AI-Generated SMS Messages in Workflows

Workflow Automation

AI-Generated SMS Messages in Workflows

Automatically create personalized SMS messages using AI within your workflows, dynamically adapting content based on contact information and conversation history.What You'll Learn

This guide explains how to use AI to generate SMS messages within workflows, enabling you to create contextually relevant and personalized text messages without manual composition.

You'll discover how to configure AI prompts, incorporate contact data, use conversation history, and optimize your automated SMS communications for better engagement.

Table of Contents1What is AI-Generated SMS in Workflows?2Key Benefits3How AI SMS Generation Works4How to Set Up AI-Generated SMS Messages5Best Practices for AI SMS Prompts6Frequently Asked Questions1

What is AI-Generated SMS in Workflows?

AI-Generated SMS in Workflows is a feature that allows workflows to automatically compose SMS messages using artificial intelligence. Instead of writing static message templates, you provide AI with instructions and context, and it generates personalized messages tailored to each contact.

This capability appears within the SMS action in workflows, where you can choose to use AI to create message content. The AI uses your prompt instructions, contact custom field data, and previous conversation history to craft contextually appropriate messages.

The generated messages can be sent directly or stored in custom fields for review, giving you flexibility in how you deploy AI-created content in your communication workflows.

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Key Benefits

AI-generated SMS messages enhance your workflow automation by making communications more adaptive and personalized without additional manual effort.

Dynamic Personalization, Messages automatically adapt to individual contact data, creating unique content for each recipient based on their specific information and context.Contextual Awareness, AI incorporates previous conversation history, ensuring messages reference past interactions and maintain conversational continuity.Time Efficiency, Eliminates the need to manually write multiple message variations or update templates for different scenarios.Scalable Communication, Maintains personalized messaging quality across hundreds or thousands of contacts without additional effort.Flexible Deployment, Messages can be sent immediately or saved to custom fields for human review before sending.3

How AI SMS Generation Works

The AI SMS generation process combines several data sources and your instructions to create contextually relevant messages automatically.

Component 1AI Prompt Instructions

You provide natural language instructions describing what you want the AI to write. The prompt can include tone, purpose, specific details to include, and any constraints like message length.

Component 2Contact Custom Fields

The AI accesses contact custom fields you reference in your prompt, pulling in specific data like names, appointment dates, purchase history, or any other stored information to personalize the message.

Component 3Conversation History

When enabled, the AI reviews the contact's previous messages in the conversation thread, allowing it to reference past topics, answer questions, or maintain conversational flow.

Component 4Message Generation

The AI synthesizes all inputs to compose a message that follows your instructions while incorporating the relevant contact data and conversation context.

Important

The AI generates a new message each time the workflow action runs. Messages are not stored or reused from previous executions.

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How to Set Up AI-Generated SMS Messages

Follow these steps to configure AI-generated SMS messages within your workflow SMS actions.

Step 1Add SMS Action to Workflow

In your workflow builder, add or edit an SMS action at the point where you want to send the AI-generated message.

Step 2Enable AI Generation

In the SMS action configuration, look for the "Write with AI" option or toggle. Enable this feature to activate AI message generation.

Step 3Write Your AI Prompt

In the prompt field, write clear instructions for the AI describing what message you want. Include:

• The purpose of the message (reminder, follow-up, confirmation, etc.)
• Tone and style (professional, friendly, casual, formal)
• Specific information to include
• Any length constraints or formatting requirements

Step 4Reference Custom Fields

To include contact-specific data in your prompt, reference custom fields using the custom field picker or by typing the field name in your instructions. For example: "Include the contact's {{custom_field.appointment_date}} in the message."

The AI will automatically pull values from these fields for each contact. 

Step 5Enable Conversation History (Optional)

To allow the AI to reference previous messages in the conversation thread, enable the "Use conversation history" or "Include chat context" option. This allows the AI to create messages that respond to or acknowledge earlier communications. 

Step 6Choose Message Destination

Decide how the AI-generated message will be used:

• Send immediately: The workflow sends the AI-generated message directly to the contact
• Save to custom field: The generated message is stored in a specified custom field for later review or manual sending

Select your preferred option in the action settings.

Step 7Test the Workflow

Before activating the workflow, test it with sample contacts to verify the AI generates appropriate messages. Review the generated content for accuracy, tone, and completeness.

Success Tip

Start with clear, specific prompts and refine based on the AI's output. The more detailed your instructions, the more consistent and accurate the generated messages will be.

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Best Practices for AI SMS Prompts

Optimize your AI-generated SMS messages by following these proven practices for writing effective prompts.

Practice 1Be Specific About Purpose

Clearly state the message's goal in your prompt. Instead of "send a message," write "send an appointment confirmation message" or "send a follow-up message asking about their experience." Specific purposes lead to more focused, relevant messages.

Practice 2Define Tone Explicitly

Include tone descriptors in your prompt: "friendly and conversational," "professional and concise," "warm and empathetic," or "direct and action-oriented." This ensures the AI matches your brand voice and the situation's requirements.

Practice 3Set Length Constraints

SMS messages have character limits, and recipients prefer concise texts. Specify length in your prompt: "Keep the message under 160 characters" or "Write a brief message, 2-3 sentences maximum." This prevents overly long messages that may be truncated or ignored.

Practice 4Reference Relevant Custom Fields

Only include custom fields that add value to the message. If appointment date is relevant, include it; if a field isn't necessary for the context, omit it. Too many data points can make prompts cluttered and messages confusing.

Practice 5Include Call-to-Action Guidance

If you want recipients to take specific actions, tell the AI to include those instructions: "End the message by asking them to reply YES to confirm" or "Include a link to the booking page." Clear CTAs improve response rates and campaign effectiveness.

Practice 6Use Conversation History Strategically

Enable conversation history when the message should respond to or acknowledge previous exchanges. For initial outreach or standalone messages, conversation history may not be necessary and can be disabled to keep the AI focused on your specific instructions.

Practice 7Test with Multiple Contacts

Run tests with contacts that have different custom field values and conversation histories. This reveals how the AI adapts to various data scenarios and helps you identify prompt improvements needed for edge cases.

Practice 8Iterate Based on Results

Monitor response rates and message quality after deployment. If messages aren't performing as expected, refine your prompt with more specific instructions, adjust tone guidance, or modify the custom fields included.

Note

AI-generated messages are not reviewed before sending when configured to send immediately. Always test thoroughly before deploying workflows that send directly to contacts, or use the "save to custom field" option for human review workflows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does AI-generated SMS work with all SMS carriers and numbers?Yes, AI-generated messages work with any SMS sending number configured in your account. The AI generates the message content; delivery uses your standard SMS infrastructure.Q: What happens if a referenced custom field is empty?If a custom field referenced in your prompt is empty, the AI will generate a message without that data point. For critical fields, consider adding workflow filters to ensure contacts have required data before the SMS action runs.Q: Can I preview the AI-generated message before it sends?When you configure the action to send immediately, there is no preview. To review messages before sending, choose the "save to custom field" option, then use a manual step or separate workflow action to send the message after review.Q: How much conversation history does the AI consider?The AI reviews the recent conversation thread associated with the contact. The exact number of messages included depends on system limits, but it typically covers the most recent exchanges relevant to maintaining context.Q: Can I use AI-generated SMS for mass messages or campaigns?Yes, AI-generated SMS works in workflows that process multiple contacts simultaneously. Each contact receives a uniquely generated message based on their individual data and conversation history, making it suitable for personalized mass communications.Q: How do I troubleshoot messages that don't match my expectations?Review and refine your prompt to be more specific. Check that custom fields contain the expected data, verify conversation history settings match your intent, and test with multiple contact scenarios. The more specific your prompt instructions, the more predictable the output.Q: Are AI-generated messages logged in conversation history?Yes, when messages are sent, they appear in the contact's conversation thread like any other SMS. This allows future workflow actions using conversation history to reference the AI-generated messages.Q: Can I use AI-generated SMS alongside regular SMS actions in the same workflow?Yes, you can mix AI-generated and standard template-based SMS actions within the same workflow. Use AI generation where personalization and context are critical, and use standard templates for consistent, static messages.Need Help?

If you need assistance setting up AI-generated SMS messages or have questions about workflow configuration, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Workflows section in your account
• Click the help icon within the SMS action configuration for inline guidance
• Use the in-app chat to connect with support for real-time assistance
• Review your workflow test results to identify specific issues with message generation