How to send SMS from Zoho Creator apps

One feature request that we receive frequently from our customers is the ability to send SMS from Zoho Creator apps. The solution is to have a third-party SMS Gateway service that supports HTTP(s) or SMTP API integrated with the Zoho Creator app.

Clickatell is one such service and we'll explain below how a Zoho Creator application can be configured to use Clickatell's SMTP API to send SMS. We have created a simple Zoho Creator application for this. The script (.ds file) for the application is available here. Download the .ds file and open it in a text editor of your choice. In the sendSMS function,

  1. Replace clickatellusername with username of your Clickatell account
  2. Replace clickatellpassword with password of your Clickatell account
  3. Replace APIKEY with API ID of your Clickatell account

void sendSMS(int to, string text)
{
sendmail
(
To : "sms@messaging.clickatell.com"
From : zoho.loginuserid
Subject : "SMS"
Message : "user:clickatellusername\npassword:clickatellpassword\napi_id: " +
"APIKEY\nfrom:ZohoCreator\nto:" + input.to + "\ntext:" + input.text
Content type : Plain Text
)
}

After doing the above changes, import the ds file to your Zoho Creator account. The SMS feature can be tested by adding a record in the SMS Details form. Once the sendSMS functionality is tested, this SMS app can be integrated to any other Zoho Creator application by invoking the sendSMS function and passing the mobile number & the text message as arguments.

For example, in a Help Desk application built using Zoho Creator, let's say an SMS is to be sent to a technician whenever a new ticket is assigned to him/her. The function sendSMS should be invoked with the mobile number of the technician from the onSuccess action of the Assign Technician form.


Please note that you can use any SMS provider by modifying this example SMS application. Try this app and let us know your feedback.

Comments

12 Replies to How to send SMS from Zoho Creator apps

  1. @prizementallity : Yes, it is possible to use current email options provided you know the respective email extension for the mobile number. Integrating with third party SMS Gateway will help to send SMS to any mobile number.@swimmingdog : Clickatell can be integrated with any Zoho Creator application using http://zohocreator.wiki.zoho.com/Send-mail.html" rel="nofollow">Mail API. The Creator app sends email to Clickatell service (can be any SMS Gateway) which converts the email as SMS and sends it to the mobile number specified.Please check with Clickatell if they support in China. Also you can try with other SMS gateways in China that support SMTP API for sending SMS.

  2. @prizementallity : Yes, it is possible to use current email options provided you know the respective email extension for the mobile number. Integrating with third party SMS Gateway will help to send SMS to any mobile number.@swimmingdog : Clickatell can be integrated with any Zoho Creator application using http://zohocreator.wiki.zoho.com/Send-mail.html" rel="nofollow">Mail API. The Creator app sends email to Clickatell service (can be any SMS Gateway) which converts the email as SMS and sends it to the mobile number specified.Please check with Clickatell if they support in China. Also you can try with other SMS gateways in China that support SMTP API for sending SMS.

  3. Hi, this is really great. I'd like to have a try. But here're two questions:
    1. Is Clickatell already integrated in Zoho Creator?
    2. Is this available in China? Does it work if we want to send a short message to a Chinese mobile number?
    Thanks.

  4. Hi, this is really great. I'd like to have a try. But here're two questions:
    1. Is Clickatell already integrated in Zoho Creator?
    2. Is this available in China? Does it work if we want to send a short message to a Chinese mobile number?
    Thanks.

  5. How is this better than simply using your current email options that already exist in zoho. e.g. Create database of cell service provider with appropriate email extension (http://vtext.com " rel="nofollow">vtext.com, etc) Then using look ups and formula fields to populate a user's SMS address with their phone number and appropriate carrier id. This new method seems like more work. Could you tell me how and why it's better. Thanks!

  6. How is this better than simply using your current email options that already exist in zoho. e.g. Create database of cell service provider with appropriate email extension (http://vtext.com " rel="nofollow">vtext.com, etc) Then using look ups and formula fields to populate a user's SMS address with their phone number and appropriate carrier id. This new method seems like more work. Could you tell me how and why it's better. Thanks!

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