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Send a text message to a contact

Reply to a contact by text right from the Messages thread, with saved SMS templates that merge in their details.

Open in SAMI OS

Texting a contact in SAMI OS happens right inside the conversation thread. Open a contact, type your message, and press Enter — the text goes out from your team's Twilio number and lands in the thread instantly.

Send a text from the Messages thread

Head to Messages and pick the contact you want to text. The thread shows your full back-and-forth, with their incoming texts on the left and your outbound texts on the right.

  1. Open the conversation

    In Messages, select the contact from the list. Their conversation opens with the message box pinned to the bottom.

  2. Type your message

    Click the Type a message... box and write your text. The box grows as you type, so longer replies stay readable.

  3. Send it

    Press Enter to send. Use Shift + Enter if you want a line break without sending. You can also click the send button to the right of the box.

  4. Confirm it went out

    Your message appears immediately in the thread as an outbound (right-aligned) bubble with a delivery status icon next to the timestamp.

The contact needs a phone number on file to receive a text. If the thread has no number to send to, add one on the contact's record first.

Insert a saved SMS template

Above the message box is a template picker that pulls in your saved SMS templates so you don't retype the same message every time. When you choose one, SAMI OS merges in that contact's details — like their name — before dropping the text into the box.

  1. Choose a template

    Use the template menu above the message box and pick a saved SMS template.

  2. Review the merged text

    The rendered message lands in the box with the contact's details already filled in. Edit anything you'd like before sending.

  3. Send as usual

    Press Enter to send the message just like a typed reply.

Build and edit your reusable messages under Settings → Templates. Templates with merge fields keep every text personal without the typing.

A few things to know

Your texts always send from the Twilio number assigned to your team, not your personal cell — so replies route back into the same SAMI OS thread. Each outbound text shows a status icon that updates as the carrier confirms delivery; see your conversations any time to check.

You can also text a contact without opening Messages: open their contact record, switch the composer to Send SMS, write your message, and send. It posts to the same place and appears in the contact's timeline and Messages thread.

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Last updated 2026-06-21

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