to someone else?
No, you cannot respond to text threads assigned to someone else unless you are an admin or the thread has been reassigned to you by an admin.