Your turn is next
Residents waiting in a SentraQueue line get a text when they're close to being called.
Messages & alertsConnector
Twilio SMS integration
for city text notifications
Twilio is a messaging platform cities use to send text messages from their own number: appointment reminders, service updates, outage notices and on-call alerts.
Plain API
Twilio SMS
- Tier
- Plain API
- Category
- Messages & alerts
- Sign-in
- Username and password, or API key as basic sign-in
- Paging
- next link
§ Overview
What connecting Twilio SMS does.
SentraBridge sends a text per record through the city's Twilio account and reads message history, including delivery status and error codes. Phone numbers and message text pass through the run; SentraBridge stores neither.
- Outgoing texts: Send to a number from a number or messaging service, with message text.
- Message history: Read message SID, status, sent time and error code.
- Changes only: Read only messages sent since the last run.
What SentraBridge can do with Twilio SMS
| resource | read | write | changes only | fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text messages | list, read one | create | yes | To (send), From (send), Messaging service (send), Message (send), Message SID, Status… |
§ Use cases
What cities connect Twilio SMS for.
Planned water shutoffs
Customers on affected routes from utility billing get a text the day before a shutoff.
On-call alerts
Extreme weather warnings or urgent 311 requests text the on-call supervisor.
Delivery failures
Messages that failed are read back and listed for staff, so the account's phone number can be fixed.
§ How it works
How to connect Twilio SMS
- 01Get accessGet a Twilio number or messaging service for the city.
- 02Add the connectionUse the Account SID (or API key SID) as username.
- 03Preview real recordsUse the auth token (or API key secret) as password.
- 04Turn it onPreview: send steps show the texts without sending.
§ Often connected with
Twilio SMS and the rest of city hall.
Systems cities commonly connect with Twilio SMS, each with its own connector page.
SentraQueue
Sentra 311§ FAQ
Twilio SMS integration questions
Does Twilio have an API?
Yes. Twilio's Messaging API sends texts and returns message history and delivery status.
Do we need consent to text residents?
Yes. Follow the city's opt-in policy and carrier rules for text messaging. Flows can filter to people who opted in.
Can we check whether texts were delivered?
Yes. Read message history to get status and error codes for each message.
Connect Twilio SMS to the rest.
We'll set up a workspace with your systems in a sandbox and build your first flow with you.