Cradle

Desktop app

Sending an SMS from the desktop app

How to send a text message from the Cradle desktop app, who you can message, and where to find it after you hit send.

Cradle lets you send SMS to your customers from the same app you use for calls. This article walks through sending a message and what to expect after you do.

Before you start

Steps

  1. Click the messaging icon in the Cradle desktop app to open the messaging area.
  2. Click New message at the top of the thread list.
  3. In the To field, search for a contact by name, or paste a mobile number. For example, "Liam Chen" pulls up Liam Chen at Pacific Advisory Group on +61 2 5550 0404. For a UK customer, "George Whitfield" pulls up George Whitfield at Whitfield & Partners Solicitors on +44 20 7946 0111.
  4. Pick the recipient. Cradle picks the right outbound SMS number for you automatically based on the recipient's country.
  5. Type your message in the text box at the bottom.
  6. Click the send button (or press enter) to send it.

What you should see

  • The new message appears in the thread. Two ticks underneath it means the message has been sent and delivered to the recipient's network.
  • The thread shows up at the top of your thread list with the most recent message preview.
  • Once the recipient replies, the thread moves to the top with an unread indicator until someone on your team opens it.

How long can a message be?

The SMS standard is 160 characters per message, and Cradle's reply box won't let you go over. When you reach the limit, the input stops accepting characters. If you need to send more than 160 characters, send a second message after the first one goes through.

If it doesn't work

  • The recipient number is greyed out. Cradle flags numbers that don't look like a mobile we can reach. See Why is this number greyed out?.
  • The message shows a failed status. Cradle shows an inline error when a message can't go through. See Why did my message fail to send?.
  • You can't find the contact. They may not be in your synced address book or CRM. Paste the full mobile number in international format (+61 …, +44 …) instead.

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