Overview

When FaxMaker is receiving an SMS, the routing works in a different way than it does for fax messages. An SMS has fewer details than a fax message, thus limiting the ways to route the incoming SMS. In fact, GFI FaxMaker can route incoming SMS messages only by one type of routing.

This article provides different routing scenarios in FaxMaker.

Solution

Scenario 1

Things to note:

• In order for an incoming SMS to be routed to a specific FaxMaker user, that particular user needs to have first sent an SMS to the number from which the FaxMaker user is replying back.
• GFI FaxMaker keeps track of which users sent SMS messages to which numbers. This information is kept for 5 hours.
• If the number in question replies back within 5 hours, the SMS will be redirected to the FaxMaker user who sent the SMS first.
• To set up this routing, you will need to enable the option Enable automatic routing for incoming messages in the GFI FaxMaker Configuration > SMS > Properties > SMS options. This option is enabled by default. 
  
  
  
  

Scenario 2

Another situation may arise if two FaxMaker users send an SMS to the same recipient number and the customer replies back within the 5-hour window (to both messages). In that case, both FaxMaker users will receive a copy of the SMS reply by the customer, as the 5-hour window for both messages would still be active.

Example:

• If John Doe sends an SMS to 123456, and 123456 replies within 5 hours, FaxMaker will route that incoming SMS to John Doe.
• If within the 5-hour window, both John Doe and Peter Smith send an SMS to 123456, and 123456 replies to any of the SMS sent, it will be re-directed to both John and Peter as FaxMaker would not be able to know to which SMS the sender is replying to.
  
  

Scenario 3

If no FaxMaker user sent an SMS, or the customer replies after the 5-hour window, the SMS will be routed to the user listed under SMS > SMS Routing > Default SMS Routers.

Additionally, if there are users listed under SMS > SMS Routing > Receive All SMS Messages, these users will receive a copy of all incoming SMS messages, regardless of whether they were routed or not.