Enable Subscription via Inbound SMS

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Goal

Allow new contacts to subscribe to a Mapp Engage group by sending an SMS containing their mobile number or email address.

Prerequisites

  • SMS messaging must be enabled in your Mapp Engage account.

  • Coordinate with your Account Manager to:

    • Register codes and keywords for SMS

    • Obtain an inbound mobile ID

  • Create a dedicated group for SMS subscriptions (subscribe and unsubscribe require separate groups).

  • Enable relevant system messages for SMS:

    • SysMsgWelcomeToGroupPasswd

    • SysMsgMobileEmailSubscribeSuccess (optional)

Procedure

1. Define the Group’s SMS Settings

  1. Navigate to Audience > Group Management > Groups.

  2. In the Actions column, click the edit icon.

  3. Go to the Reply Handling tab.

  4. Expand the SMS section.

  5. From the Replies drop-down, select one of the following:

    • Treat as Mobile Subscribe Request – adds the sender’s mobile number

    • Treat as Email Subscribe Request – adds the email from the SMS body

  6. Save the settings.

2. Format the Inbound SMS Message

Contacts can subscribe using a mobile number (from the sender) or an email address (included in the SMS body). The required SMS format depends on the type of number you’re using:

Channel Type

Destination Number (Example)

Required SMS Body Format

Shared Short Code

12345

<inbound ID> <email>Example: NEWS joe@email.com

Dedicated Short Code

88888

<email>Example: joe@email.com

Dedicated Long Number

441234567890

<email>Example: joe@email.com

Mapp Engage uses the mobile number from the sender and/or parses the email address in the message body.

Note: If the contact already exists in Mapp Engage, they must have Permissions 208 and 212 to update their address or profile information.

3. Configure System Message Behavior

  • If using Treat as Mobile Subscribe Request:

    • Sends SysMsgWelcomeToGroupPasswd via SMS.

  • If using Treat as Email Subscribe Request, and you choose to store both mobile and email:

    • Also sends SysMsgMobileEmailSubscribeSuccess via SMS.

    • This message can be suppressed if needed.

Limitations

  • Each SMS group supports only one reply handling method. You cannot handle subscriptions and unsubscriptions in the same group.

  • The automation event Message Reply Received (C) does not trigger for unknown mobile numbers, so it cannot be used for SMS-based opt-ins.

Best Practices

  • Use separate SMS groups for subscribing and unsubscribing flows.

  • Include clear keyword instructions in your outbound SMS when using shared short codes.

  • Suppress redundant system messages to prevent duplicate notifications.

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