---
schema_version: "1"
id: eb68dcf2b09a62f10c979c0d83d92103437d8ae2c19138df47b2dee93db17796
title: Send a Message to a Customer in an Enhanced Channel
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_agent_initiated_outbound_0.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_agent_initiated_outbound_0.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: c4e46379a05cd543c2e51e03bd4902897a236632f2e6f3889842cf7e3ac93fe8
description: To start a messaging session with a customer in an enhanced Messaging channel or Enhanced In-App Chat, use the Send a Message action.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Send a Message to a Customer in an Enhanced Channel

To start a messaging session with a customer in an enhanced Messaging channel or Enhanced In-App Chat, use the Send a Message action.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <a name="messaging_agent_initiated_outbound_0__image_zgw_qgf_5cc"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_agent_initiated_outbound_0__image_zgw_qgf_5cc" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
              <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Messaging for In-App, enhanced WhatsApp, enhanced Facebook Messenger, enhanced
              SMS, enhanced Apple Messages for Business, enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own
              Channel</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
              <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Messaging for Web, standard WhatsApp, standard Facebook Messenger, and standard
              SMS channels</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d152871e96">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d152871e96 ">To initiate messaging sessions in enhanced channels and Enhanced In-App Chat: </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d152871e96 ">
              <p>Initiate Messaging Sessions </p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"> Messaging Agent</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d152871e96 ">To auto-create messaging user records when initiating enhanced SMS messaging
              sessions:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d152871e96 ">Send Initial SMS Message to Individual </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

In an enhanced channel, you can send a message even when you're offline.

1. From any Salesforce page, select **Send a Message** in the global action menu.
    
    ![Send a Message action in global action menu](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_send_message_action.png)
    
    Alternatively, from a lead, person account, contact, or messaging user record detail page, select **Send a Message** in the record action menu or on the activity timeline. The action location can vary depending on where your admin added it.
2. Select a recipient. You can click the icon to look up an account, lead, contact, or messaging user. This field may already be completed, depending on which record you’re viewing.
3. Select a messaging channel. Only messaging channels associated with the select recipient are shown. If you’re the designated user on any channels whose Routing Type is set to User, those channels are shown first. Channels with a different designated user aren’t shown.
4. If you selected an SMS channel and this is your business’s first SMS message to the customer, select the box verifying that the customer consented to receive SMS messages from your business. If they didn’t, don’t send a message.
5. Click **Start Conversation**.
    
    ![Send a Message composer with a messaging user, an SMS channel, and a phone number selected](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_send_message_1.png)
6. Enter your message. Above the message field, you can see any previous messages exchanged with the customer in the channel.
    1. If your channel supports non-text formats, click the microphone icon to record a voice message.
    2. Click the plus icon to view other messaging actions, including inserting quick text, adding emoji, sending messaging components, and attaching files.
7. Click **Send**.
    
    ![Send a Message composer with a message entered: Howard, thanks for stopping by the store yesterday! Please reach out if there's anything else you need.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_send_message_2.png)
8. The message is sent. If it’s your business’s first message to the user, it also includes this text: This message is from \[first and last name of rep or business name\]. \[Help Response auto-response for the channel\].
    
    ![Send a Message composer with the rep's sent message](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_send_message_3.png)

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_note.png)

Note When you use quick text with merge fields in the Send Message composer, the merge fields will not populate until you send a message. The messaging session record doesn't exist until a message is sent, so the merge fields can't resolve.

After you send your message or messages, you can close the composer. The Send a Message composer doesn’t update to show customer responses.

If the customer responds, the way it’s routed depends on your capacity model.

- If the service channel uses status-based capacity, the response is routed back to you and appears in your Omni-Channel inbox.
- If the service channel uses tab-based capacity, the response is routed as a new messaging session and a different rep may pick it up.

For details about customer responses, valid message recipients, and limits related to business-initiated messaging, see [Considerations for Business-Initiated Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_send_message_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Several rules determine whether and how service reps can start a messaging session with a lead or customer from Salesforce. These rules protect customers from unwanted messages.").

#### See Also

- [Set Up Business-Initiated Messaging for Enhanced Channels](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_send_message_setup.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To let service reps start messaging sessions with customers, assign user permissions, add the Send a Message action, and set your channel keywords and responses.")
- [Troubleshoot the Send a Message Action in Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_troubleshoot_send_message.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Reps can use the Send a Message action to proactively message customers in enhanced channels and Enhanced In-App Chat. If you have trouble finding the recipient or sending your message, review these troubleshooting tips.")