How to Send Inbound SMS Notifications via a Workflow
Incoming SMS only shows up in Conversation / not forwarding to the forwarding number for GHL Customer Care
6 min read1,267 words12 explained imagesUpdated Fri, 4 Sep at 12:00 AM
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Workflow Automation
How to Send Inbound SMS Notifications via a Workflow
Use the Customer Replied workflow trigger to notify your team by SMS when a contact sends an inbound text message.
Overview
Inbound SMS messages are received and stored in the Conversations tab in GHL Customer Care. A phone number's call-forwarding settings do not automatically forward those inbound SMS messages to another phone number.
If your team also needs an SMS alert when a contact replies, you can create a Customer Replied workflow that sends a separate internal SMS notification containing the inbound message. This article explains how to configure the trigger, add the message content, manage repeat replies, and troubleshoot common issues.
Table of Contents
Video Walkthrough
What is Inbound SMS Notification Forwarding?
Inbound SMS notification forwarding uses a workflow to alert internal users when a contact sends an SMS. The original message remains in Conversations, while the workflow creates a separate internal notification containing information from that message.
This is different from call forwarding. Configuring a forwarding phone number for calls does not automatically forward inbound text messages to that same destination.
Key Benefits of Inbound SMS Notifications
Internal SMS notifications help team members stay aware of inbound replies even when they are not actively monitoring Conversations. Dynamic values can include the contact and message information needed to understand who replied and what they said.
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
How the Workflow Works
The workflow listens specifically for inbound SMS replies and then sends a new internal notification to your selected recipient. The contact's original SMS remains available in Conversations and is not moved or replaced.
- A contact sends an inbound SMS.
- The message appears in Conversations.
- The Customer Replied trigger detects the reply.
- The Reply Channel = SMS filter confirms the message came from SMS.
- The workflow sends an Internal Notification containing the message details.
Important
The workflow sends a new internal notification. It does not natively forward the original SMS thread through the phone number's call-forwarding setting.
How to Set Up Inbound SMS Notifications
Proper trigger filters ensure the workflow reacts only to inbound SMS replies, while the Internal Notification action determines who receives the alert and what information is included. Test the workflow before relying on it for live conversations.
Step 1
Create a New Workflow
Go to Automation → Workflows → Create Workflow.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Select Start from Scratch, then choose Create New Workflow.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Step 2
Add the Customer Replied Trigger
Click Add New Workflow Trigger.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Select Customer Replied.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Step 3
Filter the Trigger to SMS Replies
Click Add Filters.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Choose Reply Channel.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Select SMS as the Reply Channel.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Click Save Trigger.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Step 4
Add the Internal Notification Action
Click the action below the trigger and select Send Internal Notification.
Messaging Charges
SMS internal notifications generate outbound SMS usage and applicable messaging charges.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Choose SMS as the notification type and select the appropriate internal recipient supported by your configuration.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Step 5
Add the Inbound Message Body
In the notification message, open the Custom Values picker and select Message → Message Body. This inserts {{message.body}}, which provides the content of the reply that triggered the workflow.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Step 6
Add Contact Details
Add useful contact values such as Contact → First Name so the notification identifies who sent the message.
Buttons and menus referenced
Customer RepliedReply Channel = SMSInternal Notificationnew internal notificationAutomation → Workflows → Create WorkflowStart from ScratchCreate New WorkflowAdd New Workflow TriggerAdd FiltersReply ChannelSMSSave Trigger
All 4 steps in this procedure
- Faster Response Awareness: Alert team members when a contact sends an inbound SMS.
- Message Context: Include dynamic values such as the contact's name and inbound message body.
- Flexible Recipients: Send internal notifications to the applicable users, roles, or teams supported by the Internal Notification action.
- Channel Control: Use Reply Channel = SMS so replies from other channels do not trigger the same SMS notification workflow.
Example notification:
New SMS from {{contact.first_name}}:
{{message.body}}
Step 7
Publish and Test the Workflow
Save the action, publish the workflow, and send a test SMS reply from a contact. Confirm that the inbound message appears in Conversations and that the intended internal recipient receives the separate SMS notification.
Configure Re-entry for Repeated SMS Replies
Allow Re-entry controls whether the same contact can enter the workflow again after completing it. This setting matters for an inbound SMS notification workflow because contacts may reply more than once over time.
- Allow Re-entry enabled: A contact can enter the workflow again after they have completed it or have been manually removed.
- Allow Re-entry disabled: A contact can enter and complete the workflow only once.
Important: A contact cannot re-enter while they are still active in the workflow. For a simple notification workflow, keep the workflow short so it can complete before the contact's next qualifying reply.
Troubleshooting Inbound SMS Notifications
Most notification issues are caused by trigger filters, workflow status, recipient configuration, re-entry settings, or SMS delivery limits. Checking each layer in order can quickly identify why an expected alert was not received.
The workflow does not trigger
- Confirm the trigger is Customer Replied.
- Confirm the filter is Reply Channel = SMS.
- Confirm the workflow is published and active.
- If the contact has already completed the workflow, check whether Allow Re-entry is enabled.
The notification action executes but the user does not receive the SMS
- Confirm the intended internal user has a valid phone number configured.
- Review the workflow execution history for errors.
- Check the failed SMS in Conversations or messaging logs for an error code when available.
The notification is too long
If the resulting SMS body exceeds approximately 1,600 characters, the message can fail to send. This can happen when a large dynamic value such as {{message.body}} is inserted into the notification. Keep SMS notification content concise or use another internal notification channel when long content is expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will I be charged for each SMS internal notification?
Yes. SMS internal notifications use outbound messaging and can generate applicable SMS charges. For high-volume alerts, consider an in-app or email internal notification instead.
Q: Is the original inbound SMS actually forwarded?
No. The original inbound message remains in Conversations. The workflow creates a separate internal notification that can include the original message content through {{message.body}}.
Q: Will the workflow notify me every time the same contact sends another SMS?
Only when the contact is eligible to enter the workflow again. Enable Allow Re-entry if the same contact should be able to re-enter after completing the workflow.
Q: What does {{message.body}} contain?
It inserts the message content associated with the reply that triggered the workflow. If the resulting SMS notification becomes too long, delivery can fail, so keep the notification template concise.
Q: Can I notify more than one team member?
Yes. Internal Notifications can target supported users, roles, or teams depending on the notification configuration. Each SMS recipient can contribute to messaging usage.
Q: Can the Customer Replied trigger also monitor email or chat replies?
Yes. Customer Replied supports multiple reply-channel filters. If you need notifications for other channels, configure the appropriate Reply Channel filters or separate workflows so each channel can be managed intentionally.
Q: Does the contact receive a confirmation when the internal notification is sent?
No. The Internal Notification action alerts your internal recipient and does not automatically reply to the contact. If you want the contact to receive an automated response, add a separate Send SMS action.
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