Loading....

Microsoft Outlook Add-in

Home / User Guide / Integrations / Microsoft Outlook Add-in/

1. Sign up and add credits

touchSMS is a pre-paid SMS platform – no contracts, hidden fees or minimum spend and you can close your account at any time. To sign up and activate your touchSMS account, all you need is a verified email address and mobile number – no credit card required.

We’ll even give you 10 free SMS credits to get you started.

You can then pre-purchase more credits as needed at 5c per credit or set up Auto-Top Up to ensure you don’t run out of credits when your sending. Click here for more information

One credit is used for 1 SMS of up to 160 characters. Your credit balance will always appear in the top right corner of your touchSMS account. To purchase credits log in to your touchSMS account:

  1. Navigate to Purchase > Credits
  2. Enter the number of prepaid Credits you wish to purchase and click Calculate.
  3. Complete your Payment Information using your credit card or PayPal account and click Finalise Purchase.

If you already have a touchSMS account, log in and move onto Step 2.

2. Download & install the Add-in

You can enable the touchSMS for Outlook Add-in from within Outlook Get Add-ins or Microsoft AppSource.

 Enable the Add-in within Outlook Add-ins:

        1. Opening Outlook
        2. Go to Home > Get Add-ins
        3. Type touchSMS for Outlook in the search field
        4. Click Add

Note: If you don’t see the touchSMS Add-in in the Home Ribbon simply click on;
Home > Get Add-ins > My Add-ins > Click on touchSMS for Outlook
In the ribbon that appears at the bottom of the screen click Add

 

Outlook add-ins are supported in Outlook 2013 or later on Windows, Outlook 2016 or later on Mac, Outlook on the web for Exchange 2013 on-premises and later versions, Outlook on iOS, Outlook on Android, and Outlook on the web and Outlook.com.

Get Add-Ins button not appearing or greyed out in Outlook Menu Ribbon – Click here for troubleshooting

3. Connecting Outlook with your touchSMS Account and Pin it to your Mailbox

The first time you use touchSMS for Outlook, you will need to connect the Add-in to your touchSMS account using your API keys. To set up an API key, log in to your touchSMS account:
 

  1. Navigate to Settings > API Keys
  2. Click Create API Key.
  3. Enter a Name (for example; Outlook) for your API Key, the status will be set to Active by default, and click Save.
To complete the setup of your touchSMS for Outlook Add-in, copy and paste your API details into the Add-in screen and click Connect to get started.
Once your Add-in is connected, pin it to your mailbox for quick sending by clicking the pin icon in the top right corner.

4. Sending SMS from touchSMS for Outlook

Sending SMS using the touchSMS for Outlook Add-in is fast and efficient. There are 2 ways to send SMS from your touchSMS for Outlook Add-in:

SMS Chat

SMS Chat works just like messages on your phone, with chat threads grouped by the recipient. Each message thread will be chronologically displayed. Chat is real-time, meaning inbound messages received will pop up instantly in your chat thread, so you can keep the conversation going.

1. To start a new chat, click the + or ⋮ icon from the top search bar

2. Enter your recipient’s number and click Create Chat
Note: If the recipient’s number is not saved as a contact in your touchSMS account, click on the Add Contact icon in the top left to enter their details. This will make it easier to identify the in your chat inbox.
3. Use the message composition options to compose your SMS.
From
Use the From dropdown to select your Sender ID – this is what your SMS is sent from, the name or number that appears as the sender when your contact receives the SMS. Here are your options:

If you would like your recipients to reply to your SMS

    • Shared Local Number – Replies to Web Inbox & Email (Allow Replies)
      This is a shared pool of mobile numbers that allow you to receive replies to SMS sent. Numbers are randomly selected, so recipients receive messages from a different number each time you send. This is free to use and receive replies.
    • Virtual Number – Replies to Web Inbox & Email (Allow Replies)
      You can purchase a Virtual Number from your touchSMS account (pricing and availability vary per region). This number is assigned to your account exclusively to send and receive messages, so recipients receive messages from the same number each time you send. Click here for more info
    • Sender ID – No Replies
      Replace the sender number with a word like ALERT, URGENT or send from your brand name, by setting up an Alphanumeric Sender ID (availability varies per region). Telecommunication protocols limit an Alpha Sender ID to a maximum of 11 characters long and cannot contain any spaces or symbols, so you sometimes need to get creative with abbreviating longer names. Recipients CANNOT reply to messages sent using a Sender ID.
    • Own Number – Replies to Your Mobile
      As your mobile number is verified at signup, you can send SMS from touchSMS using your registered mobile number. Replies to messages sent using your own mobile number will be received by your mobile therefore not received in your touchSMS account.
Your touchSMS Sender ID is managed from your online account. To add a new Sender ID or manage an existing one simply log in and navigate to Profile > Allowed Sender ID’s click here for more info
Message
Type the content of your SMS into the Message box. Each character is counted to ensure you know how many message parts you are sending. 1 standard SMS contains 160 characters.
Templates
Use the Templates dropdown to select from pre-saved SMS templates.
Your touchSMS templates are managed from your online account. To create a new template or manage an existing one simply login in and navigate to SMS > Templates click here for more information
4. Click Send Message to submit your message to your recipient. The message will immediately appear in your chat thread.

Send Campaign

1. Click on the touchSMS for Outlook Add-in in your Home menu ribbon to open the Add-in, then click Send Campaign.

2. Use the Recipients dropdown to select or search recipients from your saved touchSMS contacts or manually enter or paste numbers in the recipient field.

3. Enter a Campaign Name (optional) to identify the campaign in your touchSMS reporting
4. Use the From dropdown to select your Sender ID – this is what your SMS is sent from, the name or number that appears as the sender when your contact receives the SMS. Here are your options:

If you would like your recipients to reply to your SMS

    • Shared Local Number – Replies to Web Inbox & Email (Allow Replies)
      This is a shared pool of mobile numbers that allow you to receive replies to SMS sent. Numbers are randomly selected, so recipients receive messages from a different number each time you send. This is free to use and receive replies.
    • Virtual Number – Replies to Web Inbox & Email (Allow Replies)
      You can purchase a Virtual Number from your touchSMS account (pricing and availability vary per region). This number is assigned to your account exclusively to send and receive messages, so recipients receive messages from the same number each time you send. Click here for more info
    • Sender ID – No Replies
      Replace the sender number with a word like ALERT, URGENT or send from your brand name, by setting up an Alphanumeric Sender ID (availability varies per region). Telecommunication protocols limit an Alpha Sender ID to a maximum of 11 characters long and cannot contain any spaces or symbols, so you sometimes need to get creative with abbreviating longer names. Recipients CANNOT reply to messages sent using a Sender ID.
    • Own Number – Replies to Your Mobile
      As your mobile number is verified at signup, you can send SMS from touchSMS using your registered mobile number. Replies to messages sent using your own mobile number will be received by your mobile therefore not received in your touchSMS account.
Your touchSMS Sender ID is managed from your online account. To add a new Sender ID or manage an existing one simply log in and navigate to Profile > Allowed Sender ID’s click here for more info
5. Use the Templates dropdown to select from pre-saved SMS templates.
(To create templates, login to your touchSMS account and go to SMS > Templates click here for more information)
6. Type the content of your message in the SMS Message box. Each character is counted to ensure you know how many message parts you are sending. 1 standard SMS contains 160 characters.
7. Click Preview Campaign to view your Campaign Summary before sending

8. The Campaign Summary will detail exactly how many numbers you are sending to, the length of the message, and calculate the cost of your campaign in SMS credits. (If you do not have enough SMS credits a notification will appear, that will direct you to Purchases in touchSMS so you can purchase more)

9. Click Send Now to submit your campaign for delivery

 

5. Hiding or removing touchSMS for Outlook Add-in

To remove the touchSMS for Outlook Add-in, simply right-click on the Add-in in the menu ribbon and select “Remove Add-in”.

6. Troubleshooting

Can I use this Add-in with my version of Outlook?

Outlook add-ins are supported in Outlook 2013 or later on Windows, Outlook 2016 or later on Mac, Outlook on the web for Exchange 2013 on-premises and later versions, Outlook on iOS, Outlook on Android, and Outlook on the web and Outlook.com. Not all of the newest features are supported in all clients at the same time.

NOTE: Issued reported in Outlook Version 1902 (2019) where Add-in window is blank, can only be resolved with update to Outlook application.

 Integrations  

Related Knowledge Base Posts -

Back To Top