When using SMS reminders in TimeTap, all international phone numbers must follow international dialing standards (E.164 format) in order for Twilio (our SMS messaging provider) to successfully deliver text messages.
If a phone number is not entered in the correct format, you may see errors such as -
Failed – Invalid 'To' Phone Number
In this help doc we'll cover -
E.164 Formatting Requirements
E.164 format requires the following -
- Plus sign (+)
- Country code
- Full phone number without any leading 0
- Limited to 15 digits or less
Example
- United Kingdom -
+442071838750(instead of02071838750)
For more info, refer to Twilio’s documentation here - Formatting International Numbers
Using Mask Format to Enforce Correct Entry
You can apply a Mask Format to any phone number client information fields to help ensure that mobile numbers always get entered in the correct format. A mask enforces the structure of the phone number -
-
+61 (4##) ###-###- Australia (country code +61 plus 9 digits) -
+44 (##) ####-####- United Kingdom (country code +44 plus 10 digits)
Mask Format Rules
- Each # represents a required digit
- Any hard-coded characters (such as
+61, parentheses or dashes) will always appear
This ensures clients enter their phone numbers in the correct international format every time, while also improving the readability.
Using Field Hints
In addition to masks, you can also add a Field Hint that will add a bit of explanatory text below the field on the Your Information panel of the Client Scheduler to guide clients on how to enter their number for that field.
For example, if you run a business out of Australia you may want to save the following field hint -
“Please enter your number in international format - +61 (4##) ###-###”