We understand that encountering issues with sending messages can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to reach your people with important communications!
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and are here to help you troubleshoot the problem.
Here are a few steps below that you can take to help identify and resolve the issue.
Step 1: Check Account Status
Before troubleshooting further, ensure that your Text In Church account is active and not suspended or paused.
To do this, follow these steps:
1. Go to the "Subscription" section of your account.
2. Verify that your subscription is active and current. Only active subscriptions allow for outgoing text messages.
If you need help to reactivate your account, please contact us at support@textinchurch.com
Step 2: Set up a Text In Church Phone Number
To send text messages through Text In Church, you need to have a phone number set up on your account.
Follow these steps to ensure you have a phone number associated with your account:
1. Go to the "Settings" of your account, which can be found in the lower corner of the blue left-hand sidebar.
2. Navigate to the "Phone Number" tab.
3. Your Text In Church phone number will be in the right corner. If you have not set up a phone number, click the blue "Add new " button to add your new number!
Step 3: Check for Specific Error Messages
If you can locate the message in the "Sent" folder of the Messages section of your account, check if any specific error messages are associated with it by clicking the blue View text to the far right.
Here are some common error codes and their solutions:
Failed
Cause: The Failed error typically indicates that the person you've tried to send a text to is either opted out or does not have a valid phone number on file for their People record.
Opt-out situations can occur for the following reasons:
The contact sent a STOP message to your Text In Church number.
The user manually opted out the recipient.
Contacts were imported via a .CSV file with permissions toggled off.
Additionally, ensure that the phone number is not a landline or invalid. Messages sent to such numbers cannot be delivered. Verify and update the phone number in the contact list as necessary.
Solution: Ensure the people who want to receive text messages from your church are opted in and have a valid mobile phone number on file.
If a contact texted in STOP they must text START to your Text In Church numbers. This process allows them to resume receiving messages.
NA
Cause: The NA error is typically seen with Group messages. It occurs when attempting to send a message to an empty Group, a Group where all contacts are opted out, or people records that do not have any mobile number listed (Text).
Solution: Ensure that the Group contains valid people records with valid contact information and that they have opted in to receive messages. Then, resend the message.
Carrier Filtering
If you've checked your message using the blue View text and see a 3007 carrier filtering error, this can happen if your messages do not meet carrier guidelines.
Carriers have strict filtering policies to prevent spam, which can sometimes affect legitimate communications.
Examples of content that might trigger filtering include:
Understanding Carrier Filtering Policies
AT&T and other carriers use automated mechanisms to identify and block messages that may seem illegitimate. These mechanisms are especially sensitive to:
Messages containing multiple links or Unbranded shortened links (e.g., bit.ly).
Messages lacking identifiers such as your organization's name
Content perceived as overly promotional or spam-like.
Messages without opt-out language
Best Practices for Ensuring Message Deliverability
To reduce the likelihood of your messages being blocked by carriers:
Use Branded Shortened URLs or the Raw Link:
Carriers often flag shortened unbranded links as spam. You can try including the full, unshortened URL to help ensure your messages are seen as legitimate.
Or try using branded URLs that include your organization's name, which can help alleviate filtering.
Include the Name of Your Organization:
Clearly identifying your organization in your message lends credibility and helps receivers recognize the message's intent.
For instance: "This is Power of Faith Family Worship Center, inviting you to our upcoming Sunday service."
Add Opt-out Language:
Including an opt-out phrase, such as "Text STOP to opt out," ensures compliance with carrier regulations. This demonstrates your adherence to industry-wide messaging norms and adds legitimacy in the eyes of carriers.
Avoid Keywords That Might Trigger Spam Filters:
Exclude words like "test" or just sending a link with no additional verbiage. Those kinds of messages can easily be misinterpreted as spam.
Using engaging, community-oriented wording can also increase user interaction, signaling to carriers that your messages are legitimate.
Troubleshooting Carrier Block Issues
If your messages continue to fail even after implementing these strategies:
Resend the Messages After Adjustments:
Make the recommended changes — e.g., replacing shortened links, adding clear organization names, or including opt-out language.
Contact Support for the Carrier's Review:
If issues persist despite following guidelines, escalation to the carrier may be needed.
Contact support@textinchurch.com for us to review!
We'll need 3-4 examples of carrier guideline-compliant messages filtered in the last 24-48 hours to reach out to our carrier for further investigation.
"Your Account Is Unverified. Please Contact Support To Get Verified" or "Known Sending Issue."
If you see either of these two error messages, please contact support@textinchurch.com with your message example to troubleshoot further.
"Unknown Sending Issue":
Cause: This rare error occurs when the cause of the issue is unknown, potentially indicating something went wrong internally.
Solution: Contact support@textinchurch.com with your message example to troubleshoot further.
"Limits Exceeded":
Cause: The Limits Exceeded error on a message can occur if your account has a failed payment or if it needs to be verified by a member of support before it can send additional messaging.
Solution: If you believe you've received this error by mistake, please contact support@textinchurch.com to troubleshoot further.
No Error Message or Sent status
If there are no specific error messages, but the intended recipients did not receive the message, please reach out to support@textinchurch.com and provide the following details:
- Who was supposed to receive the message?
- What kind of message was it? (automated workflow, individual/group text)
- When was the message supposed to send?
- If possible, include any additional screenshots or relevant notes that may assist the support team in troubleshooting the issue.
