Share a texting number with your team

A shared texting number lets a team answer customers from one business number, such as a front desk or support line, instead of each person texting from their own. Shared texting numbers are available, and CallSprout support sets them up.

This feature needs the Communicator apps add-on on your account. See plans and pricing

Some labels in your portal or apps may look slightly different from this guide.

Before you start

• Text messaging is part of every plan, with 200 messages per user each month. Picture messages count toward that too. See what each plan includes.
• Carriers require your business to be registered before texts can be sent. CallSprout files that registration for your company.
• Texting is for conversations with your customers. Bulk texting campaigns aren't allowed.

What changes when a number is shared

When several people are on one texting number, each of them sees every conversation on it, including replies to messages a coworker sent. In some versions of Communicator, a coworker's messages show their name and picture above them, and the texting window says that multiple people share the number. Check how this looks in your version of Communicator.

If you have no texting number at all, the SMS icon doesn't appear. Ask your admin to request one for you.

Work well as a team

• Agree who answers which conversations, because everyone on the number can see them all.
• Check the Sending from bar before you reply, so you know which number the customer sees. Send and receive texts and pictures explains how to switch numbers.

Set up a texting number (admins)

CallSprout support assigns texting numbers, because phone numbers are managed on our side.

1. 1
   Step 1:

   Pick the number

   Choose the business number the team should text from. It can be a number you already have, or a new one.
2. 2
   Step 2:

   List the people

   Write down each person and extension that should share it.
3. 3
   Step 3:

   Send it to support

   Contact CallSprout support with the number and the list. Ask for the same thing when someone joins or leaves the team, or when a number should move to another person.
4. 4
   Step 4:

   Tell the team

   When support confirms, ask everyone on the number to open Communicator and check for the SMS icon.

What to expect

Rules about who you can text, and when, come from carriers and the law. Your company is responsible for following them, so check with whoever handles that for your business.