---
schema_version: "1"
id: e7f2811c452d43aa7c9bb36b1d0c5fe01a8994deda7f48b36ae7de4f70a9fd0d
title: Set Up SMS Sends
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_dm_setup_sms_sends.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_dm_setup_sms_sends.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 56c708cd593f031b7090472555fda6cf3728db5060e8b1a66e9e2144e67d0f85
description: Users can send preapproved or fully custom SMS messages through Marketing Cloud Engagement Distributed Marketing. SMS messages are sent through Journey Builder using the Mobile Connect SMS activity. The Mobile Messaging Product Special Terms (PST) apply to SMS messages sent through Distributed Marketing.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Set Up SMS Sends

Users can send preapproved or fully custom SMS messages through Marketing Cloud Engagement Distributed Marketing. SMS messages are sent through Journey Builder using the Mobile Connect SMS activity. The Mobile Messaging Product Special Terms (PST) apply to SMS messages sent through Distributed Marketing.

Considerations:

- By default, messages are sent to the standard CRM phone field: Phone. You can modify this field when configuring Quick Send or Campaign workflows.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_cross-cloud_products-264-0-0-production-enus/bd617332-480f-48e8-b283-3477883c1320/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note If you use Experience Cloud to set up SMS sends for Campaigns, the Phone field must be configured on the MCDM Pending Submissions component. For setup not in Experience Cloud, set up the Phone field on the MCDM Campaign Messages component.
- MobileConnect.manages opt-ins. Recipients must be opted in before receiving SMS messages through Distributed Marketing.
- Phone numbers must include the country code.
- Engagement tracking for SMS messages sent isn’t available in CRM by Distributed Marketing or Marketing Cloud Connect today. But a log of SMS messages sent is available when sent using the Quick Send from Opportunity and Quick Send from Case workflows.
- Distributed Marketing doesn’t surface blockout windows to users. If a user attempts a sending during a blockout window, the message isn’t sent.
- Distributed Marketing is optimized for GSM characters only. Distributed Marketing doesn’t programmatically prevent users from entering or sending non-GSM characters. But the maximum character count doesn’t automatically update to reflect new character limits per message. If a user includes non-GSM characters, up to three messages can be sent.
- Custom SMS messages are enabled using AMPscript.

To enable SMS Sends in Distributed Marketing, follow these steps:

1. Create a journey using the SMS message activity. In Journey Delivery Options, select **Send only to contacts who are subscribed currently** or, for Campaigns, you can select **Subscribe all contacts**. The Subscribe all contacts isn’t currently supported for Quick Sends.
2. Ensure that the journey’s [event data extension](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_dm_create_entry_event_data_extension.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a standard, sendable data extension that captures information from the approved contacts that you use for journey messaging. For example, capture the sender email address and ID.") includes the following fields:
    
         
    | Column Name | Data Type | Length | Primary Key | Required | Notes |
    | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
    | smsValue | Text | 160 | No | No | Include it to support custom SMS messages. Set it up as a profile attribute if it’s referenced in AMPscript. |
    | mobilePhone | Phone | 50 | No | No | Set it up as a profile attribute if it’s referenced in AMPscript. |
3. Enable the journey in a Campaign Send or Quick Send workflow.

#### See Also

- [Campaign Messages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_dm_add_campaign_messages_component.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Campaign messages let your business users send single or multi-touch engagements to Contacts, Leads, and Person Accounts at scale from the Salesforce Campaign object.")
- [Quick Send Messages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_dm_set_up_quick_send.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Quick Send messages enable your business users to rapidly send a single, personalized Marketing Cloud Engagement email or SMS message to contacts, leads, and person accounts from throughout the Salesforce platform.")
- [Enable Custom SMS Messages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_dm_enable_custom_sms_messages.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Add AMPscript to SMS messages to allow a user to write and send a custom SMS message through Distributed Marketing. SMS messages are sent through journeys using the MobileConnect SMS message activity.")