Setting up an interactive Twilio text respondent source

Edited

Interactive text surveys run surveys over text message in a back-and-forth between the user and the interview:

Use Twilio Text to upload phone contacts and send survey questions over SMS.

Before you start

  • Advanced audiences must be enabled in your account.

  • You need a Twilio Account SID, Auth Token, and either:

    • a Twilio phone number, or

    • a Twilio Messaging Service SID.

  • Your contact numbers must be in E.164 format (example: +15551234567).

Step 1: Create a new Twilio Text source

Go to Sources and create a source with type Twilio Text.

Fill these Twilio-specific fields together with the selected base fields:

Field (UX label)

What to enter

Required

Twilio account SID

Your Twilio Account SID used to send SMS

Yes

Twilio from number

SMS-enabled Twilio number in E.164

Exactly one of this or Messaging Service SID

Twilio messaging service SID

Twilio Messaging Service SID

Exactly one of this or From number

Twilio auth token

Twilio Auth Token

Required on create, optional on update

Stop confirmation message

Auto-reply sent after STOP/unsubscribe

Optional

Messages per second

Outbound SMS rate limit for this source

Yes (min 1)

Completion url

Redirect base URL after survey completion

Optional

Identity column

Contact file identity column name (default: Identifier)

Optional

Step 3: Configure Twilio webhook

  1. In the source, copy the Inbound webhook URL from the Twilio setup panel.

  2. In Twilio Console, paste that URL as your inbound webhook for the sender (number or messaging service).

  3. Save changes in Twilio.

Step 4: Upload contacts

  1. Use Upload contacts file.

  2. Supported file types: .csv, .csv.gz, .xlsx.

  3. Include the configured Identity column (default Identifier) and populate it with E.164 phone numbers.

Step 5: Send a safe test

1. Enter a value in Test destination number (E.164).

2. Save/update the source.

3. Confirm the test number is not already in your real contact list.

Step 6: Go live

1. Use the Status action Go Live.

2. Use Pause, Restart, or Complete as needed during fielding.

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